Tolkien actually had a pretty sizable variety of races. Even if you only go Good, that's elves, dwarves, humans, hobbits, eagles...could justify an ent if it's of a small species...oh, and gnomes are there, too.
Has anyone tried making a world of freaks instead?I've done up a campaign where the player choices were Orc, Half-Orc, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold, or Lizardman. Not sure if that counts.
To be honest I think most of my adventuring parties have been a bunch of freaks. To be fair, I don't help when I play a guy who amputated his own hand for ultimate arcane power(I traded up!) or a intoxicated alchemist who mixes all his brews with alchohol.
|
Lets get real folks, We all know that Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and Hobbits are the races allowedWell I want to play an orc barbarian working against Sauron for all the atrocities he committed against him and his people in life.
And not fair! You let Joe play the weird hobbit with a template and verbal tic. If he gets to play a guy who yells "GOLLUM!" every few seconds I want something special too.
Don't play with this guy, he's the ultimate railroading GM. He offed my awesome fighter because I was outdoing the ranger, who he decided was going to be the big hero.
Don't play with this guy, he's the ultimate railroading GM. He offed my awesome fighter because I was outdoing the ranger, who he decided was going to be the big hero.
Did you tell him he screwed up when he gave the Halfling most of the playtime then? I spent most of the game in a bar, man. Never split the party!
|
I allow a majority of races, BUT, only in regions they may be found in.
At least as a base, meaning no sea elves or 1/2 sea elves in Katapesh.
#1 rule I have is that it has to make sense, and the player has to sell it to me.
Failure to do so results in a set list of options, which is what I usually do when starting an adventure anyway.
For example, the adventure begins in a woodland area, a village of elves to be exact. Wood-Elves, and I have a list of races available at the time. NOT all are a good idea.
There's always one race selected in the list to be negatively viewed.
One such race in this example would be a Kobold.
He starts in a wooden cage, Sure the player knows this ahead of time and they can go with it or tweak it their own way. But the Kobold starts a prisoner. Give the Party a reason to want him to come along.
How many times do you see an oddball party that just shouldn't be?
A Tengu, Dragonblooded Gnome Sorcerer, Ifrit, Hobgoblin, and Half-Orc Walk into a bar...
It sounds like the start of a bad joke.
I like some diversity, but not a ton. Tengus are great for bustling cities, or the orient.
What I'm saying is every race has it's preferred locales for a reason, and would probably stick around those regions.
That is unless the player wants to just be an annoyance, picks something ridiculous just to irk the players and GM.
i.e. an Ifrit Ice Witch.
So I guess I'm under the Cruel Overlord banner.
But hey it's nice here and we do have cookies!
How many times do you see an oddball party that just shouldn't be?
A Tengu, Dragonblooded Gnome Sorcerer, Ifrit, Hobgoblin, and Half-Orc Walk into a bar...It sounds like the start of a bad joke.
While to me, it sounds like "That's sure an odd combination. Wonder what their story is. Has to be interesting if it's kept them all together."
|
For me it depends a lot on where we are in the campaign setting. Like for my current campaign my base choices for players are...
Feralfolk (shifters/skinwalkers)
Humans
Halflings
Half-elves
Half-Orcs
Hobgoblins
Orcs
Ironborn
Whitecape Vanara
With specialty races are
Ogrekin
Tiefling
Aasimar
Changeling
Goblins
Treestranger Vanara
That being said if players manage to convince me on a character concept with a race that is integral to the plot then I'm always willing to make an exception.
I need to finish scraping together races for an underwater campaign, as well, now that I think about it.
I'm in the process of building the PC races for my homebrew setting (future dark ages fantasy earth):I'm not sure what that phrase actually translates as.
8. Ilthlings (adorable halfling-sized mind flayers)That sounds like an inspired idea, however bizarre. :)
I'm answering the first statement in the spoiler as to not derail.
Thanks! I needed an aberration race, but didn't want something disgusting or evil, and I got the Ilthlings!
|
|
Actually... This was the party I had to GM.
