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Zodiac
2010-09-16, 11:32 PM
I was wondering if anybody has any ideas for nonstandard races outside of the Tolkien generic races and the ones in the Races series. Any official, 3rd party or homebrew sources would be greatly appreciated. :smallsmile:

PId6
2010-09-16, 11:49 PM
Any ideas on what you're looking for? There's quite a few races spread over many sources, so some specifications would be nice.

This (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19546874/Master_Player_Race_List_Version_20) may be helpful though. It gives every official LA +0 race in 3.5.

Tetrasodium
2010-09-16, 11:50 PM
what are you hoping to find?

Zodiac
2010-09-16, 11:58 PM
Thanks, that helps a lot.

I'm currently trying to build a campaign world that steps away from the default pseudo-medieval Tolkien setting (even though I'm still using orcs, kobolds, goblins, elves and dwarves) and I was looking for different races to give a more unique flair to my campaign.

Something from different cultures or something completely made up would be fine. I'm at this point just brainstorming the cultural layout of the world so I'm mostly just looking for ideas. But I know that I'm specifically aiming for a campaign world with many races that are fairly distinct from each other.

PId6
2010-09-17, 12:08 AM
Eberron Campaign Setting has a bunch of unique races, such as changelings and warforged. Psionic races (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/psionicRaces.htm) are another option. Finally, Dragon Compendium has several very interesting races, though most of them are hard to play due to level adjustment.

Tetrasodium
2010-09-17, 12:10 AM
Thanks, that helps a lot.

I'm currently trying to build a campaign world that steps away from the default pseudo-medieval Tolkien setting (even though I'm still using orcs, kobolds, goblins, elves and dwarves) and I was looking for different races to give a more unique flair to my campaign.

Something from different cultures or something completely made up would be fine. I'm at this point just brainstorming the cultural layout of the world so I'm mostly just looking for ideas. But I know that I'm specifically aiming for a campaign world with many races that are fairly distinct from each other.

Kenku (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20040912b&page=4) are kind of an interesting race, sort of like humanoid crows with no wings.

Zodiac
2010-09-17, 12:19 AM
Thanks.

Right now I'm looking at Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Raptoran, Aasimar, Tieflings, Eladrin (Anarch race), some Modron race, Goliaths, Skarn, Genasi, Dromites, Kiloreen, Warforged and Kenku. I dropped Halflings, Gnomes and Dragonborn for flavor reasons for now.

I'm picking up a lot of races in order to A. foster a greater sense of diversity in the world, B. give players a lot of choice for their race and C. to create lots of racial tensions and feuds in the world to give a reason for societies isolating themselves and attacking each other to give PCs something to do.

Gensh
2010-09-17, 12:35 AM
I'm picking up a lot of races in order to A. foster a greater sense of diversity in the world, B. give players a lot of choice for their race and C. to create lots of racial tensions and feuds in the world to give a reason for societies isolating themselves and attacking each other to give PCs something to do.

In that case, you might want to pass some templates around. You could easily generate lots of different sorts of scenarios that way, whether Group A forms a secret society or Group B is considered unclean and are hunted down or whatever. You wouldn't just be dealing with the standard "these people are different and therefore shouldn't be trusted" idea, but also with the "these people are better/worse than me and should be revered/killed/dissected/worshiped."

In one game I ran, the world was split into two highly polarized factions, with a few terrorist groups running around in the middle. One rule that was iron-clad no matter which side you were on, though, was don't mess with vampires because their hierarchy trumps any other form of government, and killing a vampire just because he was an enemy might get you killed by one of your allies. There was also a bard NPC that had been PAO'd into a housecat that rode around on the druid's head, but that's another story entirely. :smallbiggrin:

Zodiac
2010-09-17, 12:41 AM
<Great idea>

That's a really good idea. I just recently got my hands on the Book of Templates and I've been itching for an excuse to use it too. Plus I could stack templates to create essentially new races and monsters as well.:smallbiggrin:

Greenish
2010-09-17, 08:29 AM
Thanks.

Right now I'm looking at Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Raptoran, Aasimar, Tieflings, Eladrin (Anarch race), some Modron race, Goliaths, Skarn, Genasi, Dromites, Kiloreen, Warforged and Kenku. I dropped Halflings, Gnomes and Dragonborn for flavor reasons for now.Drop humans while you're at it. Boring overpowered race.

I'm not sure if that includes subraces, but hobgoblins and poison dusk lizard folk are cool.

Zodiac
2010-09-17, 11:24 AM
Drop humans while you're at it. Boring overpowered race.

I'm not sure if that includes subraces, but hobgoblins and poison dusk lizard folk are cool.

