Post by Malcadon on Apr 7, 2015 7:44:23 GMT
Here are my preferred selection of D&D races, aka, the non-Tolkienesque option. It should be noted that non-human races are that that common (which means everyone and their dog must play them) and face one problem or another in human civilization. I also do not institute level caps, which is not a problem, as they usually retire before reaching high-level.
Human
Yeah, you know this one...
The boring old one.
Satyr (Faun)
This is your classic race of goat-men of Greek myth. Females are called Fuans. They are primitive and debaucherous by nature, and seldom fit in human civilization. They enjoy music, heavy drinks, roughhousing, casual sex, pranks — basically like drunken frat-boys. They are have a reputation of being thieves, as they do not have a concept of ownership — at least, if an item is unoccupied or unmarked, it is up for grabs. (They do not have thieving abilities.)
They are about the same height as D&D Dwarves and use the same stats as them, but lack the innate ability to detect unusual stonework or the combat bonus with giants. With their goat-like legs, they can move freely over rubble and rough ground as if they are clear, and can move faster than normal at 150" (50"). They are able to craft special pips (worth 50 gp at character generation) that can be used to Charm anyone who can hear them in a calm enviroment (in in combat). Most of the time, they use them to get people to give them stuff or to make love to them.
Nymph
They are highly beautiful looking women with an unearthly nature. They are slender and pointy, hair that shimmer like polished gold, silver or copper, and gleaming eyes like blue or green opals. They are mostly female, but one-out-of-ten Nymphs are male. A male Nymph, called Aphroditus, look like shapely woman but with male genitalia. Although nudists by nature, they dress in a special a garment that keeps them hydrated. Without it, they will dry out until they can find fresh water. Do to its rarity, they will treat it with great importance, and will do anything to get it back if taken — often times becoming "Nymph Brides." Just like Satyrs, they are creatures of the wild and lack many of the social taboos of civilized woman.
As they are supernatural creatures, they have the same stats and abilities as Druids. As they are tied to the force of nature, their magic is based on a control of nature. They are unable to touch iron or steel, as it burns their skin like a torch. They can still touch other metals, but usually avoid them save for soft metals like copper, gold, silver and pewter.
Nymphs who became, abuse by other creatures, like humans or goblins, turn twisted and ugly and become Hags. They appear the same as they feel, so when they are happy, they are beautiful, and when they miserable, they become less so. When they become too unattractive, they become pariahs and become more ugly. They are spiteful of their owns existence and generally take their self-loathing on others. Their magic is more geared towards cursing and causing pain. For the most part, they like to be left alone.
Malalbus
They are a race of wicked, amoral sorcerers. They are pale, lanky with pointy ears, pointy features, all white eyes and platinum blond hair. They have no sense of empathy and and a strong sense of order. They were once a great and powerful civilization, but they became a decadent, dying race.
They have the same stats as D&D Elves, but lack the innate ability to detect secret doors. (They were inspired by the Dendyrelyssi form Crimson Blades, who are based on Elric of Melniboné and also play out like the D&D Drow. The name is Latin for "evil-white.")
Wood Elf
This is not your Tolkienesque D&D Elf, but small forest-dwelling people. They look like D&D Elves with their pointy, slender features and pointy ears, but as tall as Hobbits. (They have the same stats as Halflings.) They are mostly peaceful and keep to themselves. They live in nomadic tribal, hunter-gather communities. They enjoy music and merriment. As they are dependent on forests to survive, they are weary of human encroachment. (They were inspired by the Elves form the Elf Quest comics and the movie Wizards, but mostly by classical depictions.)
Goblin
They are just like the Elves above, but they live in thick forests and in underground tunnels. They are a wicked offshoot of Wood Elves. They look like Wood Elves but generally ugly. They have pasty skin and eyes that shine like rat eyes in the light. Their darkvision is three times greater than Wood Elves, but they are sensitive to sun light, to the point of blindness. (Unlike the normal rules for light sensitivity, Goblins need to make a save to avoid becoming blinded by it, and 2d4 rounds afterwards.)
In general, they are cruel and greedy by nature. Individually, they are cowardly, but in numbers they can be vary aggressive. They are typically ruled by a Chieftain who rally them into raiding parties. As such, they are despised by the other races. Humans treat them as being no better than animals and frequently hunt them to cull their numbers.
They have the same stats as Wood Elves above, but with thieving abilities and light sensitivity.
Hobgoblin
They are a race of half-man/half-goblin people. They are the product of Goblin raiders taking human captives. They are generally stigmatized in human civilization to the point of being outcasts or outright killed for for some offense, true or otherwise. They tend to form into communities to become bandits or (cheap, expendable) mercenaries. In a Goblin tribe, they quickly form the leadership as Chiefs and Enforcers.
Hobgoblins are more-or-less the Half-Orc equivalent race, with the same stats.
Felinoid
This is a race of nomadic cat-people. Their slender bodies are covered in short, thick hair, and they have feline features: eyes, ears, tail, etc. They crafty by nature, and not given to regret. Given their roguish nature, they are treated like Gypsies in human communities.
They move swiftly (150" (50")), have darkvision, natural attacks (claws and bite). They have the same stats like a Cleric but with thieving and acrobatic abilities.
Cambian/Alu-Demon
They are half-man/half-demons. They look like normal humans but with demotic features (random like Gamma World mutations). They are rare, as they are usually killed at birth. They face much of the same stigma as Hobgoblins while in human civilization. Being demotic in nature, they are wicked by nature. As they have to struggle to survive, they advance as Fighters with thieving abilities.