The Tengu was a chronic gambler, an appraiser by trade, hailing from Oppara, ever seen a Tengu in a coat, with tails, lapels and a top hat? Yeah...
Dragonblooded Gnome Sorcerer was always trying to hatch her child... an ostrich egg the Hobgoblin found. Clever as a bag of wet hair, and horny. No not that kind! But literal horns above her brow, had a habit of burning taverns she sleeps in. Bad dreams, breathes fire... need new inn.
Ifrit who loved the cold...
Hobgoblin who enjoyed making money as a mercenary, rather than as a grunt under some commander. Oh and he was nearsighted, and the archer/ranger.
Half-Orc manservant of the Ifrit, from distant Katapesh.
The Half-Orc and Ifrit were left together after Legacy of Fire, they met the others and adventured until they settled down in the River Kingdoms.
I need to finish scraping together races for an underwater campaign, as well, now that I think about it.
Orthos, you might want to check out Cerulean Seas.
Oh, and not wanting to de-rail the thread, our group is usually pretty open, even going as far as allowing custom races (within reason).
Cheers!
I need to finish scraping together races for an underwater campaign, as well, now that I think about it.Orthos, you might want to check out Cerulean Seas.
I do have that, as well as two of the supplementary Alluria books.
@ Orthos - Shiny!
I'm playing in a semi-aquatic campaign based in Outsea in the River Kingdoms.
The group is comprised of a lochgelly selkie witch, a half-giant soulknife/aegis, and my character (an amphibious lizardfolk homebrew race that's a battle medic tactician).
We don't stand out, in Outsea, at least. :P
I've allowed a lot, but it depends on the settings.
Sometimes I'll cut Tolkien right out, and throw in playable Otyughs, lizardfolk, wood woads (plants), fey, half ogres, thri kreen.
Got to keep things interesting.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Otyughs are the best. I can totally see an otyugh playable race.
In fact, TO THE ARG!
Should I go with pygmy otyughs or stunted ones?
Otyughs are the best. I can totally see an otyugh playable race.
In fact, TO THE ARG!
Should I go with pygmy otyughs or stunted ones?
Otyughs speak common. Otyughs make good fighters, and have a nice fort. They can be on adventure for food, or to sake their curiosity.
In my setting, Otyughs are the pioneers of democracy, in the form of moots. The humans did not go this way.
Otyughs find nothing tastier than a nice lizardfolk.
Well, here it is. Managed to wrangle 'em down to just 13 RP.
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
This thread. :)
Lots of races. Like Orthos back on page one, I love a world filled with fantastic races, and I want to keep as many as possible available to players so that they can immerse themselves in that fantasticnessness rather than having it kept at a distance.
This includes having a lot of "monster" types available as options, though these would be rebalanced to be more player appropriate.
As far as my homebrew goes:
Core Races:
Humans
Orcs - Restatted
Elves(including restatted dark elves)
Half-orcs
Half-elves
Halflings
Gnomes
Dwarves
Goblins - Restatted
Hobgoblins - Restatted
Bugbears - Restatted
Half-goblins
Kobolds - Restatted
Tieflings - humanoid rather than native outsiders
Aasimar - Restatted, humanoid rather than native outsiders
The Rest of the Planetouched Crew - humanoids rather than native outsiders
The Three Native Races - The folks that were on the planet before the others got imported by the gods to serve as the world's immune system. More alien compared to the other cores. One of them is actually more on the uncommon side than common.
Uncommons can include anything from centaurs to harpies to minotaurs to svirfneblin to illumians to merfolk(only listed as uncommon due to needing special consideration for non aquatic campaigns).
Rares can include folks like medusas to satyrs to nagas.
Also, no monoculture for any race unless that race is highly centralized in one location.
My latest:
Humans
Halflings
Dwarves.
'Firsties' - sort of a fae Tiefling, but instead of being its own race mechanically, it's almost more a template placed on other races to modify them. You could have an elvish firstly, a human one, a halfling one ...
