My personal new favorite is catfolk. currently in a hiatus campaign with one that started off as a wet behind the ears tribe kid that developed into the most callous and uncaring rogue. The really cool bits are the claw blades which my GM ruled are still retractable. He also let me get flavor attachments for them to use them as lockpicks and other tools for disabling devices =).
Asta
PSY
Definitely the Strix. I love their concept.
I even get to play one in my groups upcoming Stone Age campaign ;)
Edit: Although Kobolds are definitely a close second.
my favorites from the ARG
the changeling
the aasimaar
the tiefling
the fetchling
the samsaran
the ifrit
the oread
the sylph
the undine
a lot of these races can have human levels of customizability due to either being human crossbreeds or growing up near any of a variety of human cultures.
my favorite races from core
Human, they don't need to be exceptional as a race, and using a variety of human cultures can give them a feel that evokes an air of exotic mystery. even if some cultures are overdone. i find it fun to play a ninja in the middle of "Medieval England" or a native american Shaman in the middle of "Gothic Romania". i like playing the foreigner.
Elf, maybe because i envy a race who lives 10 times longer than any human, has a primal beauty that allures most mortals, and an affinity for arcane magic beyond the human norm.
my favorite bestiary race i want to see a playable version of
the nymph. a highly seductive and alluring race of fey focused around temptation, a race that could easily have ties to an element or enviroment, and many possible flavors.
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I still can't narrow it down, but my top "Biggest Footprint On The Setting" pick is probably the Ghoran from Inner Sea Bestiary.
They're a living Drama Bomb for their region. All of the fascinating questions about how they live and how they integrate into the local cultures come coupled with some really uncomfortable moral and ethical questions tied into their origins, their treatement when they developed sentience, and their treatment now.
Along with all the potential weird and cool flavor they bring concerning themselves, they also say a lot about their region of origin. Possibly even more about the character of that nation than has been revealed in any other source so far...
Also, their faces straddle the line between potentially beautiful and potentialy creepy really well.
androids, kobolds, hobgoblins, sulis, and dhampirs are my top 5
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They've been core in my heart ever since Planescape. Folks trying to redefine them as monsters or nonplayer races when they started as player races was one of the things that bugged the hell out of me during 3.x.Is it just me, or are Assimar and Tiefling starting to creep into the some definitions of core? I mean they look mostly human so they can blend in, are common in Golorian lore, and now allowed in PFS.
Like in the very far past, half elves were exotic and iffy, and then became 'core', are Tieflings and Assimar making that same transition?
I'm pretty much in the same boat here in that I've considered both aasimar and tieflings as a core race since I started playing D&D as a result of Planescape.
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As for the larger topic at hand, I'm a sucker for any and all Planetouched.
Tieflings and aasimar by default. Oread, sylph, undine, ifrit are cool enough to not make me care that I can't call them genasi in print. ;)
Fetchlings because I coined the name.
And beyond the Planetouched, samsaran are just a unique concept and I like them, and kitsune because kitsune are awesome. No explanations needed.
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That doesn't mean I go full out to extremes and play like, 'The color blue' or anything,
I'd totally play the color blue, Douglas Adams or no Douglas Adams.
One fun thing about some GURPS space games we played was being able to make up crazy aliens. We had a shapeshifting doctor who injected her own morphic cells into people to stitch up injuries (or as a gruesome attack, if she programmed her cells to devour the internal tissues of whomever she injected...), an uplifted dinosaur engineer and a floating ball of energy (might as well have been a D&D will o' wisp) as the ships captain. Since there was no such thing as LA or racial HD, you could pretty much be anything you could pay for, and not have to worry about balance issues.
The anthro pterodactyl was born human, for that matter, and had braintaped himself into a new body, so he wasn't even an 'alien,' technically...
Good times.
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That doesn't mean I go full out to extremes and play like, 'The color blue' or anything,I'd totally play the color blue, Douglas Adams or no Douglas Adams.
One fun thing about some GURPS space games we played was being able to make up crazy aliens. We had a shapeshifting doctor who injected her own morphic cells into people to stitch up injuries (or as a gruesome attack, if she programmed her cells to devour the internal tissues of whomever she injected...), an uplifted dinosaur engineer and a floating ball of energy (might as well have been a D&D will o' wisp) as the ships captain. Since there was no such thing as LA or racial HD, you could pretty much be anything you could pay for, and not have to worry about balance issues.
The anthro pterodactyl was born human, for that matter, and had braintaped himself into a new body, so he wasn't even an 'alien,' technically...
Good times.
The one time I almost got to play RIFTS I planned on playing the "finger" of a curious eldritch abomination that manifested as an archetypical 50's sitcom dad. I was going to use the Bob Dobbs image for his portrait.
....man I wish I had gotten to play that one.
