What is your least favorite/most hated PC race?
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War Golem
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Gnomes and Halflings were tossed from my homebrew from Day 1. What? Not done yet? Nope; out go the half-breeds as well.
Never seen enough distinctiveness from Gnomes to justify their existence. The only compelling trait they had from back in the day is Illusion specialization. Bah - who needs it? The other races can cast illusions well enough.
Halflings are just irritating and silly. The kender are fine for Dragonlance; their apparent non-stop dispersal throughout the rest of the known fantasy gaming universe has just been bad news for everyone. I'll confess, the 3rd edition version doesn't seem so bad; I've considered reinstating them.
Half-elves and Half-orcs... someone please tell me why, with all of the incredibly imaginative race ideas floating around in literature, movies, other game systems, etc... that we need to use crossbreeds of races that are not usually role-played particularly well to begin with? In my experience, most people really don't do a very good job of role-playing the mindset of an elf or an orc very differently than a typical human, although perhaps with some few exaggerated personality traits (elf: arrogant, haughty, whimsical; orc: brutish, stupid, uncivilized). Why blur the lines even more by introducing half-breeds? I mean, if most gamers can't effectively role-play an elf (where they can lean on the exaggerated stereotypes to assist their personality), they certainly aren't going to have an easier time role-playing the gray area between humans and elves.
I'm not sure if I explained that as clearly as I might have. If you followed my drift, great. If not, speak up and I'll try again to get my point across.
So for those of you keeping track at home, that only leaves my campaign with 3 races: Humans, Elves and Dwarves. Not a lot of selection, what with all the imaginative races I cited before. That's why I've cobbled together three other PC races from other game systems (Kzinti, Skaven & Sauran), created brand new one (Nali) and I'm considering adding a fifth (Wookies).
Never seen enough distinctiveness from Gnomes to justify their existence. The only compelling trait they had from back in the day is Illusion specialization. Bah - who needs it? The other races can cast illusions well enough.
Halflings are just irritating and silly. The kender are fine for Dragonlance; their apparent non-stop dispersal throughout the rest of the known fantasy gaming universe has just been bad news for everyone. I'll confess, the 3rd edition version doesn't seem so bad; I've considered reinstating them.
Half-elves and Half-orcs... someone please tell me why, with all of the incredibly imaginative race ideas floating around in literature, movies, other game systems, etc... that we need to use crossbreeds of races that are not usually role-played particularly well to begin with? In my experience, most people really don't do a very good job of role-playing the mindset of an elf or an orc very differently than a typical human, although perhaps with some few exaggerated personality traits (elf: arrogant, haughty, whimsical; orc: brutish, stupid, uncivilized). Why blur the lines even more by introducing half-breeds? I mean, if most gamers can't effectively role-play an elf (where they can lean on the exaggerated stereotypes to assist their personality), they certainly aren't going to have an easier time role-playing the gray area between humans and elves.
I'm not sure if I explained that as clearly as I might have. If you followed my drift, great. If not, speak up and I'll try again to get my point across.
So for those of you keeping track at home, that only leaves my campaign with 3 races: Humans, Elves and Dwarves. Not a lot of selection, what with all the imaginative races I cited before. That's why I've cobbled together three other PC races from other game systems (Kzinti, Skaven & Sauran), created brand new one (Nali) and I'm considering adding a fifth (Wookies).
Well, I can't say that I really hate any of the races, but here are a few of my pet peeves:
#1: DWARVES!
Nobody has mentioned this one, for some reason. Why is it that every dwarven PC I've ever seen has the same stereotypical weapons and armor, personality (either bloodthirsty CG or CN battlerager or noble and honorable but very gruff LG warrior), class (Fighter, Cleric, or Fighter/Cleric). I've only briefly played dwarves, but both of the ones I played were stereotype breakers. Dwarves annoy me far more than elves, to say the least. Let's see some creativity here, folks- and maybe even a female dwarf for once!
#2: HALFLINGS!
