When you get bored of goblins and kobolds...

[Gilladian]

I'm starting a new campaign, and I would like to use a humanoid race or something similar as the initial foe. But I've used kobolds and goblins (and orcs) so often I'm sick of them. So what do you use when you want something new but not TOO different? I'm mixing some new players together, and I don't really want to get too weird or far fetched here, just avoid the same old-same old.

The climate and terrain are warm temperate (think northern Louisiana or Arkansas - no long, harsh winter, but not jungly. And no swamps, here; they're further south). Rolling hills and deep forests where it isn't cleared for crops; mostly cotton, cattle, pigs and mixed vegetables. There is a salt-dome mine in the area, too.

The campaign will be 3.5 edition, starting at 1st level, but I don't care what game source the creatures come from; they don't have to be EVIL either; a neutral foe with generous room for miscommunication would work just as well.

Any ideas?

 

[Kobold Stew]

Lizardfolk.

Every game is improved with cities of upright bipedal lizards.

 

[haakon1]

Humans

Humans are the best enemy. This means war!

(Or bandits, or a cult, or some mix of all of the above.)

 

[Savage Wombat]

Show that other thread what Gnomes are really good for.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Gnolls are good. They operate in smalls bands but are individually tougher than orcs et.al.. Plus they have Ranger as favoured class so they can sneak through all those rolling hills and forests you mentioned setting up nasty ambushes.

 

[the Jester]

Genuine wilderness encounters. Without an overarching plot- no need, have some variety.

Make an actual random encounter chart. Put wolves, kercpa, monstrous spiders, giant centipedes, twig blights, lizardfolk, giant lizards and similar monsters on there. Then add things other than combat encounters, too- the forest hermit who just wants to be left along, blink dogs, mischievous fey, an abandoned lair, a valuable wilderness item for those who know to recognize it (e.g. mushrooms that give +5 to a Heal check), exposure to disease (via tainted water, a tick, etc).

 

[Scrivener of Doom]

Xenophobic elves.

You might hate the Forgotten Realms, but there's a lot to be loved about the Eldreth Veluuthra. They simply want the humans to be gone....

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Lizardfolk.

Every game is improved with cities of upright bipedal lizards.

This. And I have had lots of fun with troglodytes, too. The only problem is that both people aren't perfectly suited to roam the forests.

 

[saskganesh]

Rethink gnolls as coyote-like. And as coyotes, they'll go anywhere. Totally adaptable to almost any environment.

 

[jasper]

mother in laws? Not even paladins will have moral issues of slaying those unholy critters.