A variant are the Alu-demon, who are half-Succubi. They tend to look attractive and advance as Temptresses.
Human
Yeah, you know this one...
The boring old one.
Satyr (Faun)
This is your classic race of goat-men of Greek myth. Females are called Fuans. They are primitive and debaucherous by nature, and seldom fit in human civilization. They enjoy music, heavy drinks, roughhousing, casual sex, pranks — basically like drunken frat-boys. They are have a reputation of being thieves, as they do not have a concept of ownership — at least, if an item is unoccupied or unmarked, it is up for grabs. (They do not have thieving abilities.)
They are about the same height as D&D Dwarves and use the same stats as them, but lack the innate ability to detect unusual stonework or the combat bonus with giants. With their goat-like legs, they can move freely over rubble and rough ground as if they are clear, and can move faster than normal at 150" (50"). They are able to craft special pips (worth 50 gp at character generation) that can be used to Charm anyone who can hear them in a calm enviroment (in in combat). Most of the time, they use them to get people to give them stuff or to make love to them.
Nymph
They are highly beautiful looking women with an unearthly nature. They are slender and pointy, hair that shimmer like polished gold, silver or copper, and gleaming eyes like blue or green opals. They are mostly female, but one-out-of-ten Nymphs are male. A male Nymph, called Aphroditus, look like shapely woman but with male genitalia. Although nudists by nature, they dress in a special a garment that keeps them hydrated. Without it, they will dry out until they can find fresh water. Do to its rarity, they will treat it with great importance, and will do anything to get it back if taken — often times becoming "Nymph Brides." Just like Satyrs, they are creatures of the wild and lack many of the social taboos of civilized woman.
As they are supernatural creatures, they have the same stats and abilities as Druids. As they are tied to the force of nature, their magic is based on a control of nature. They are unable to touch iron or steel, as it burns their skin like a torch. They can still touch other metals, but usually avoid them save for soft metals like copper, gold, silver and pewter.
Nymphs who became, abuse by other creatures, like humans or goblins, turn twisted and ugly and become Hags. They appear the same as they feel, so when they are happy, they are beautiful, and when they miserable, they become less so. When they become too unattractive, they become pariahs and become more ugly. They are spiteful of their owns existence and generally take their self-loathing on others. Their magic is more geared towards cursing and causing pain. For the most part, they like to be left alone.
Malalbus
They are a race of wicked, amoral sorcerers. They are pale, lanky with pointy ears, pointy features, all white eyes and platinum blond hair. They have no sense of empathy and and a strong sense of order. They were once a great and powerful civilization, but they became a decadent, dying race.
They have the same stats as D&D Elves, but lack the innate ability to detect secret doors. (They were inspired by the Dendyrelyssi form Crimson Blades, who are based on Elric of Melniboné and also play out like the D&D Drow. The name is Latin for "evil-white.")
Wood Elf
This is not your Tolkienesque D&D Elf, but small forest-dwelling people. They look like D&D Elves with their pointy, slender features and pointy ears, but as tall as Hobbits. (They have the same stats as Halflings.) They are mostly peaceful and keep to themselves. They live in nomadic tribal, hunter-gather communities. They enjoy music and merriment. As they are dependent on forests to survive, they are weary of human encroachment. (They were inspired by the Elves form the Elf Quest comics and the movie Wizards, but mostly by classical depictions.)
Goblin
They are just like the Elves above, but they live in thick forests and in underground tunnels. They are a wicked offshoot of Wood Elves. They look like Wood Elves but generally ugly. They have pasty skin and eyes that shine like rat eyes in the light. Their darkvision is three times greater than Wood Elves, but they are sensitive to sun light, to the point of blindness. (Unlike the normal rules for light sensitivity, Goblins need to make a save to avoid becoming blinded by it, and 2d4 rounds afterwards.)
In general, they are cruel and greedy by nature. Individually, they are cowardly, but in numbers they can be vary aggressive. They are typically ruled by a Chieftain who rally them into raiding parties. As such, they are despised by the other races. Humans treat them as being no better than animals and frequently hunt them to cull their numbers.
They have the same stats as Wood Elves above, but with thieving abilities and light sensitivity.
Hobgoblin
They are a race of half-man/half-goblin people. They are the product of Goblin raiders taking human captives. They are generally stigmatized in human civilization to the point of being outcasts or outright killed for for some offense, true or otherwise. They tend to form into communities to become bandits or (cheap, expendable) mercenaries. In a Goblin tribe, they quickly form the leadership as Chiefs and Enforcers.
Hobgoblins are more-or-less the Half-Orc equivalent race, with the same stats.
Felinoid
This is a race of nomadic cat-people. Their slender bodies are covered in short, thick hair, and they have feline features: eyes, ears, tail, etc. They crafty by nature, and not given to regret. Given their roguish nature, they are treated like Gypsies in human communities.
They move swiftly (150" (50")), have darkvision, natural attacks (claws and bite). They have the same stats like a Cleric but with thieving and acrobatic abilities.
Cambian/Alu-Demon
They are half-man/half-demons. They look like normal humans but with demotic features (random like Gamma World mutations). They are rare, as they are usually killed at birth. They face much of the same stigma as Hobgoblins while in human civilization. Being demotic in nature, they are wicked by nature. As they have to struggle to survive, they advance as Fighters with thieving abilities.
A variant are the Alu-demon, who are half-Succubi. They tend to look attractive and advance as Temptresses.