What should the "Fey Bruiser" race be?

[tbok1992]

Well, when I once asked Mike Mearls on his Twitter what new races he'd want in D&D, he answered that he'd like a fey bruiser race. So, I ask those of you at these forums, what would you like as the Fey Bruiser race?

Personally, I'd like a Kappa race. Because A) They're Obake, which I'm pretty sure count as fae and are in general becoming more popular B) They are certainly bruiser-y in the original myths C) They are both iconic and interesting mythology-wise because of how they've become a lot less vicious over the years, which'd be a great hook for some lore.

[Badgerish]

Redcaps
4ed Spriggans (who are f&*%ing metal. 4' tall Fey who can kick you 20' with their iron-shod boots)
wooden-bodied plant people (Wood Woads/Treants)

[Eldan]

Buggane or Ogres? Can't get much more bruisery than that.

Edit: the Dullahan seems to have been moving a bit closer to undead in modern works, but might also work.

[Togath]

I often like the image of Satyrs/Fauns, or alternatively, norse mythology-style elves

[Eldan]

Hm. I don't know much about the Ljosalfar, but Svartalfar, to me, are a sneaky race, not a bruiser race.

[lyko555]

I'd second the red caps.
They seem like they'd always be raring for a fight and they're melee and mean.

[Joe the Rat]

Redcaps seem more scrappy than bruiser. They've got the violence, but don't feel very big. Bruisers I always picture as being big. I mean really big. Norse and Celtic seem to be the go-to for fey, so something like norse-style trolls or fomor would be a nice fit.

I second (or third?) Spriggans. I've always liked the idea of the wee-to-friggin'-huge facestompers. It seems appropriate for a fey not-always-what-they-seem beastie.

[Grinner]

Ogres/trolls, obviously.

Boggles, yes? Unless those are the same as redcaps.

[Arbane]

Ogres/trolls, obviously.

That would work.

More obscurely, how about the Fomorians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomorians) or the Fir Bolg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fir_Bolg)?

[Grinner]

More obscurely, how about the Fomorians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomorians) or the Fir Bolg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fir_Bolg)?

Definitely the Fomorians (I always thought they were similar to, if not the same as, ogres.)

The Fir Bolg never really struck me as being all that bestial. I thought they were birthed by the remnants of the Nemedians after their failed war against the Fomorians. It's been while since I read up on it, though...

[Calmar]

How about unseelie knights on fairy steeds?

[Water_Bear]

What about the word fey even remotely suggests "bruiser?" It's like having a Halfling built around reach...

Anyway, if you stretch Fey to include Ogres / Trolls / Other Fairytale Monsters they should work fine. Ideally not something too obscure, keep it recognizable.

[Wolf_Haley]

Reflavored Gnools would be interesting.

[Feddlefew]

Nucklavee? Or maybe half-nucklavee to make them more humanoid?

[Zahhak]

I vote for the Dullahan. Few things, in my mind, are more intimidating than confronting a seven foot tall, three hundred pound fully armored headless killing machine.

[tbok1992]

What about the word fey even remotely suggests "bruiser?" It's like having a Halfling built around reach...
Because there are plenty of big nasty monsters in folklore that fit under the "Fey" label, like the Nuckleavee or the Kappa. Speaking of which, why does nobody else think the idea of the Kappa as a PC Fey Bruiser Race'd be a good idea?

[RedWarlock]

It depends on what you define a Kappa with. The whole bowl-headed thing always broke it for me, they're too limited with that, and outside of that prime weakness to directional changes (IE, turn them at least 90 degrees and they're dead/useless) they have little else going for them.

[Grinner]

Because there are plenty of big nasty monsters in folklore that fit under the "Fey" label, like the Nuckleavee or the Kappa. Speaking of which, why does nobody else think the idea of the Kappa as a PC Fey Bruiser Race'd be a good idea?

Because it's overtly Japanese, and I guess the European fairies get priority.

[Zahhak]

The Dullahan was basically an enormous, headless murder machine that did nothing but ride a warhorse around Ireland forcing the life out of anyone unlucky enough to cross his path.

[tbok1992]

It depends on what you define a Kappa with. The whole bowl-headed thing always broke it for me, they're too limited with that, and outside of that prime weakness to directional changes (IE, turn them at least 90 degrees and they're dead/useless) they have little else going for them.

I'd think you could do something like with 4e's vampire class, IE, they can wear a hat to get around that, but if that hat gets taken off they're dazed.

Also, Kappas have plenty of good hooks for use as a PC race. They're one of those rare aquatic fey, so they could have some sort of deep enmity with creatures like Nuckleavee or Green Hags, they have dietary preferences for either human(oid) livers or cucumbers and they've become increasingly less human murder-y over time, so the lore explaining why that is could be fun, and the reason they'll bow when you do and accidentally spill out their water is that they're so exceedingly polite/lawful that they will do so even when it is detrimental to them, so that'd be good for culture building.

[Talakeal]

Firbolg, Fomori, or Voadkyn (wood giants) imo.