I was thinking of getting rid of humans, but it was already too much of a fight for me to get rid of dragonborn and halflings (not gnomes though), even though nobody has ever used halflings in any games. I think that the players would flip out even more if I tried to get rid of humans. :smallconfused:

Subraces are included (with hobbos being the most numerous of the goblin population), and every race will have them, even if that means that I have to homebrew them (most likely I'll just plop a template on a race and call it a day).

Draz74
2010-09-17, 11:51 AM
Bullywugs (frog-men) are an interesting race that I've never seen put to good use. (Grippli are a totally separate frog-man race, too, but I don't remember if they were ever updated to 3e.)

hamishspence
2010-09-17, 11:57 AM
Grippli were- in Dragon Magazine 324.

There was another froggy race besides Bullywugs in Monsters of Faerun- Sivs.

Bullywugs and Sivs were both updated from 3.0 to 3.5 in the Players Guide to Faerun web enhancement- which provided 3.5 stats for most of the Faerun monsters in 3.0 books. Sivs, unlike Bullywugs, are LA+1.

arguskos
2010-09-17, 01:25 PM
The full Genasi are not here, and need to be. Don't forget the Para-Elemental Genasi from Dragon Magazine! That gives you ever flavor of elemental influence ever.

The Dvati and the Diopsid, from Dragon Compendium, could easily be included (the former is a race of soul-linked twins, the latter is a four-armed insectoid race that isn't Thri-Kreen).

The Lumi could be included (from MM3). They're a positive energy race.

LOTRfan
2010-09-17, 01:36 PM
Just a few suggestions:

Dinosaur People, like the Saurials (Bladeback, Hornhead, Finhead, and Flyer subraces) and the Pterrans. If you are willing to use Pathfinder, Saurians are cool too.

Armands, underground armadillo people from Monster Manual III (I think...)

Fauns, human-satyr hybrids from Deities and Demigods.

Desmodu, bat people, and Loxo, two-trunked elephant people, from Monster Manual II and Savage Species.

Bhuka, a race of desert goblinoid.

Neanderthal (possible replacement to humans, or perhaps have the two races coexist as they did thousands of years ago) from Frostburn.

Out of curiosity, do you know which Dragon Magazine the Para-Genasi were in?

Greenish
2010-09-17, 01:49 PM
Loxo, two-trunked elephant people, from Monster Manual II and Savage Species.And that one Faerūn book with an airship in the cover… Shining South?

LOTRfan
2010-09-17, 01:53 PM
They're in Shining South? I wouldn't have known that, as I don't read a lot of Forgotten Realms. Interesting though. They seem to be getting a lot of love for a race that is almost never used.

arguskos
2010-09-17, 02:13 PM
Out of curiosity, do you know which Dragon Magazine the Para-Genasi were in?
My sources inform me it is Dragon #297. I'd check my personal copy, but I can't seem to find it now. :smallannoyed:

Greenish
2010-09-17, 02:19 PM
They're in Shining South? I wouldn't have known that, as I don't read a lot of Forgotten Realms. Interesting though. They seem to be getting a lot of love for a race that is almost never used.Yeah, they're there, along with Thri-Kreen. At 5 RHD and +2 LA, they're a bit underwhelming. Large size, decent stats, two slams at 1d6, standard action trample and conditional rage.

Dropping the LA would make them a fun option for melee, I should say.

hamishspence
2010-09-17, 02:29 PM
They're in Shining South? I wouldn't have known that, as I don't read a lot of Forgotten Realms. Interesting though. They seem to be getting a lot of love for a race that is almost never used.

Shining South also has Tasloi (which look a bit like green goblins) and Beguilers (which have Cohort in their LA modifier, so might require a bit of DM fiat to play)

The Beguiler class in PHB2 is sometimes mentioned with these- so there can be a Beguiler Beguiler.

Greenish
2010-09-17, 02:37 PM
Shining South also has Tasloi (which look a bit like green goblins) and Beguilers (which have Cohort in their LA modifier, so might require a bit of DM fiat to play)

The Beguiler class in PHB2 is sometimes mentioned with these- so there can be a Beguiler Beguiler.Beguilers are in Unapproachable East. Heh, WotC's naming schemes have laid many heroes low.

Tasloi (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20041001b&page=3) happen to have their stats also available in the net.

[Edit]: Tasloi are nearly identical to UA's jungle goblins (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/environmentalRacialVariants.htm#jungleGoblins), I note. That reminds me, the environmental variants (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantRaces.htm) of the different races could be used to give each race a distinctive tone, or to create variation inside species.

akma
2010-09-17, 04:59 PM
Drop humans while you're at it. Boring overpowered race.


