CockroachTeaParty
2013-01-08, 06:36 PM
I think it started with 4e... when Tieflings became part of the core race lineup.
Initially, I gave a shrug. Whatever, they weren't any goofier than Dragonborn. It was a new system, a new world, and I had an open mind, willing to experience what it had to offer.
A few years later, I had all but stopped playing 4e (for various reasons; that's a tale for another thread) and returned to 3.5, which was, and still is, my preferred edition of D&D.
However, the lifeblood of 3.5 was slowing down, coagulating into a sort of stagnation; sure, various forum-goers (here, and elsewhere) kept the system alive, but I no longer could feel that particular rush of excitement when a new book was released.
Then, I discovered Pathfinder. Despite some initial objections and scoffing, I've come to embrace Pathfinder; it certainly has its flaws, but the community of active players is alive and well, and it did enough to freshen things up a bit for me.
However... following the release of the Advanced Race Guide (or whatever it's called), and recent amendments to the Pathfinder Society rules, aasimars and tieflings have become one of the 'featured' races; indeed, they can now be made into PFS characters without a merit. For all intents and purposes, they are now perfectly legal to play.
...Now, I know this is mostly a matter of opinion. I'm unlikely to be swayed. But I really don't like aasimars and tieflings. They just don't do it for me. Something about them seems stale, bland, uninteresting.
They echo of a certain 'Mary Sue' flavoring to me. An aasimar or tiefling is automatically a tragic figure, alienated from normal (human) society, yet blessed with great potential and unique gifts. This is reflected in their ability score bonuses (+2/+2 in Pathfinder, with no negative hit to a third ability).
Sure, they're not really unbalanced; they come out ahead a little bit in the ability score department, have some innate resistances and SLA's, but they're not going to be noticeably different from a human character built in a similar way.
Again, it's not a balance issue... it's a flavor one, an issue of essence, a certain 'je ne sais quoi.' They're humans with different-colored eyes (and sometimes hair), with perhaps a tail and little horns if you're feeling dramatic. In all other respects, they're basically human. There's no unifying culture, no inherently-inhuman angle from which to RP them; you're a human with a sad backstory of alienation, except somehow less interesting than a half-orc.
It's fair to say that I find the whole 'human half-breed' phenomenon somewhat unpalatable; but my aversion (disdain, even) towards aasimars and tieflings runs deeper than that. Am I a racist? No... I don't think so.
One of the main things that irks me about these planetouched races is that everyone seems to play them. (I'm aware that such a sweeping generalization is inherently untrue, but read on) Just go to the 'currently recruiting' forums for PBP games, here or anywhere else. You could make a drinking game out of it: drink for every tiefling or aasimar submission. Your liver will soon disintegrate.
So many people seem to love them; they seem to err on the side of newcomers to the game. There's very little in the way of variety between these characters; tieflings are dark and moody (or else WACKY and PHUN), while aasimars are really boring (sometimes moody, otherwise no different from a human with strong convictions). They all have red/gold eyes, silver/black hair, and... an amazing power to make me lose interest in them almost immediately.
I almost consider them a creativity crutch. Or maybe they appeal to power-gamers; 'Ooh, this race has +2 to two ability scores! MUST PLAY!'
Eh... I dunno. Maybe I'm just being strange. Does anyone else share my loathing for tieflings and aasimars? Would such folk care to elaborate on the intricacies of their hatred?
Likewise, if anyone has an impassioned love for these races, and wishes to explain their virtues and benefits, I'd also be interested in reading such replies.
Again, I know that there's little that can sway an opinion such as mine, which essentially boils down to 'I find them boring and over-played.' But I needed to vent this.
Feel free to share any pseudo-illogical fictional racial preferences here; I love sharing!
Initially, I gave a shrug. Whatever, they weren't any goofier than Dragonborn. It was a new system, a new world, and I had an open mind, willing to experience what it had to offer.
A few years later, I had all but stopped playing 4e (for various reasons; that's a tale for another thread) and returned to 3.5, which was, and still is, my preferred edition of D&D.
However, the lifeblood of 3.5 was slowing down, coagulating into a sort of stagnation; sure, various forum-goers (here, and elsewhere) kept the system alive, but I no longer could feel that particular rush of excitement when a new book was released.
Then, I discovered Pathfinder. Despite some initial objections and scoffing, I've come to embrace Pathfinder; it certainly has its flaws, but the community of active players is alive and well, and it did enough to freshen things up a bit for me.
However... following the release of the Advanced Race Guide (or whatever it's called), and recent amendments to the Pathfinder Society rules, aasimars and tieflings have become one of the 'featured' races; indeed, they can now be made into PFS characters without a merit. For all intents and purposes, they are now perfectly legal to play.
...Now, I know this is mostly a matter of opinion. I'm unlikely to be swayed. But I really don't like aasimars and tieflings. They just don't do it for me. Something about them seems stale, bland, uninteresting.
They echo of a certain 'Mary Sue' flavoring to me. An aasimar or tiefling is automatically a tragic figure, alienated from normal (human) society, yet blessed with great potential and unique gifts. This is reflected in their ability score bonuses (+2/+2 in Pathfinder, with no negative hit to a third ability).
Sure, they're not really unbalanced; they come out ahead a little bit in the ability score department, have some innate resistances and SLA's, but they're not going to be noticeably different from a human character built in a similar way.
Again, it's not a balance issue... it's a flavor one, an issue of essence, a certain 'je ne sais quoi.' They're humans with different-colored eyes (and sometimes hair), with perhaps a tail and little horns if you're feeling dramatic. In all other respects, they're basically human. There's no unifying culture, no inherently-inhuman angle from which to RP them; you're a human with a sad backstory of alienation, except somehow less interesting than a half-orc.
It's fair to say that I find the whole 'human half-breed' phenomenon somewhat unpalatable; but my aversion (disdain, even) towards aasimars and tieflings runs deeper than that. Am I a racist? No... I don't think so.
One of the main things that irks me about these planetouched races is that everyone seems to play them. (I'm aware that such a sweeping generalization is inherently untrue, but read on) Just go to the 'currently recruiting' forums for PBP games, here or anywhere else. You could make a drinking game out of it: drink for every tiefling or aasimar submission. Your liver will soon disintegrate.
So many people seem to love them; they seem to err on the side of newcomers to the game. There's very little in the way of variety between these characters; tieflings are dark and moody (or else WACKY and PHUN), while aasimars are really boring (sometimes moody, otherwise no different from a human with strong convictions). They all have red/gold eyes, silver/black hair, and... an amazing power to make me lose interest in them almost immediately.
I almost consider them a creativity crutch. Or maybe they appeal to power-gamers; 'Ooh, this race has +2 to two ability scores! MUST PLAY!'
Eh... I dunno. Maybe I'm just being strange. Does anyone else share my loathing for tieflings and aasimars? Would such folk care to elaborate on the intricacies of their hatred?
Likewise, if anyone has an impassioned love for these races, and wishes to explain their virtues and benefits, I'd also be interested in reading such replies.
Again, I know that there's little that can sway an opinion such as mine, which essentially boils down to 'I find them boring and over-played.' But I needed to vent this.
Feel free to share any pseudo-illogical fictional racial preferences here; I love sharing!