Regarding fetchlings: The "Death from Seventh Seal" look they were rocking in the ARG really clicked for me, especially with the female shadow summoner.
I like the idea of some of their cultures favoring those voluminous form-obscuring robes to capture some of the nature of their Shae ancestors. :)
Speaking of 'Death From Seventh Seal' I just had a cup of bourbon coffee the other day from a roast batch called 'Chess With Death'. :) Small world.
Fetchlings in any home campaign of mine are almost assured of being nobles or wanna-be nobles and rocking out some crazy hair color like blue or violet to contrast with their environment, and everything else black. The first fetchling mentioned by name back in TGB was directly inspired by a tiefling shadowdancer (and Shar devotee) from my home game who had bright crimson hair and dull grey skin.
Tengu is my pick, because it surprised me, but I'm working on making the look of my character more hawk-like. Who says they always have to look like a raven anyways?
Also a fan of the aasimar (especially the flexibility giving from both the ARG and Blood of Angels).
I've also got a race I'll be creating via the Race Creator, so that gets a vote too :)
For our group our dm often allows certain customizing with races. Like obviously there is multiple colors for gnomes and how orcish the half orc looks, but when one player played a tengu he was allowed to choose the bird and was a Kookoobura (I think that's how you spell it) and so the dm replaced the bite for a chirping ability. If youlook them up you will see why.
Fetchlings because I coined the name.
Wait, you came up with the name? What was your influence for the name it-self?
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Fetchlings because I coined the name.Wait, you came up with the name? What was your influence for the name it-self?
In Irish mythology, the fetch was a sort of double for a person, related to the idea of a doppelganger.
In Golarion's cosmos, the Shadow Plane exists as a warped reflection of the Material Plane. Since fetchlings are (primarily) of human stock touched by their long adaptation to life in Shadow and interbreeding with its natives, they in turn could be seen as warped reflections of humanity.
For our group our dm often allows certain customizing with races. Like obviously there is multiple colors for gnomes and how orcish the half orc looks, but when one player played a tengu he was allowed to choose the bird and was a Kookoobura (I think that's how you spell it) and so the dm replaced the bite for a chirping ability. If youlook them up you will see why.
And I'm curious, what does this chirp ability do? If it makes enemies fall over laughing, I would find that awesome, because I came quite close to doing that while listening to this thing :D That is so kickass.
For our group our dm often allows certain customizing with races. Like obviously there is multiple colors for gnomes and how orcish the half orc looks, but when one player played a tengu he was allowed to choose the bird and was a Kookoobura (I think that's how you spell it) and so the dm replaced the bite for a chirping ability. If youlook them up you will see why.Tengu is my pick, because it surprised me, but I'm working on making the look of my character more hawk-like. Who says they always have to look like a raven anyways?
Also a fan of the aasimar (especially the flexibility giving from both the ARG and Blood of Angels).
I've also got a race I'll be creating via the Race Creator, so that gets a vote too :)
They kill and eat snakes though. I'd have kept bite. I'm not sure singing of that nature is a racial ability. lol.
Grippli: I just like their imagery and flavor, I hope they get developed more in Golarion
Ratfolks: Same
Ghoran: Same
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And beyond the Planetouched, samsaran are just a unique concept and I like them, and kitsune because kitsune are awesome. No explanations needed.
Actually, I thought Samsarans were a lot like D&D 4e's Deva race with the Aasimar elements stripped out. Is this a coincidence, or were they slightly inspired by the Deva?
For our group our dm often allows certain customizing with races. Like obviously there is multiple colors for gnomes and how orcish the half orc looks, but when one player played a tengu he was allowed to choose the bird and was a Kookoobura (I think that's how you spell it) and so the dm replaced the bite for a chirping ability. If youlook them up you will see why.And I'm curious, what does this chirp ability do? If it makes enemies fall over laughing, I would find that awesome, because I came quite close to doing that while listening to this thing :D That is so kickass.
I can't quite remember exactly what it did, but I remember that the first time he used it combat stopped because everyone (on both sides) just stared at him.
As for Pepsi Jedi, the dm said he would have to trade out an ability and I think because of the character he was playing thats the one they agreed on.
And beyond the Planetouched, samsaran are just a unique concept and I like them, and kitsune because kitsune are awesome. No explanations needed.Actually, I thought Samsarans were a lot like D&D 4e's Deva race with the Aasimar elements stripped out. Is this a coincidence, or were they slightly inspired by the Deva?
Coincidence.
While I didn't create the samsaran I can't give you a fully detailed rundown on influences. I think Colin McComb worked on samsaran philosophy (and maybe wrote up that race's writeup?), but I never heard any mention of the 4e deva (and I really haven't followed 4e for quite some time).
My favorite race is the gnoll, I've just always liked the race visually and can't stop myself from making good alignment Gnoll pcs.
