D&D 5E "When Running a 5E Campaign I Always Ban at Least One Core Race, Class, or Sub-Class" (a poll)

[the Jester]

True. In my campaign, Drow are not a pc race option. They are mysterious, almost never seen, demon-touched, insanity-ridden monsters.

 

[overgeeked]

Once again. . .

The premise:
True or False: "When Running a 5E Campaign I Always Ban at Least One Core Race, Class, or Sub-Class"

Note, it says "CORE" for the purposes of this poll not allowing stuff from non-Core books is not "banning" it is "not using an option," which is different.

Core game premise first, PC options second. If it doesn’t fit the premise, it doesn’t belong in the game. Doesn’t matter what book it’s in. So sometimes true, sometimes false. The “always” makes it really hard to answer true. Unless you alwys play in the same world and a core bit violates that world.

 

[CleverNickName]

False. I'm not the one who bans anything...that rests firmly on the shoulders of the players.

When we roll up new characters at 1st level, the players are allowed to use any race or class they want--not just in Core, either, but also in splatbooks like Xanathar's and Tasha's. When they're done and the characters are finished, I remove almost all of the unused options from the game. Why would I need a ton of story and lore for Dwarves, Artificers, Gnomes, and Warlocks, if nobody at the table is ever going to play them?

 

[Yaarel]

False. I'm not the one who bans anything...that rests firmly on the shoulders of the players.

When we roll up new characters at 1st level, the players are allowed to use any race or class they want--not just in Core, either, but also in splatbooks like Xanathar's and Tasha's. When they're done and the characters are finished, I remove almost all of the unused options from the game. Why would I need a ton of story and lore for Dwarves, Artificers, Gnomes, and Warlocks, if nobody at the table is ever going to play them?

This is the ideal.

 

[DEFCON 1]

False, due to the 'Always'.

Every game I run is usually in a new setting (or a returned to setting that doesn't really connect to the previous game), and thus any bans will come out of what the setting asks. So one setting might be open, another might have requirements for what can or cannot be chosen.

My two Realms games (Tyranny of Dragons and LMoP) allowed for anything. My CoS game was all humans. My Eberron game allowed anything (and in fact I lightly nudged players in more out-there directions because it did so.) My Theros game is only the races from that setting. If I decide to run Witchlight at some point I'll probably give out a strongly recommended race list that is all the animal hybrid and fey races and not allow the base humans, dwarves, halflings etc. (just to change up the dynamic).

 

[not-so-newguy]

"Usually" but not "always". My typical campaign is set in Mystara and there are restrictions because of that.

 

[iserith]

False. I'm not the one who bans anything...that rests firmly on the shoulders of the players.

When we roll up new characters at 1st level, the players are allowed to use any race or class they want--not just in Core, either, but also in splatbooks like Xanathar's and Tasha's. When they're done and the characters are finished, I remove almost all of the unused options from the game. Why would I need a ton of story and lore for Dwarves, Artificers, Gnomes, and Warlocks, if nobody at the table is ever going to play them?

I need it for when I grind their characters up into a fine, pink slurry and they want to roll up something different.

 

[Shiroiken]

I don't always ban something, but I don't avoid it either. Permitted races are based on what's appropriate for the campaign.

 

[Ashrym]

"Always" is a bit of a strong word. "Rarely" is more like it for me.

I find that a character concept that doesn't match the rest of the campaign theme creates opportunities instead of negatively impacting the overall theme.

 

[GnomeWorks]

When I run games in my setting - and I only run games in my setting - I ban all core classes and all core races other than human.

I am not Tolkien, and I am not running a world he would have written. I run my setting, with my preferences and thoughts regarding worldbuilding, and so I have no need or desire for elves or dwarves. Unfortunately, past me hadn't figured that out, so they did exist once upon a time, and are part of the history of the setting, but are no longer present and are no longer an option for PCs.

As for banning all the core classes: I just don't like the overall feel, and so have replaced them with my own.

I sometimes don't tell prospective new players about this, however, because I find it useful to help gauge whether someone is a good fit. Anyone who shows an inkling of interest in playing a tiefling or warlock is politely shown the door.