D&D General What Main Factors Draw You to Playing a Fantasy RPG Race?
- Thread starter Hexmage-EN
- Start date
toucanbuzz
No rule is inviolate
Two Stories
Every race should be interesting to play
Current player thought about rolling up a halfling, but he had a real hard time wrapping his head around why, much less how, to play one. The PHB isn't too descriptive on what makes a halfling, well, a halfling. It's got ability score modifiers, bad art, and some subtypes. So does everyone else.
So, we went looking at AD&D material (the book of halflings and gnomes). We found some art that fit the concept, as well as attitudes and philosophies, seeing their size as a strength in life, mythology, resilience to getting drunk, finding the time to enjoy life (efficiency matters, they're not lazy), the thick hairy feet. We picked a racial name (the "Hin", aka "the folk"). We used the Golarian setting's treatment of halflings (slave nations prey upon them for household labor chores and farms).
And voila, halflings are cool to play for him.
Setting Matters
In a past Curse of Strahd campaign, everyone mutually agreed to limit our choices to human, half-elf, and no more than one elf or dwarf, to fit a Romanesque setting that matched the art and flavor of the area (thinking classic horror, Dracula, etc.) It felt a lot more "real" than if a dragonborn popped in and started breathing fire on everyone. Add in background where players created a story of being related, and we were off. So, put this under an "other." It's not that anyone was drawn to a "human" more than anyone else, it just made more sense for sake of the overall story.
Every race should be interesting to play
Current player thought about rolling up a halfling, but he had a real hard time wrapping his head around why, much less how, to play one. The PHB isn't too descriptive on what makes a halfling, well, a halfling. It's got ability score modifiers, bad art, and some subtypes. So does everyone else.
So, we went looking at AD&D material (the book of halflings and gnomes). We found some art that fit the concept, as well as attitudes and philosophies, seeing their size as a strength in life, mythology, resilience to getting drunk, finding the time to enjoy life (efficiency matters, they're not lazy), the thick hairy feet. We picked a racial name (the "Hin", aka "the folk"). We used the Golarian setting's treatment of halflings (slave nations prey upon them for household labor chores and farms).
And voila, halflings are cool to play for him.
Setting Matters
In a past Curse of Strahd campaign, everyone mutually agreed to limit our choices to human, half-elf, and no more than one elf or dwarf, to fit a Romanesque setting that matched the art and flavor of the area (thinking classic horror, Dracula, etc.) It felt a lot more "real" than if a dragonborn popped in and started breathing fire on everyone. Add in background where players created a story of being related, and we were off. So, put this under an "other." It's not that anyone was drawn to a "human" more than anyone else, it just made more sense for sake of the overall story.
Fanaelialae
Legend
I typically like races that are unusual and distinctive.
In my friend's homebrew campaign, I'm playing a 7 foot tall humanoid with several arms sprouting from where his head should be. His race comes from the universe's dumping ground (think something like the Void, from Loki) and are made from "garbage" rather than being born. So he has the distinction of being part steam engine and part used car salesman, combined with a little dash of Zeus' deific essence, along with another assortment of various things (he doesn't actually resemble these objects - he's a humanoid with metallic, jet-black skin). His people have (from a human perspective) synesthesia, and therefore taste what we perceive as touch and feel what we consider audible. As a result, they value unique experiences over wealth. They'd rather run their hands over an old, pitted, bent tin spoon than have an unblemished spoon made of pure gold.
He's the equivalent of a fighter (the difference being that his armor and weapons are mostly scrap - his primary weapons are train spikes). However, because of his race he's one of the most enjoyable characters I've had the pleasure to role play. His personality isn't outlandish or anything, in fact he's usually very reserved - but his alien outlook is just so satisfying to portray and sink into, particularly after a long week.
In my friend's homebrew campaign, I'm playing a 7 foot tall humanoid with several arms sprouting from where his head should be. His race comes from the universe's dumping ground (think something like the Void, from Loki) and are made from "garbage" rather than being born. So he has the distinction of being part steam engine and part used car salesman, combined with a little dash of Zeus' deific essence, along with another assortment of various things (he doesn't actually resemble these objects - he's a humanoid with metallic, jet-black skin). His people have (from a human perspective) synesthesia, and therefore taste what we perceive as touch and feel what we consider audible. As a result, they value unique experiences over wealth. They'd rather run their hands over an old, pitted, bent tin spoon than have an unblemished spoon made of pure gold.
He's the equivalent of a fighter (the difference being that his armor and weapons are mostly scrap - his primary weapons are train spikes). However, because of his race he's one of the most enjoyable characters I've had the pleasure to role play. His personality isn't outlandish or anything, in fact he's usually very reserved - but his alien outlook is just so satisfying to portray and sink into, particularly after a long week.
