D&D 5E What are your (up to 3) favorite character races? - Wizards Survey Duplication

[Scribe]

The thing about the "35 races" to me is that sure, having 35 different cultures with interesting and deep stories, that are not just humans with hats is really tough. BUT if I was to DM a homebrew setting I would probabbly give my players a run down of the main races (those would have those rich developments) but still let them choose any official race, under the condition that for that we would have to talk and find the place of that race in the wolrd. That could be done in various ways:

• A small number of members of the race always existed but never formed a relevant society;
• Traveler/planar accident brought the character to a place were the race doesn't exist;
• Scientific experimentation;
• Whim of a god;

The list can go on almost for ever, but I'd say "you can chosse whatever you want, but not everything will have a great impact on the game wolrd, sometimes you are just one of a kind".

Yeah that blog, outlined that really well and opened my eyes a bit to the concept.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Yeah, those all sound like good cannon fodder for the PCs' next three or four adventures...

Villains are traditionally more interesting than the protagonists after all.

 

[Bolares]

Yeah that blog, outlined that really well and opened my eyes a bit to the concept.

Yeah, just wrote it with my own words because most people will probably not open the link

 

[Scribe]

Yeah, just wrote it with my own words because most people will probably not open the link

They should! I read a lot of things people provide through these discussions and think about them.

 

[Yaarel]

In that regard I'm hoping that the strength of Half-Elf traditionally mechanically, is why its results are what they are and I'm kind of formulating these into logical teirs.

Part of the popularity of half elf was the mechanics. Charisma evolved into a powerful stat for spellcasters. Meanwhile the floating +1 was useful.

Part of the popularity was the physical appearance. The half elf is an elf and magical and exotic, but can also be tall, muscular, and masculine appearing.

Part of the popularity was the flavor of being an outside who didnt fit in, while also portraying this special identity in an appealing way.



But now, the mechanics are no longer true. The elf and any other player species can train whatever abilities make sense for the character concept, including Charisma.

The physical appearance is no longer true. The elf and any other player species can be any height and physique appropriate to humans, or can use the height-weight table of any race. Xanathars portrays tall, muscular, masculine elves in several images. Note too, in Witchlight, both Witch and Light are elves, each with "opposite" body types.

The popularity of proudly not fitting in, remains true. But other character concepts might also resonate this.



We will see if the half elf remains popular because of its narrative concept of two species engaging each other.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

The thing about the "35 races" to me is that sure, having 35 different cultures with interesting and deep stories, that are not just humans with hats is really tough. BUT if I was to DM a homebrew setting I would probabbly give my players a run down of the main races (those would have those rich developments) but still let them choose any official race, under the condition that for that we would have to talk and find the place of that race in the wolrd. That could be done in various ways:

• A small number of members of the race always existed but never formed a relevant society;
• Traveler/planar accident brought the character to a place were the race doesn't exist;
• Scientific experimentation;
• Whim of a god;

The list can go on almost for ever, but I'd say "you can chosse whatever you want, but not everything will have a great impact on the game wolrd, sometimes you are just one of a kind".

The Eberron Model! Proof that Eberron is the best D&D setting!

 

[Bolares]

I really like that aproach because it allows me to let my players be creative/play what they want without breaking the world I've created. This also kind of extends to class choices. I'm very open to reskining classes if for an example a player likes the powers of a cleric/paladin but does not want to play a divine focused character. If you like the mechanics we can find a way to fit them in the world, we just need to both be open to the discussion.

 

[ReshiIRE]

Kobold, Lizardborn and Dragonborn are my favourites. All so different, all so interesting to play against other races, and all with fascinating lore (with two having GREAT interaction potential with dragons).

 

[Bolares]

The Eberron Model! Proof that Eberron is the best D&D setting!

I love how Keith puts it. If it exists in D&D it can exist in Eberron. Maybe it's just not what you expect

 

[Bolares]

Kobold, Lizardborn and Dragonborn are my favourites. All so different, all so interesting to play against other races, and all with fascinating lore (with two having GREAT interaction potential with dragons).

Have you seen Keith Baker's take on Lizardfolk in Eberron?