Humanoids - although in his case each humanoid type is basically a corrupted version of a basic race from the magic equivalent of a nuclear fallout zone ...
Half elf(very rare, but can be played)
In this world, at least, halflings and dwarves are closely related, and a halfling/dwarf cross exists.
Gno gnomes.
Anything else is by special request. With a good story behind it.
Wait, Mikaze, you restat goblins and orcs? Those two are the only monster races that actually match up with the Core ones!
Whoa, why do you restat the Hobgoblins, Mikaze? They are fine just the way they are. (Yeah, I'm not a fan or anything...)
Hobgoblins are a bit underpowered, so I can see them. I just love the way goblin/orc stats even out to create such deadly minmax machines.
Incidentally, lizardfolk and gnolls make pretty suitable races as well, according to ARG (though I did notice some clerical errors, so maybe not!).
|
|
Wait, Mikaze, you restat goblins and orcs? Those two are the only monster races that actually match up with the Core ones!
+4 STR, -2 all mental orcs don't work for the flavor of orc I prefer or want in my world, so it's +2 STR, +2 WIS, -2 INT and no light sensitivity all the way. :)
The big thing that changed for goblins are the heavily flavor-oriented alternate features. The Golarion-centric ones for gremlin-like psychopath goblins aren't really appropriate for my goblins. That honestly goes for a lot of races' alternate traits though.
Actually, the racial traits didn't really change at all for goblins in Pathfinder. That's something that's always bugged me--why a penalty for Charisma when they have so many bards? Why no penalty for Wisdom?
Mikaze, that's NUTS! Hobgoblins are an insanely underpowered race, you can ask anyone!
Sorry, I might be overreacting, but I'm stuck playing a hobgoblin alchemist and man is the race s+&+. All they've got going for them is that extra ability bonus.
|
|
Actually, the racial traits didn't really change at all for goblins in Pathfinder. That's something that's always bugged me--why a penalty for Charisma when they have so many bards? Why no penalty for Wisdom?
I meant the alternate traits like Hard-Head, Big Teeth and the like, stuff that leaned more towards comical monsters. But Yeah, Golarion goblins probably do need that -2 shifted around.
Their current ability modifiers work fine for mine though. They are most downtrodden of the core and it's had an effect over the generations. ;_;
|
|
Mikaze, that's NUTS! Hobgoblins are an insanely underpowered race, you can ask anyone!
Sorry, I might be overreacting, but I'm stuck playing a hobgoblin alchemist and man is the race s&+~. All they've got going for them is that extra ability bonus.
They do get more in their rewrite. It's not just the ability modifiers that got adjusted. :)
Long story short, all of them got a set of racial traits more in line in number with the standard core races. Hobgoblins pretty much only gain traits there since they have so little to start.
Wait, Mikaze, you restat goblins and orcs? Those two are the only monster races that actually match up with the Core ones!+4 STR, -2 all mental orcs don't work for the flavor of orc I prefer or want in my world, so it's +2 STR, +2 WIS, -2 INT and no light sensitivity all the way. :)
I also did something similar with Orcs being a regular player race in my world (all be it second class citizens). Though I went with a +2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Int. Ya I know that generally type casts them as brawling brutes but that's fitting for how I want them represented.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
I honestly don't really care for the "wise indian warrior"-style orcs. Maybe Dominic Deegan ruined 'em for me, though.
I "allow" everything but Strix, though not necessarily EXACTLY as it's presented in the book. For instance Half-Orcs are just orcs (while standard orcs are the freakazoid experiment ones), dwarf, halfing, gnome, and durgar are all variants of one race, etc.
I also have a handful of homebrew races, including my own more druidic version of elves, plant people, and a four-armed asura race. They're all divied up by regions based on different "mythological zones". If you want to play a Catfolk in he European Mythological Zone, you'll have to spend a point in linguistics/bonus language on the Common language for that zone and deal with most people not knowing wtf you are, but you can do it.
