D&D General trying to make an alien-themed race but they keep turning into elves, help.

[Cruentus]

fair but I wish to avoid the area of anthropomorphic animals as I consider the designs unambitious, plus if I say wanted a tortoise or elephant we already have them.

I have been considering that but that ends up how do I avoid making offended by the monk stuff?

I was reading about some of the mystical folk and they do feel elfy.

When I went back and looked at them again, they didn't do anything new or original, just basically broke their races down into what were clearly real-world analogues in many cases, some rather poorly (I don't think they hold up), and even some of the artwork of the mystical races looked and felt elfy.

I think that building a non-elf really comes down to their attitude, their appearance, and what their connection is (if any) to the world. When introducing a new race/monster, it is easy for players to say "Oh, so its an elf", since that is their frame of reference (the PHB races). The answer is "You could think that, or approach them that way, though I don't know how that would go over."

Maybe they're originally from the lower planes, albeit not evil, or at best neutral to the overall world. Maybe they spend all of their time in mystical pursuits (either magical, or martial arts, or both). You could do "monk stuff" by having them pursue excellence in unarmed combat (monk), or weapons (kensai) fairly narrowly, and build their culture, attitude, and such around it. Don't have them be aloof, that's "elfy", for example. Have them be intense, focused, and relentless in everything they do (even if they are long lived).

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

@Mind of tempest

New suggestion. Make your problem (really, everyone's problem) .... THE SOLUTION!*

Issue 1: Elves are terrible.

Issue 2: All aliens eventually become elves.

Solution: Swerve hard into this with a touch of Cronenbergian body-horror!

So, you could have some of the following scenarios:

A. Elfzomorph. The party is sitting around, eating dinner on the spaceship. Everything seems at peace, until one of them starts convulsing. On no, what just burst through the chest of Chad's PC? That's right! It's an Elfzomorph! In the vacuum of space, no one can hear the elves killing you.

B. BrundleElf. In the future, we have transporters. But throughout space, there are numerous .... invisible ... elves. Captain Brundle teleports by accident into one of these invisible elves. Think of the campaign that will ensue as we watch the terrifying descent of the Captain into ... half man, half-elf. shiver

C. Pitch Drow. The party crashlands on a planet that seems suffused with sunlight. But at night ... the DARK ELVES come out, and they are HUNGRY.

D. Elfdator. Regular D&D campaign. The party will be going on doing their normal murder-hobo stuff, and midway through ... oh no ... there is an ELF FROM SPACE that is tracking them down, hunting them, killing them all. Can they survive the ELF ONSLAUGHT?

E. Invasion of the Body Elfers. A modern campaign setting. As you play it, you begin to wonder ... does that person's ears look a little pointier? Are they being just a tad more annoying? Are you paranoid, or is there a VAST ELVEN CONSPIRACY? Is that your friend, or AN ELF?


And finally, of course ....

THE ELFINATOR. Listen and understand. Elves are out there. Elves cannot be bargained with. Elves cannot be reasoned with. Elves don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And elves absolutely will not stop .... ever, UNTIL YOU ARE DEAD!






*As my mama always told me, "Snarf, if you can't be part of the solution, become a part of the problem." Like that, but different!

 

[Mind of tempest]

When I went back and looked at them again, they didn't do anything new or original, just basically broke their races down into what were clearly real-world analogues in many cases, some rather poorly (I don't think they hold up), and even some of the artwork of the mystical races looked and felt elfy.

I think that building a non-elf really comes down to their attitude, their appearance, and what their connection is (if any) to the world. When introducing a new race/monster, it is easy for players to say "Oh, so its an elf", since that is their frame of reference (the PHB races). The answer is "You could think that, or approach them that way, though I don't know how that would go over."

Maybe they're originally from the lower planes, albeit not evil, or at best neutral to the overall world. Maybe they spend all of their time in mystical pursuits (either magical, or martial arts, or both). You could do "monk stuff" by having them pursue excellence in unarmed combat (monk), or weapons (kensai) fairly narrowly, and build their culture, attitude, and such around it. Don't have them be aloof, that's "elfy", for example. Have them be intense, focused, and relentless in everything they do (even if they are long lived).

on the lower planes think do you mean like the Salamandrine Man?

any tips for traits of a non-elf who is clearly not something else?

@Mind of tempest

New suggestion. Make your problem (really, everyone's problem) .... THE SOLUTION!*

Issue 1: Elves are terrible.

Issue 2: All aliens eventually become elves.

Solution: Swerve hard into this with a touch of Cronenbergian body-horror!

So, you could have some of the following scenarios:

A. Elfzomorph. The party is sitting around, eating dinner on the spaceship. Everything seems at peace, until one of them starts convulsing. On no, what just burst through the chest of Chad's PC? That's right! It's an Elfzomorph! In the vacuum of space, no one can hear the elves killing you.

B. BrundleElf. In the future, we have transporters. But throughout space, there are numerous .... invisible ... elves. Captain Brundle teleports by accident into one of these invisible elves. Think of the campaign that will ensue as we watch the terrifying descent of the Captain into ... half man, half-elf. shiver

C. Pitch Drow. The party crashlands on a planet that seems suffused with sunlight. But at night ... the DARK ELVES come out, and they are HUNGRY.

D. Elfdator. Regular D&D campaign. The party will be going on doing their normal murder-hobo stuff, and midway through ... oh no ... there is an ELF FROM SPACE that is tracking them down, hunting them, killing them all. Can they survive the ELF ONSLAUGHT?

