D&D General Wildly Diverse "Circus Troupe" Adventuring Parties

[BookTenTiger]

I'm very glad that this worked out, although the idea of a vampire tortle or kenku is oddly hilarious to me.

Strahd was still Strahd but they did fight a giant Tortle Skeleton, some Kenku shadows, and a Goliath vampire!

 

[jayoungr]

In my experience, 5E has definitely brought a crowd that's leaning much more towards the weirder options available.

I don't think it's just a 5E thing. I definitely remember friends taking advantage of the playable monster rules back in 3.5 for "exotic" characters.

 

[Remathilis]

Another reason I don't allow "backstories" in my games-- you create your character at the table, and your character's story is what happens at the table, so everyone gets to enjoy their characters being awesome at the table.

Wouldn't believe some of the names I get called for telling people to leave their fanfic at home and come play the game with the other people they're supposedly here to play with.

I assume that when the DM isn't interested in my character backstory, it's because they have zero interest in incorporating my character into their world and would rather I make the sacrifice to fit their vision than vice versa. Which is fine, I just default to the tropiest possible character idea (edgelord orphan rogue, horny bard, self-righteous paladin, hippy stoner druid) and let the hilarity flow from there. If the DM gives zero fs about my character's role in the world, why should I?

 

[jayoungr]

I think some people think I'm waging a war against non-standard options and that's not really what I'm saying. Rather, it is that a DM can create a specific campaign and then the majority of the players want to play something off-the-wall for the sake of being different and non-homogenous with the region in which the game takes place.

That's just the old "Can I play a ninja?" trope. Some players just want their characters to stick out in the setting.

 

[Incenjucar]

I don't think it's just a 5E thing. I definitely remember friends taking advantage of the playable monster rules back in 3.5 for "exotic" characters.

Humanoids Handbook is 2E, as are Planescape and Dark Sun. D&D's greatest competition was a system full of vampire and werewolf PCs. This has all been common for longer than most 5E players have been alive.

 

[Remathilis]

That's just the old "Can I play a ninja?" trope. Some players just want their characters to stick out in the setting.

Yup. You'll always get that one guy who, when to tell them you can't be a ninja in a wild west campaign, ends up a ninja with a cowboy hat.