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

[Hussar]

You forgot an IMHO on that.

You're basically saying if we disagree with you it's badwrongfun.

It's up to the DM if a player even gets to play at their table.

Again, nope.

I am saying that if any DM is so wrapped up in their own personal preferences that they flat out veto a player's choice for no other reason than, "I don't like it" then that is a bad DM. If you have other reasons, then fair enough. No problems. But, if your sole reason is, "I don't like it" then I cannot see how that is any different than any other bad DM behavior where the DM is forcing his will onto the player. No, your character can't do that because I don't like it is a terrible DM. No you can't play X because I don't like it is no different.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Creating fiction requires aesthetic choices, and I guess you can simplify motivations of such choice to 'I don't like it'. And that is a perfectly good reason for not including that element.

 

[Monayuris]

Nope.

I'm saying that DM's who force their personal preferences on the players for no other reason than, "I just don't like X" are poor DM's and are acting in bad faith.

Open up the mind and be accepting of other people's preferences makes for better DM's and better games.

No.

So basically... “I don’t like the same things you like in D&D so I must be acting in bad faith”.

What gives you the authority to judge me for my own game and my own group?

You’re making a bad faith arguement in that you are telling people, without knowing anything about them, their group dynamics, and their actual experiences, what would make their games better.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It's a game. Aren't all reasons purely personal?

Not at all.

Most reasons are social, if one is well adjusted.

 

[Zardnaar]

Again, nope.

I am saying that if any DM is so wrapped up in their own personal preferences that they flat out veto a player's choice for no other reason than, "I don't like it" then that is a bad DM. If you have other reasons, then fair enough. No problems. But, if your sole reason is, "I don't like it" then I cannot see how that is any different than any other bad DM behavior where the DM is forcing his will onto the player. No, your character can't do that because I don't like it is a terrible DM. No you can't play X because I don't like it is no different.

DM can say no to a race because of any criteria they like. DM always wins because a player at the end of the day gets with the program or leaves.

If player acts in bad faith eg plays anyway and tries to undermine the game they get booted.

Very simple concept.

 

[Older Beholder]

I don’t really recall anybody in this thread having argued that they don’t like playing fantasy races themselves. (I’m sure there are some)

But it mostly seems that people enjoy playing weird fantasy races, they just don’t like other people playing those fantasy races.

 

[Neonchameleon]

Or to be

DM can say no to a race because of any criteria they like. DM always wins because a player at the end of the day gets with the program or leaves.

If player acts in bad faith eg plays anyway and tries to undermine the game they get booted.

Very simple concept.

A slightly less simple concept is "with great power comes great responsibility". Also that "Using authority to do or deny something to someone when you know they won't like it for no real reason is being a dick and possibly a bully."

 

[Zardnaar]

Or to be

A slightly less simple concept is "with great power comes great responsibility". Also that "Using authority to do or deny something to someone when you know they won't like it for no real reason is being a dick and possibly a bully."

So if I advertise a game as phb only newbies welcome I'm a bully if I only use the phb?

Are WotC being bullied by making all the races optional?

They tried everything core didn't work.

 

[Neonchameleon]

So if I advertise a game as phb only newbies welcome I'm a bully if I only use the phb?

Do you have a reason for that? And are you (thinking of another thread and another poster) changing the rules after the initial character pitches so that characters who were submitted in good faith you are now saying are banned because they aren't using PHB races/classes?

PHB only "because this game is intended to be newbie friendly and we don't want to bury new players in stuff or unbalance things much" is a decent reason. "Because I say so and it's my game" is on the other hand roughly the equivalent of a kid saying "we'll play it my way because it's my ball".

 

[Oofta]

Not at all.

Most reasons are social, if one is well adjusted.

So now if a DM doesn't allow something for a reason you don't agree with (and I have no idea what that could be) they're not well adjusted?

No one true way here. Nosirree. Just maladjusted DMs if they don't do things your way.