I suggest not dropping races that people will likely want to play, just make them unimportant to the grand scheme of things. In my camapign setting I decided that the elves have one very small country and got no effect on politics. So basically, if I`ll DM and no player would want to play an elf, elves won`t even get mentioned.

Gavinfoxx
2010-09-17, 05:01 PM
Yea, I would definitely think that there shouldn't be any real reason to have humans. They are suuuuch an overpowered race, and are really boring. If you need a race of prolific farmers, use a halfling variant (not strongheart).

Edit:

"Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Raptoran, Aasimar, Tieflings, Eladrin (Anarch race), some Modron race, Goliaths, Skarn, Genasi, Dromites, Kiloreen, Warforged and Kenku. I dropped Halflings, Gnomes and Dragonborn for flavor reasons for now."

Drop Human. Use a SINGLE variant elf, I'd say Fire. Use a SINGLE variant dwarf, I's say Earth, use a SINGLE variant orc, I'd say Water, and use a SINGLE variant goblin (I'd say Air goblin). Make there no half-breeds, and make those "the four elemental races". No need for Genasi in that case... maybe fold some of the various genasi stats into those races, if you want, there are tons of elemental themed races out there, especially in Dragon Magazine. Make sure to use the LESSER planetouched races if you use those! I would say you probably only need one particular intelligent construct race, and one 'bird' race -- maybe combine the stats of Kenku and Raptoran. In other words, give each race a niche!

Mystic Muse
2010-09-17, 05:11 PM
bunch of nonstandard races here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165439).

Rezby
2010-09-17, 06:02 PM
Crystal Keep (http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Races.pdf) has a list of all the races in 3.5, with their stats and relevant details.

Personally, I love the whole idea of illithids, so you could homebrew a watered down (not 8 RHD and 7 LA...) version that DOES live in sunlight and doesn't go 'its the sun, oh noooo!'

I found a nice little race called the Xvatch with +2 dex, and -2 str and con, and size small, but with -2 LA. So you get a whole lot of ground to work with there, in terms of Templates (http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Templates.pdf) (also Crystal Keep. Such a nice site).

Off the top of my head, the Imaskari (magic rock humans from underdark) and Stonechilds (rock humans from races of stone) are pretty excellent races.

Zodiac
2010-09-17, 07:08 PM
Drop Human. Use a SINGLE variant elf, I'd say Fire. Use a SINGLE variant dwarf, I's say Earth, use a SINGLE variant orc, I'd say Water, and use a SINGLE variant goblin (I'd say Air goblin). Make there no half-breeds, and make those "the four elemental races". No need for Genasi in that case... maybe fold some of the various genasi stats into those races, if you want, there are tons of elemental themed races out there, especially in Dragon Magazine. Make sure to use the LESSER planetouched races if you use those! I would say you probably only need one particular intelligent construct race, and one 'bird' race -- maybe combine the stats of Kenku and Raptoran. In other words, give each race a niche!

If it was up to me I'd drop humans, but as it is I think my players would be upset (they were annoyed that I dropped halflings even though nobody has ever used one). I'm definitely going to cut my list down, but I will say that I am not trying to give each race a protected niche. The more they step on each others' toes the better. The campaign world that I have in mind right now is embroiled in a world war with the outer planes starting to get involved in the action (this a high level campaign btw) and having races fighting to see who gets the niche is a very attractive prospect for me.

That said, I like the Loxo, the Imaskari, Fauns, Armands, Saurials, Lumi, Diopsids, Sivs and Desmodu. I'm definitely looking for some races that will make the players turn their heads when they encounter one. Thanks again for all the help guys. I probably wouldn't be able to find all this stuff on my own. :smallbiggrin:

Chambers
2010-09-17, 07:28 PM
While I don't know if you can find stats for them, there are a lot of races in Larry Niven's Ringworld series. Some of them are superficially similar to other races (there are vampires, ghouls, and giants), but they are done very different.

Giants are herbivores, Ghouls are intelligent, Vampires are non-intelligent..and...well...make you want to rish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rishathra) to death.

OT: Ringworld would be a great setting for a D&D game.

LOTRfan
2010-09-17, 07:56 PM
Saurials can not be found in any official books, but they were converted to 3.5e here. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frx/20030528a)

hamishspence
2010-09-18, 08:56 AM
Beguilers are in Unapproachable East. Heh, WotC's naming schemes have laid many heroes low.

Can't remember any reference to them. The Small-sized mouselike magical beast called a Beguiler is on pages 60-61 of Shining South, and the PC class is on pages 6-11 of PHB2.

Darrin
2010-09-18, 09:10 AM
Saurials can not be found in any official books, but they were converted to 3.5e here. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frx/20030528a)

They were also released as a Serpent Kingdoms Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20040717a), which would probably be considered an "official book".