Halflings also suffer from serious stereotyping- every halfling I've ever seen in a party I've played in or DM'ed for has been either a Rogue or a Fighter/Rogue, with only one exception (one player in my game recently tried a Halfling Necromancer). Come on! Halfling clerics? Druids? Paladins? Rangers? (Unfortunately, I must say I've contributed to this- the only halflings I've ever played were a Rogue and a Fighter/Rogue)
Really, I've seen plenty of creative elven characters- yet even there, Mages and Fighter/Mages seem to be the rule (although I've also seen Paladins, Rangers, Rogues, Psychic Warriors, and Clerics, and seen them all played with very different styles). I don't mind the Dragonlancification (new word!) of Gnomes so much- I like the Tinker archetype, and it lends itself to many different classes in different ways (Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, and Sorcerer tinkers all have different flavors to them).
#1: DWARVES!
Nobody has mentioned this one, for some reason. Why is it that every dwarven PC I've ever seen has the same stereotypical weapons and armor, personality (either bloodthirsty CG or CN battlerager or noble and honorable but very gruff LG warrior), class (Fighter, Cleric, or Fighter/Cleric). I've only briefly played dwarves, but both of the ones I played were stereotype breakers. Dwarves annoy me far more than elves, to say the least. Let's see some creativity here, folks- and maybe even a female dwarf for once!
#2: HALFLINGS!
Halflings also suffer from serious stereotyping- every halfling I've ever seen in a party I've played in or DM'ed for has been either a Rogue or a Fighter/Rogue, with only one exception (one player in my game recently tried a Halfling Necromancer). Come on! Halfling clerics? Druids? Paladins? Rangers? (Unfortunately, I must say I've contributed to this- the only halflings I've ever played were a Rogue and a Fighter/Rogue)
Really, I've seen plenty of creative elven characters- yet even there, Mages and Fighter/Mages seem to be the rule (although I've also seen Paladins, Rangers, Rogues, Psychic Warriors, and Clerics, and seen them all played with very different styles). I don't mind the Dragonlancification (new word!) of Gnomes so much- I like the Tinker archetype, and it lends itself to many different classes in different ways (Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, and Sorcerer tinkers all have different flavors to them).
I've voted Gnome, although I play one on occasions.
Its the way I've seen them presented, they are either a thin dwarf or a bearded halfling in most of the published stuff I've seen. And tinker gnomes are just stupid.
Hopefully when Scarred Lands gets round to doing the continent with Gnomes on it they will present an interesting race in thier own right.
One question the people voting for other you're voting for Kender right?
Its the way I've seen them presented, they are either a thin dwarf or a bearded halfling in most of the published stuff I've seen. And tinker gnomes are just stupid.
Hopefully when Scarred Lands gets round to doing the continent with Gnomes on it they will present an interesting race in thier own right.
One question the people voting for other you're voting for Kender right?
Raduin_Nimblegrund
First Post
Ok, somebody has to defend the gnomes.
I will admit, gnomes, just like elves, dwarves, halflings, half elves, and half orcs are at the mercy of their role players. Their personalities are as deep or as shallow as the player makes them. If you play a gnome and all he does is play tricks on the other pc's 24/7, and then another player does the same, it is pretty easy to just throw them to the side, label them "annoying" ban them from your games, etc.
But gnomes have qualities often overlooked because of their love for practical jokes and illusions. Their love of family and their innate ingenuity and curiousity are among them. And just like members of other demihuman races, gnomes can sway toward or away from these qualities.
A gnome is nothing if not distinctive. I bet you can't remember how many elven pc's you have played with-- but gnomes? I think they have a tendency to stick out in people's minds.
I will admit, gnomes, just like elves, dwarves, halflings, half elves, and half orcs are at the mercy of their role players. Their personalities are as deep or as shallow as the player makes them. If you play a gnome and all he does is play tricks on the other pc's 24/7, and then another player does the same, it is pretty easy to just throw them to the side, label them "annoying" ban them from your games, etc.
But gnomes have qualities often overlooked because of their love for practical jokes and illusions. Their love of family and their innate ingenuity and curiousity are among them. And just like members of other demihuman races, gnomes can sway toward or away from these qualities.
A gnome is nothing if not distinctive. I bet you can't remember how many elven pc's you have played with-- but gnomes? I think they have a tendency to stick out in people's minds.
Psionicist
Explorer
I hate elves and love gnomes 
clockworkjoe
First Post
NALI HEALING FRUIT! NALI HEALING FRUIT!!!
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