E. Invasion of the Body Elfers. A modern campaign setting. As you play it, you begin to wonder ... does that person's ears look a little pointier? Are they being just a tad more annoying? Are you paranoid, or is there a VAST ELVEN CONSPIRACY? Is that your friend, or AN ELF?


And finally, of course ....

THE ELFINATOR. Listen and understand. Elves are out there. Elves cannot be bargained with. Elves cannot be reasoned with. Elves don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And elves absolutely will not stop .... ever, UNTIL YOU ARE DEAD!






*As my mama always told me, "Snarf, if you can't be part of the solution, become a part of the problem." Like that, but different!

this would really work with an evil reimagining of the god who rules all elves who likes switch form more than most druids to the corallion guy.

 

[Cruentus]

on the lower planes think do you mean like the Salamandrine Man?
View attachment 253904
any tips for traits of a non-elf who is clearly not something else?

Ooh, that’s interesting. So, for a differently jointed, fierce, nomadic people who hunt demons…some things off the top of my head (in no particular order)

• some sort of hunting/foraging ability (whether you wanted to limit it to a particular type of terrain or creature type, or have it be malleable, as I am sure the lower planes would be)
• I know it is elf-like, but not requiring sleep, and requiring a set amount of “rest” each day (not necessarily at night)
• reduced chance to be surprised
• ability to sense or enhanced senses related to detecting Infernals (and Celestials?) (very niche to be sure)

Also, look at pg 280-281 of the DMG, it lists most of the basic monster Features. Pick two of three of them that would fit the theme: Aggressive, Ambusher, Devil Sight, Fiendish Blessing, etc., and then rename them if necessary, or tweak the game effect. There are a lot of Features there that could be re-themed for a PC race. Their language is already unique, and even outsiders who learn it couldn’t, for example, be able to relate emotion to a Salamandrine because they can’t make the sounds correctly.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I have been considering that but that ends up how do I avoid making offended by the monk stuff?

I don’t understand your concern. Can you spell it out more?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

any tips for traits of a non-elf who is clearly not something else?

Drawing from real world biology

Radial symmetry or even some version of amorphousness.

Compound eyes. Especially like those of a Mantis shrimp.

All eyes on the reef

How is a mantis shrimp’s vision like a satellite?

www.science.org.au

Chromatophores

Nematocysts

Bioluminescence

Superior senses- smell and hearing are obvious, but perhaps they can detect bioelectrical fields. Which leads to…

Electrical shock organs

Venom or poison production

 

[Mind of tempest]

I don’t understand your concern. Can you spell it out more?

how do I avoid just making an offensive take on it out of simple ignorance?

Drawing from real world biology

Radial symmetry or even some version of amorphousness.

Compound eyes. Especially like those of a Mantis shrimp.

All eyes on the reef

How is a mantis shrimp’s vision like a satellite?

www.science.org.au

Chromatophores

Nematocysts

Bioluminescence

Superior senses- smell and hearing are obvious, but perhaps they can detect bioelectrical fields. Which leads to…

Electrical shock organs

Venom or poison production

that comes as basic alienness I was looking for more mental stuff to push the common personality away from elfdom?

 

[Steampunkette]

Maybe you should describe personality traits that you consider to be Elflike?

Then we can figure out which ones wouldn't trigger the elfness button.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Ooh, that’s interesting. So, for a differently jointed, fierce, nomadic people who hunt demons…some things off the top of my head (in no particular order)

• some sort of hunting/foraging ability (whether you wanted to limit it to a particular type of terrain or creature type, or have it be malleable, as I am sure the lower planes would be)
• I know it is elf-like, but not requiring sleep, and requiring a set amount of “rest” each day (not necessarily at night)
• reduced chance to be surprised
• ability to sense or enhanced senses related to detecting Infernals (and Celestials?) (very niche to be sure)

Also, look at pg 280-281 of the DMG, it lists most of the basic monster Features. Pick two of three of them that would fit the theme: Aggressive, Ambusher, Devil Sight, Fiendish Blessing, etc., and then rename them if necessary, or tweak the game effect. There are a lot of Features there that could be re-themed for a PC race. Their language is already unique, and even outsiders who learn it couldn’t, for example, be able to relate emotion to a Salamandrine because they can’t make the sounds correctly.

I was just offering an example of a race from a hellish extra plane origin, but I will take your advice into account.

Maybe you should describe personality traits that you consider to be Elflike?

Then we can figure out which ones wouldn't trigger the elfness button.

that is tricky as they are hard to define:
slender, tall, unusually attractive, often pointy-eared
deep connection with nature, often live in forests/trees
expert fighters, especially bowmen
very long lifespan and eternal
powerful magical capabilities, high magic potential
seem safe bets.

 

[Steampunkette]

that is tricky as they are hard to define:
slender, tall, unusually attractive, often pointy-eared
deep connection with nature, often live in forests/trees
expert fighters, especially bowmen
very long lifespan and eternal
powerful magical capabilities, high magic potential
seem safe bets.

The only personality trait, there, is "Deep Connection with Nature". So make them nature-agnostic. Like humans, natural resources are just that: Resources. They "Respect the Environment" precisely enough to avoid killing themselves with pollution, and no more.

Make your new group of people average sized, not particularly attractive, perhaps no ears whatsoever?
Kill the cultural expectation of skill in combat by making them just normal people some of whom are trained for battle but the majority of whom would get their butts kicked.
Give 'em a normal or even shortened lifespan.
No magic, or no more than anyone else.

Done.