For me it was 'Other reason', because if I'm making a character for a long-term campaign (not a one-shot)... I always want and need to get the campaign details beforehand and make a race decision based on what makes the most sense for the game and to tie me into the story as best as possible.
Usually I will default to humans because humans are more often than not the driving race for most campaigns my fellow players run... but might go with a demi-human selection if where the game is taking place makes that demi-human one of the main components of that environment. But I never will just select any old race to play and expect the DM to just "make it work"... that's doing a disservice to the DM and the world they are trying to put together.
By the same token... I also will then select a class that also makes the most sense for the race I've selected as well as the story we are undertaking. I have absolutely no desire to play something like a Shadow Monk in a game where the PCs are all young adults from some backwoods farm village, because that class selections makes no sense for who these characters are. I don't care about the "mechanics" whatsoever... so I have no need to look for "interesting" ones if the flavor and story of them are completely disparate from the flavor and story of the game.
Usually I will default to humans because humans are more often than not the driving race for most campaigns my fellow players run... but might go with a demi-human selection if where the game is taking place makes that demi-human one of the main components of that environment. But I never will just select any old race to play and expect the DM to just "make it work"... that's doing a disservice to the DM and the world they are trying to put together.
By the same token... I also will then select a class that also makes the most sense for the race I've selected as well as the story we are undertaking. I have absolutely no desire to play something like a Shadow Monk in a game where the PCs are all young adults from some backwoods farm village, because that class selections makes no sense for who these characters are. I don't care about the "mechanics" whatsoever... so I have no need to look for "interesting" ones if the flavor and story of them are completely disparate from the flavor and story of the game.
Oofta
Legend
I largely play different races because I can come up with a personality for them. But it's never just one thing.
- Dragonborn: for some reason, every dragonborn I play has a deep south drawl so that's fun. That and they make great paladins.
- Dwarf: this has been a favorite for a long time. Funny accent, tend to be extremely pragmatic and blunt almost to the point of rudeness.
- Elf: eventually I'll have an elf that gets past 2nd level without dying. I did have a half-elf that got to 3rd. I'll probably try again soon-ish, after all 10th time's the charm, right? Right?
- Gnome: fast talking prankster for when I feel like babbling.
- Halfling: the underappreciated, positive and cheerful little guy that is frequently stupidly brave. That, and lucky is awesome.
- Human: obviously, I know how to be a human so that is easy. In large part I take it because of the feat.
- Warforged: who doesn't want to play an anthropomorphic robot? Always fun to be confused by biological needs. That, and they're all named something like TK-421 (the number changes depending on role).
Ath-kethin
Elder Thing
I ask myself, is it a human? And if the answer is "yes," I'm golden!
Seriously though, I used to always play elves (lots of elves!) or dwarves. When Eberron came out I fell in love with Warforged.
But for the last decade or so I've just stuck to humans. I've come to the belief that if you can't make an interesting human character, you can't make an interesting character. YMMV, of course.
Seriously though, I used to always play elves (lots of elves!) or dwarves. When Eberron came out I fell in love with Warforged.
But for the last decade or so I've just stuck to humans. I've come to the belief that if you can't make an interesting human character, you can't make an interesting character. YMMV, of course.
the Jester
Legend
When I make a character, I think one of the biggest considerations for me is whether I've played that race recently. I prefer to play a wide variety of characters, so I usually play something I haven't played in several characters. (The most recent pcs I've played are a dwarf, human, dragonborn, and gnome.)
But what attracts me to a given race is usually the lore and how it makes it differ from humanity.
But what attracts me to a given race is usually the lore and how it makes it differ from humanity.
Hexmage-EN
Legend
I'm a little bit surprised that "Dangerous Appearance" hasn't gotten any votes. I guess there's a little bit of overlap with "Powerful Appearance", but I figured with the popularity of tieflings and dragonborn that resembling a dangerous being like a devil would be more of a draw. Maybe "Imposing Appearance" would have been a better option than "Dangerous Appearance" for the purposes of my poll.
Although, I guess there's the possibility that the draw with tieflings isn't necessarily that they look like devils but more that people think unusual skin colors, horns, and tails are cool. I wonder if they'd be more or less popular with hooves or something like pre-4E tieflings.
Although, I guess there's the possibility that the draw with tieflings isn't necessarily that they look like devils but more that people think unusual skin colors, horns, and tails are cool. I wonder if they'd be more or less popular with hooves or something like pre-4E tieflings.
Li Shenron
Legend
My typical motivations throughout all the editionsI played:
- has some unique special abilities that I want to try
- has a cool background lore I think I want to immerse myself into
- it will be challenging to roleplay properly
- nobody else is playing it, and I have never played this one before
- I rolled the race randomly
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