I also did something similar with Orcs being a regular player race in my world (all be it second class citizens). Though I went with a +2 Str, +2 Con, -2 Int. Ya I know that generally type casts them as brawling brutes but that's fitting for how I want them represented.Wait, Mikaze, you restat goblins and orcs? Those two are the only monster races that actually match up with the Core ones!+4 STR, -2 all mental orcs don't work for the flavor of orc I prefer or want in my world, so it's +2 STR, +2 WIS, -2 INT and no light sensitivity all the way. :)
I just let people put modifiers wherever they want in my games(though you can't stack your 2 +2's on strength obviously). All problems about racial modifiers are solved. Best part is they aren't my responsibility anymore! I mean err... the players get more creative freedom!
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I've allowed a lot, but it depends on the settings.
Sometimes I'll cut Tolkien right out, and throw in playable Otyughs, lizardfolk, wood woads (plants), fey, half ogres, thri kreen.
Got to keep things interesting.
BLasphemer! Go straight to hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200
:{D
It was actually the expanded paizo material on otyughs that got me thinking about them as playable classes. Also the flail snail revival, but I more always put them in somewhere now, not playable... yet.
Currently I GM campaign set in Forgotten Realms in Moonsea region around 1372 so the following races are allowed:
Core Races: Dwarves, elves, halflings (1 currently and 1 deceased), gnomes, half-elves (2), half-orcs (1 retired), humans (2 and 1 retired) with variants possible.
Featured Races: Aasimar (we had plenty of aasimars in previous 3.5 campaign, no one asked about playing them this time), catfolk (replacement for standard FR wemics), dhampir, drow, fetchling (lesser shades, related or unrelated to Shadovar), ifrits and other elemental races (probably but not necessarily would come from Calimshan - would be treated as a bit exotic foreigners), tengus (either Faerunian kenku or Kara-Tur expatriate tengu), tiefling.
Uncommon Races: Changelings (probably coming from North-East or Rashmen), gripplis (probably from a nearby swamps), kitsune (living among Kara-Tur expatriates), nagaji and vishankya (living in Chult and southern Faerun and among Kara-Tur expatriates - replacement of sorts for more human Yuan-Ti),samsarans (living among Kara-Tur expatriates), Strix and Syrinx (instead of standard FR aarakocra), vanaras (living in southern Faerun and among Kara-Tur expatriates), wayangs (mostly denizens of plane of shadows that appear from time to time on Faerun).
Exotic Races: Androids, lashunta - both could appear as interlopers from other worlds but it would require good story.
Planetouched races (Aasimar, fetchling, ifrits, oreads, sylphs, tieflings, undine - whom I changed to be Humanoids with planetouched subtype and subtype of their parent race instead of native outsiders), changelings, dhampir, samsarans, suli, vishankya and wayangs would be treated as a bit exotic if recognized as something else than human (or gnome in case of wayangs) at all.
Drow, half-orcs and tieflings recognized as such would be treated with distrust and potential hostility.
Animalistic races (catfolk, grippli, nagaji, strix, syrinx, tengu, vanaras, kitsune openly appearing as foxfolk) would be viewed as exotic curiosity. Some of the locals could have problems with treating them as fully sapient and/or civilized being and some would be suspicious of them as of "monsters".
Duergar and svifnerblin would be considered a bit weird dwarves/gnomes if they would appear with a sensible story.
Gillmen and merfolk would be hard to explain with prolonged stay o land. While the campaign takes place on the coast of Moonsea (which really is a just a big brackish lake), up until now the water had played any role only twice, with river being a plot point for some time as well.
Gnolls, goblins, hobgoblins, kobolds, orcs are considered enemy where the campaign takes place so they are non-option (well, you can play that - start making Reflex saves against DC 14 taking 5d6 points of fire damage or half on successful save until you are dead or flee; Your friendly city guards mumble something about those pesky monstrous intruders and are happy that the magic item trader provides City Council with relatively cheap wands of fireballs that are used by city watch wizards to deal with major threats...).
Will add Gripli.