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

[Mind of tempest]

Some people have stated that they "cannot play the character they want because the DM does not allow race X". That the restriction will destroy their fun (or at least significantly reduce it). I think you can get 99% of any race (in this case tieflings) without actually playing a tiefling so I disagree with the idea that a character must be race X. Because that 1% you can't achieve? Nobody will notice. YMMV.

do you not imagine how your character looks plus certain backstory elements would take great rewrite to get to work plus aside fom teifling if you want a conection to dark other world forces there is no phb race avalible with massive rewrite and some time multiclassing in to warlock is just not realistically an option.

 

[Scribe]

do you not imagine how your character looks

Thats literally what I've been saying, and its the whole problem here as it equates Tiefling with 'weird' as per the thread title, when it need not be at all.

If its about the mechanical connection, thats all good, thats where the flavour comes into the mechanics of the race, but my whole issue is with the argument that it ISNT about looks, when very clearly it is.

 

[Minigiant]

This is it, right here.

What is a Tiefling?

Unless you are playing strictly FR, and your campaign points to the 4e canon regarding Tieflings, then outside the visual distinction, there is nothing to it beyond 'Human with Infernal Heritage' which can mean anything, and used to mean you had some kind of attribute, that could mark you as 'other'.

That alone is not enough to make you a 'weird' race. It simply isnt. Unless you have a big ol' rack of horns sticking out your forehead.

I think part of Tiefling is some of the racial discrimination associated to their fiendish insides and how each Tiefling embraces, distances, ignores, or reacts to both the discrimination, the infernal aspects, and the mechanical twists.

The thing is many DMs don't add those icky stuff into their allowed races so Tiefling is often to only way to do it and not feel like one is going overboard and overblowing the situation. Tieflings are a full one race and many DMs and worldbuilders feel anxious about dividing a full on race to make the same level of divide. Tiefling is actually a safer and easy way to do as 4e and 5e fully split them from humans outside of child making rituals.

 

[Scribe]

I think part of Tiefling is some of the racial discrimination associated to their fiendish insides and how each Tiefling embraces, distances, ignores, or reacts to both the discrimination, the infernal aspects, and the mechanical twists.

I personally, find that to be a fine argument, but unless the DM is willing/wants to put racism into the players experience over and over, then its not really something most care to deal with.

That certainly has been brought up many times in the thread though, and its something which points to exclusion of those races as player characters.

If towns are just going to try and kill you for being a Devil, thats not really going to make it enjoyable to accomplish your goal of learning about the town/world/whatever.

 

[Oofta]

I think part of Tiefling is some of the racial discrimination associated to their fiendish insides and how each Tiefling embraces, distances, ignores, or reacts to both the discrimination, the infernal aspects, and the mechanical twists.

The thing is many DMs don't add those icky stuff into their allowed races so Tiefling is often to only way to do it and not feel like one is going overboard and overblowing the situation. Tieflings are a full one race and many DMs and worldbuilders feel anxious about dividing a full on race to make the same level of divide. Tiefling is actually a safer and easy way to do as 4e and 5e fully split them from humans outside of child making rituals.

While I don't disagree with you, others have said that discrimination against a race is wrong. I would be hesitant to do much prejudice in my campaign (there is some) but it's pretty minor Pg-13 and very situational.

So if you allow tieflings and you think there should be that kind of prejudice, make sure the player knows about it ahead of time.

 

[Minigiant]

This is it, right here.

What is a Tiefling?

Unless you are playing strictly FR, and your campaign points to the 4e canon regarding Tieflings, then outside the visual distinction, there is nothing to it beyond 'Human with Infernal Heritage' which can mean anything, and used to mean you had some kind of attribute, that could mark you as 'other'.

That alone is not enough to make you a 'weird' race. It simply isnt. Unless you have a big ol' rack of horns sticking out your forehead.

I think part of Tiefling is some of the racial discrimination associated to their fiendish insides and how each Tiefling embraces, distances, ignores, or reacts to both the discrimination, the infernal aspects, and the mechanical twists.

The thing is many DMs don't add those icky stuff into their allowed races so Tiefling is often to only way to do it and not feel like one is going overboard and overblowing the situation. Tieflings are a full one race and many DMs and worldbuilders feel anxious about dividing a full on race to make the same level of divide. Tiefling is actually a safer and easy way to do as 4e and 5e fully split them from

I personally, find that to be a fine argument, but unless the DM is willing/wants to put racism into the players experience over and over, then its not really something most care to deal with.

That certainly has been brought up many times in the thread though, and its something which points to exclusion of those races as player characters.

If towns are just going to try and kill you for being a Devil, thats not really going to make it enjoyable to accomplish your goal of learning about the town/world/whatever.

The point is some players might actually want it. And people being cautious of tieflings is often more accepted than a DM putting strive within a single subraces of dwarves or worse humans.

I've played with a player who relished in the townfolks running from him or disrespecting him.

 

[Scribe]

Fine, but I highly doubt that those players/DM, would be the types to limit tieflings, because they are not against treating or being treated, as an outsider.

But I then think to myself 'why would they be treated differently on sight? Oh right the BLOODY HORNS.'.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Fine, but I highly doubt that those players/DM, would be the types to limit tieflings, because they are not against treating or being treated, as an outsider.

But I then think to myself 'why would they be treated differently on sight? Oh right the BLOODY HORNS.'.

it is a fairly popular look with peer group player only more blue, green or purple for some reason.

 

[Scribe]

it is a fairly popular look with peer group player only more blue, green or purple for some reason.

You mean your peer group, or focus groups at WotC?

I frankly am not moved by either case. Pre-4e Tiefling COULD look like 4/5e Tiefling. We lost in this shift, we did not gain anything.

 

[Mind of tempest]

peer group by age and edition, if it look identical to a human but has different stats is there are reason to play it other than mechanical?