Catfolk, Kobolds, and Vishkanyas remind me of Yuan Ti (another race I'd like to see a 'good' variant of)
Kitsune and Ratfolk are awesome too.
Lizardfolk are another neat race.
I want to see more about the Lashunta, before I pass a judgement of like/dislike, but currently leaning to the 'like'
I want to like the Syrinxes, but I have a biased hated towards owls and most avians. (Owl killed a cat I had.)
I really like the concept of the Wyvarans and want to see more of them.
Only race I've never liked is humans. ^-^
As for Pepsi Jedi, the dm said he would have to trade out an ability and I think because of the character he was playing thats the one they agreed on.
Word.
Whatever it takes to get the concept you're aiming for. I've --many-- --many-- times ended up with a weaker character to get the concept I wanted.
In rifts and such instead of 'Vibro blades' my char's use Light sabers. Even if they were weaker I'd use them. (I'm not going to cry, in Rift's they're actually stronger. lol). Even if they weren't though, I'd take the hit to damage to use the weapon I like.
In pathfinder many of my char's use Hand and a half swords. Even if I have to take the feat to use them.
Grippli are my favourite, I'm playing a grippli butler (alchemist) in a game I'm currently in.
Though I will admit that I still have a lot of time for the base races.
I'd say, for me it's a tie between the Catfolk and the Gillmen. Catfolk mainly because "Thundercats" was probably my favorite afterschool cartoon, and the Gillmen because I really like Aquaman and Namor, plus (I can't believe I'm actually admitting this), I really liked "Waterworld".
I might give a slight edge to the Gillmen in the preferences (even though I think they were the only race in the book that got zilch in the way of racial feats) because the Eldritch Raider just seems like a really interesting concept to me. Kinda like "Aquaman meets Indiana Jones, with magic!"
Samsarans! Love he flavor of them. Playing an oracle of ancestors-I.e. his own personal past lives in a Carrion Crown chronicle.
Welp, so far I really like the insanity and joke capacity of Goblins, especially if supplemented with 3 Stooges material. Really wish there was more humor in Pathfinder.
Elves are actually one of my fave races, now that they made the race good at being Wizards finally. I don't much appreciate the weapon profs or racial immunities though.
I don't like Dhampir, simply because of their problem with Positive Energy (Clerical healing will screw them over but good), otherwise I like them.
Thematically, I like Orcs but not Half Orcs nor Half Elves. The latter two are too darned boring. Interesting feat and trait selections for Orcs.
I really like what they did with Drow as a race in the ARG, reducing being a Noble to simply a selection of feats on top of a standard Drow. I still think they are a silly race in the end, but I like the balance they introduced.
Humans bored me to tears and always will, but I do like what they did with certain bits for them. Dump your first 2 feats into Toughness and that funky racial feat, and you end up with +2 hp and +1 skill point per class level (assuming all your levels are in a favored class). That's rather interesting. Still sucks that they don't have improved vision like low light or darkvision, but oh well.
I've recently picked up the Inner Sea Bestiary.
I'm really liking how they did the Androids there. Sort of half Data and half Cyclon. Set them in the Pathfinder world and they look alot of fun.
My group are working on concepts right now. I'm working up an Android and one of the gals is converting a Warforged. Should be interesting to play out.
I like the concept of the Ghoran as well. Plant people that have an.... I wouldn't call it a power.. an aspect... that they're TASTY, so if they get bitten it's worse as the biter wants to nom nom nom them.
my problem is not that humans don't have some kind of improved sensory ability, it's that the improved sensory abilities are handed out like halloween candy to every race except humans. much like how most of the races have resistances or immunities "for the lulz."
in fact, a lot of the monsters aren't deserving of their senses or immunities. i can understand a snake, a worm, or an earth elemental having tremorsense, or a drow or fetchling having darkvision, or a Yuki Onna having cold resistance. but i can't understand things like an elf's immunity to sleep, a Tiefling or Aasimaars elemental resistances, or the unwarranted elemental powers of certain types of giant.
in fact, a lot of the monsters aren't deserving of their senses or immunities. i can understand a snake, a worm, or an earth elemental having tremorsense, or a drow or fetchling having darkvision, or a Yuki Onna having cold resistance. but i can't understand things like an elf's immunity to sleep, a Tiefling or Aasimaars elemental resistances, or the unwarranted elemental powers of certain types of giant.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that angels and demons seem to have immunities or resistances to those energies, and so the argument is that humans with a bit of angelic or demonic blood might get a little bit of that? Dunno. I do know they've been that way for a long time now, not just in Pathfinder.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that angels and demons seem to have immunities or resistances to those energies, and so the argument is that humans with a bit of angelic or demonic blood might get a little bit of that? Dunno. I do know they've been that way for a long time now, not just in Pathfinder.
