D&D 5E What is the appeal of the weird fantasy races?

[dave2008]

It isn't just human vs. non-human IMO though, it is "typical" vs. "exotic" (for lack of better terms).

If you look at the site you mentioned, over 70% of the races are typical (human, elf, dwarf, half-elf, halfling, gnome, or half-orc), for the 5E crowd you could argue that dragonborn and tiefling should be included, but I'm not for this case.

So, if all other races would be 30% or less in total, I would think that would be a bit rare, or definitely uncommon. shrug

I guess I at least put half-orcs on the "weird" category and gnomes too. I've never had either in one of my games.

Personally I thought the "normal" races where the Tolkien classics: human, elf, dwarf, halfling

 

[DND_Reborn]

But if they are that different, then that is where a lot of the difficulty for the DM comes in

Thanks (I think...?). As the DM I've never had any difficulty at these points--in fact, it often develops the story nicely. Yes, sometimes the issues are good and sometimes bad, depending exactly on the nature of the adventure and how the encounters go. In larger, more traveled areas, where "foreigners" are more common, it isn't as unusual to see an aarakocra, tabaxi, and tortle going into a bar... er, I mean an tavern.

 

[dave2008]

You can only have so many common races in an area. Logic says so. Therefore, statistically some have to be rare. I would assume races live together, therefore, you have racial congregations. So unless each area has a 5% dwarves, 5% elves, 5% drow, 5% yuan-ti, 5% tabaxi, 5% human, etc. then they would be considered weird by many. It makes no sense to say the average town wouldn't be scared of a race they have never heard of, or never seen but heard of. Not every place can be cosmopolitan, and not every place wouldn't have rumors or unsettling stories of those "other folks." That is why it breaks logic.
I get it. I play in campaigns where all of this is just overlooked. They are fun. But it loses a piece of the story for me.

It may make no sense to you. But in an imaginary fantasy setting it can make perfect sense. There is no need to assume fantasy humans are as petty as RL ones.

 

[Crit]

I have no idea. In fact I still have no idea what the appeal of playing any other race is. We are humans and that's all we can be. To me anyone playing a different race is just a human not so cleverly disguised with a funny hat. Mostly it's just an excuse for mechanical bonuses.

To put it bluntly, playing another species lets a person explore new experiences that a human doesn't get to have. What's it like to be 8 feet tall, or 3? To live a thousand years, or less than 50? That, and to come from each race's cultures provides new ideas. Also, playing into each race's archetypes can just be plain fun. It's really not hard to see the appeal.

Isn't everyone in DnD just wearing a not-cleverly-designed hat? Why limit that to less common races? If I'm going to play a character all the same, I might as well do something that'll be more engaging to me than only playing Humans.

Playing a human is "normal" because we already know what those shoes are like to walk in, so it's not like you're really broadening your horizons or imagination. So, in total, it's story significance, it's something you only get here, and yeah, it's got fun mechanics.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I guess I at least put half-orcs on the "weird" category and gnomes too. I've never had either in one of my games.

Personally I thought the "normal" races where the Tolkien classics: human, elf, dwarf, halfling

Ok, I get that and if so, especially if you move half-elf to "weird" it would be about 50/50.

You've never had an half-orc or gnome?? In any edition? Huh. I see them about as much as the others personally, but YMMV of course.

 

[MGibster]

It is pretty bold to claim that humans are an intelligent race!

We created pancakes.

 

[dave2008]

Ok, I get that and if so, especially if you move half-elf to "weird" it would be about 50/50.

You've never had an half-orc or gnome?? In any edition? Huh. I see them about as much as the others personally, but YMMV of course.

Yep, I get mostly humans, a few elves, a few halflings, a half-elf or two (mostly a long time ago when dragonlance came out), think I have only had one dwarf though (I never thought about that before). Then a few exotics:
giant, unicorn, dragonborn, yuan-ti, lizard-folk.

 

[zarionofarabel]

To put it bluntly, playing another species lets a person explore new experiences that a human doesn't get to have. What's it like to be 8 feet tall, or 3? To live a thousand years, or less than 50? That, and to come from each race's cultures provides new ideas. Also, playing into each race's archetypes can just be plain fun. It's really not hard to see the appeal.

Isn't everyone in DnD just wearing a not-cleverly-designed hat? Why limit that to less common races? If I'm going to play a character all the same, I might as well do something that'll be more engaging to me than only playing Humans.

Playing a human is "normal" because we already know what those shoes are like to walk in, so it's not like you're really broadening your horizons or imagination. So, in total, it's story significance, it's something you only get here, and yeah, it's got fun mechanics.

I would totally be inclined to agree if the D&D forums were inundated with people arguing over what it would be like to live for a thousand years. Or what it would be like to have the soul of a demon. Or what it must be like to be part dragon (or whatever Dragonborn are supposed to be).

All I see is lots and lots of discussion as to what cool mechanical bonuses each race should or shouldn't get and which ones are cooler or more effective.

Humans in funny hats, nothing more. Also, humans can be 8ft tall or 3ft tall, so there!

 

[DND_Reborn]

Yep, I get mostly humans, a few elves, a few halflings, a half-elf or two (mostly a long time ago when dragonlance came out), think I have only had one dwarf though (I never thought about that before). Then a few exotics:
giant, unicorn, dragonborn, yuan-ti, lizard-folk.

Let me think... for 5E we've had (IIRC):

Human: 5
Dwarves: 5
Elves: 5
Tieflings: 3
Dragonborn: 2
Firbolgs: 2
Goliaths: 2
Halflings: 2
Half-Orcs: 2
Aarakocra: 1
Gnome: 1
Half-Elf: 1
Lizardman: 1
Tabaxi: 1
Tortle: 1

If you count Human, Dwarves, Elves, and Halflings only as the "common" races, I think it works out to exactly 50/50. Funny, huh?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Playing a human is "normal" because we already know what those shoes are like to walk in, so it's not like you're really broadening your horizons or imagination. So, in total, it's story significance, it's something you only get here, and yeah, it's got fun mechanics.

I find it difficult to believe that most people find it easy to understand what other people whom they are close to - their friends, families, and lovers, truly think. Let alone those people who have opinions that are truly different. Let alone those who come from different cultures.

if you know what it is like to walk in the shoes of all humanity, you are a better person than I will ever be.

IME, many people who play non-humans are exploring stereotypes that they would be embarrassed to ascribe to a human.