What about a campaign useing the races on page 282 of the dmg? Would it work?

[Rfkannen]

Was thinking about it, I think it would be cool. What do you think? Would it work? Would you let a player do it if that wasnt the point of the campaign? Do you think a campaign could be modified to work with those, how so? Are they ballenced?

[Jlooney]

For those of us that don't have dmgs can you share these races

[Madfellow]

Are you talking about the eladrin and the aasimar? Sure, I don't see why not. Sounds like fun. :smallsmile:

[LuthielValkire]

Absolutely. They balance very well with the Tiefling and other elfin races.

[Daishain]

They were specifically put in there as an example of how to come up with a balanced and campaign appropriate race or subrace. I should certainly hope that they would be usable.

[DireSickFish]

I think he is refering to a table that lists stat modifier and abilities races have. They look a lot like templates that you can apply to NPC's on top of there existing abilities. Like Bugbears getting savage ect. I'll have to look at them closer, but from what I recall some abilities are to weak to be considered a full PC race and others are very strong.

[archaeo]

I assume Rfkannen is referring to the table of NPC features, which lists the player races in addition to numerous other races as a set of templates you can apply to a particular stat block to give them a racial flavor mechanically.


If you want to take an NPC stat block and adapt it for a specific monster race, apply the ability modifiers and add the features listed in the NPC Features table.

Most of the non-PC races listed are strictly inferior to the PC races. Many of them get negative modifiers to attributes, and few of them have a set of racial features that really elevates them above any of the normal races. Others probably have racial features that would be pretty nuts, especially the flying and dive attacking Aarakocra.

If you wanted to use these in a campaign, I would instead use the ideas as a starting point and then build out an actual PC race using the guidelines on page 285, especially if you wanted these races to be playable in the same party as the PHB races. Otherwise, you're best off leaving these to NPCs and specifically designed "monstrous" adventures.

[Rfkannen]

Oop sorry for those with no dmg

These are the races meant for building npcs

Here is a small sample of them are tehre are quite a fre

orc. +2 tr, -2 int. Aggresive; darvistion 60 ft; speaks common and orc

bullywug -2 int, -2 cha amphibious, speak with frogs and toads, swamp camouflage, satanding leep, speed 20 ft swim 40 ft; speaks bullywug

kenku +2 dex ambusher, mimicry, understand auran and common but only speaks through the use of its mimicry trait

troglodyte +2 str, +2 con, -4 int, -4 cha. Chameleon skin, stench, sunlight sensitivity, +1 ac, darkvision 60 ft, speak trogolodyte

grimlock, +2 str, -2 cha. blind senses, keen hearing and smell, stone camouflage, cant be blinded, blidsight 30 ft. or 10 while deafened (blind beyond this) speaks undercommon




If you wanted to use these in a campaign, I would instead use the ideas as a starting point and then build out an actual PC race using the guidelines on page 285, especially if you wanted these races to be playable in the same party as the PHB races. Otherwise, you're best off leaving these to NPCs and specifically designed "monstrous" adventures.

What would you change about them broadly?

[Madfellow]

What would you change about them broadly?

Ability score modifiers I think would be a good place to start. Adjust each one so it grants a bonus to a couple abilities, and eliminate penalties. For those that are still a little lackluster, maybe add some new ability that fits the flavor of the race. For those that are still too powerful, maybe remove whatever is making them stand out too much.

It would take a bit of work, but it could be rewarding.

[archaeo]

Basically what Madfellow said, and, what I said: "build out an actual PC race using the guidelines on page 285," though I should have added in the word "starting" before "on." The book gives you numerous suggestions on how you can put together a new race that will be well-balanced with the existing races. Starting from the NPC templates is a fine idea.

[Shining Wrath]

I thought about this for ogres and other large powerful races:

Sure, you can play an ogre. But you must raise your starting abilities in the 3 mental stats (I, W, Ch) to at least 8. If your Int is less than 8 you're too dumb to learn your class features; if your Wis is less than 8 you're too unaware to learn your class features; and if you view Cha as ability to influence how others treat you, you cannot receive your PC training without a minimal level.

Given that ogres take a penalty to all 3 mental stats, this "ability score tax" keeps their overall score bonus in reasonable territory, and the rest of balance is achieved by the fact that a lot of city guards will kill on sight et cetera.