in fact, a lot of the monsters aren't deserving of their senses or immunities. i can understand a snake, a worm, or an earth elemental having tremorsense, or a drow or fetchling having darkvision, or a Yuki Onna having cold resistance. but i can't understand things like an elf's immunity to sleep, a Tiefling or Aasimaars elemental resistances, or the unwarranted elemental powers of certain types of giant.
i wouldn't consider angels or demons worthy of those resistances or immunities either.
if hell were interpreted as a lake of fire, i might consider giving devils fire resistance. but stock PF i don't think uses that interpretation.
but rather than seperating Demons, Devils, and Daemons, i'd rather have one grouping that encompasses all 3 and their kin. Devil would simply be a term for demonic nobility.
and rather than Azata, Archons, Angels, and such, i would rather have a single grouping that encompasses all 3. call it angels. Archons could be simply a term for really orderly angels of heavy devotion.
in fact. we need less types than one thinks
Humanoid (encompasses fey, outsiders, elementals, constructs abberrations, and undead with humanoid anatomical structure)
Animal (covers magical beasts, dragons, constructs, elementals, vermin, outsiders, and abberrations of animal anatomical structure)
Alien (Covers oozes, elementals, abberrations, sentient spells and constructs of neither humanoid nor animal anatomical structure)
I personally like the Tiefling, as not only can I make it work decently for any class, but the options available for physical characteristics is so vast, that I can feel my imagination tickled pink.
With you on Tieflings. I love the variety on stat choices, though the negative 2 kinda hurts when someone races don't get one (glaring at you Aasimar) but it's still nice. I like a few of their racial feats, like Armor of the Pit (2 nat armor) or Fiendsight iirc which gives you See in Darkness if you take it twice (not the best use of feats for most builds, but pretty cool if you can afford it). I like their alt racial Soul Seer too, as it's just flavorful and potentially handy.
One thing that would be nice (and that's I'd allow as a houserule) would be a variant of Scion of Humanity; it'd be nice to give up one bonus language like Aasimar get to in order to look more obviously not demonic.
I'm also fond of goblins. +4 dex and +8 (4 size, 4 racial) to stealth could make them quite interesting for quite a few things, and Roll With It just amuses me.
Non PF favorites include the Spelljammer Xixchil, Eberron Changeling <snip>+1
...but I've never been a fan of frog-people anyway, whether they be called grippli, slaad or boggards.)Awww... {sulks}
...One fun thing about some GURPS space games we played was being able to make up crazy aliens. We had a shapeshifting doctor who injected her own morphic cells into people to stitch up injuries (or as a gruesome attack, if she programmed her cells to devour the internal tissues of whomever she injected...)Oooo, that's too good an idea not to steal. {yoinks}
my problem is not that humans don't have some kind of improved sensory ability, it's that the improved sensory abilities are handed out like halloween candy to every race except humans. much like how most of the races have resistances or immunities "for the lulz."
I dunno, I kinda don't mind the idea of humans being "deficient."
Humanity is still superior. Gonna need to play a super optimized Human supremacist one of these days...
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Thematically, I like Orcs but not Half Orcs nor Half Elves. The latter two are too darned boring. Interesting feat and trait selections for Orcs.
I've noticed I like the half elf, the half orc, assimar and teifling because they, to exist must have a bit of a non boring origin. Because they are 'different' from their peers, I naturally find myself putting more thought into how they came to be who they are and this helps geting me into the character.
For example, my 1/2 elf summoner is a summoner because her growing up more slowly alienated her from the children around her. Therefore, she has one special friend, her eidolon. My half orc craves respectability for himself and his sisters because the lack of respect his parents received (a consensual couple, sorta, via philters of love) led directly to their deaths.Which goes to show we all find unique things race wise to latch onto.
but rather than seperating Demons, Devils, and Daemons, i'd rather have one grouping that encompasses all 3 and their kin. Devil would simply be a term for demonic nobility.
and rather than Azata, Archons, Angels, and such, i would rather have a single grouping that encompasses all 3. call it angels. Archons could be simply a term for really orderly angels of heavy devotion.
You are swimming against the tides. A good example is what happened to what is now known as Elves. During the summer, they'd be more like the ones we know of as Elves, and during the winter, they were more like Drow. However, the human tendency is to categorize and define everything, which means we get 2 separate species.
A good example for the current topic is their division of celestials and demons/devils etc. In truth, the latter are nothing more than fallen angels, and are far worse in legend and religion than what Pathfinder states. Yet humanity felt the need to define them, to limit what they could do. In Pathfinder, a game writer might say that they split up each race simply because they wanted angelic or demonic "families" with similar traits, and to imply some sort of social structure.
If you want a relatively quick grasp of what a demon really is, try reading an old White Wolf game called "Demon: the Fallen". I personally have the "Devil's Due" Dark Ages version of their game, and they do their best to stick to what a demon actually IS, according to legend.