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

[Scribe]

The appearance is really the least important part, and the easiest to change for Tieflings.

Yes, but if we are talking about 'monstrous' or exotic, I still believe its 4e changes that made it so. They were rare before, but nothing said they had to be walking around looking like a typical devil Halloween costume.

 

[Dire Bare]

I think you are missing the point though.

When someone could have been playing a Genasi for the last 30 years, almost the entire lifetime of Dungeons and Dragons, why are we still saying that they are only playing it because it is shiny and new.

I mean, let me put this into context for people. 1991 is an important date in world history. It was when the Internet became publicly available.

Many many many of the Races we are talking about, Tieflings, Lizardfolk, Centaurs, Genasi, Goblins, Kobolds, ect ect ect, have been playable races since before the internet. They are "new" in the same way as the internet is "new". Sure, if something debuted in 3rd, it is newer than the internet, but the vast majority of the options we are talking about are older than that.

So, why is it we are still being told "You like these weird races, but if they became popular and not as new then you wouldn't like them anymore" when most of them are OLD.

I'm not missing the point.

These races are not new. Yet they feel "shiny and new". That's my point.

 

[Mind of tempest]

I'm not missing the point.

These races are not new. Yet they feel "shiny and new". That's my point.

can you better articulate that? it would be of great help?

 

[Dire Bare]

can you better articulate that? it would be of great help?

I'm not sure I can.

To say that many of these races have been with the game a long time is, of course, true. As playable PC races.

Yet, there is a persistent feeling among many gamers that these races are "new" when compared to the core demihuman races (elves, dwarves, hobbits). In my initial post on this, I explained why.

So, they're not new, but feel new . . . . so folks need to accept both the reality and the perception.

 

[Mind of tempest]

do you mean like lack of setting intergration?

like how outside of darksun psions feels tacked on?

 

[Dire Bare]

do you mean like lack of setting intergration?

like how outside of darksun psions feels tacked on?

If you are responding to me . . . no.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I'd also be interested in seeing the age range for people who consider things like lizard men or tieflings "new feeling" now. I suspect it'd be instructive.

 

[Mind of tempest]

lizard folk are more or less a classic of media been around longer that I have been alive rarely a headline race outside of in video games where they turn up as options or at least in the ones I play.

on things that are old but apparently feel new Goliath seem lacking in world presence and things to work with for a character they live in mountains and do not do a lot.

 

[Azzy]

If you have a scene with dozens of races, what would you call it?

"Diverse" seems appropriate.

 

[Azzy]

I'm not missing the point.

These races are not new. Yet they feel "shiny and new". That's my point.

"But you made me feel
Yeah, you made me feel
Shiny and new

Like a virgin
Touched for the very first time"