Are there more races?

[TheTacoBandit]

I saw this thread about minotaurs now being a playable race. Is this true and if so are there more playable races? And if there are can someone please link me to all the playable races not just player handbook ones?

[Ultimate_Coffee]

Hello TheTacoBandit,
Currently, the only official playable races come from the Player's Handbook. There are some additional sources that contain non-playtested races however. These races are not allowed at every table, and you should consult your DM before considering playing one.

1. The Dungeon Master's Guide - Contains stats for the Aasimar race, as well as guidelines for creating additional races.
2. Player's companion (Elemental Evil) http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/EE_PlayersCompanion.pdf (http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/EE_PlayersCompanion.pdf)- Contains a few races including the Goliath and Genasi.
3. Unearthed Arcana (Eberron) http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/unearthed-arcana-eberron - Contains the races of Eberron: Shifter, Changeling, Warforged...
4. Unearthed Arcana (Waterborne Adventures) http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/unearthed-arcana-waterborne-adventures - Contains the Minotaur.

These all contain some fun stuff, some of it very unbalanced. Please be sure to consult your DM before using any of it.

[holygroundj]

Aren't the EE races playable at AL tables if they are running the EE modules? I'd consider that official.

Of course home tables are a different story, but I'm just stating for "official" purposes.

[EvanescentHero]

The genasi are in the PotA book, so I'd call that pretty official.

[Demonic Spoon]

Yes, EE is official content, though it's still a themed supplement rather than core PHB material. If you're using something outside of the PHB it's good to ask your DM.

However, you can generally expect "official" content like EE to be better designed and more balanced than playtest content.

[JNAProductions]

How are non-playtested races better than playtested ones? I'm just a bit confused on that point, Spoon.

[Ninja_Prawn]

Hello

1. The Dungeon Master's Guide - Contains stats for the Aasimar race, as well as guidelines for creating additional races.


It also contains Eladrin as a subrace of elf, plus guidelines for creating subraces, in case anyone was wondering.

[Shining Wrath]

Although EE is quasi-official, I personally don't allow the Aarorocka at my table. I do allow the genasi, though.

At-will no-concentration flight at level 1? That's a 14th level ability for sorcerers, and pretty much impossible for anyone else.

Other people disagree with me. They are wrong, of course, but my great humility requires that I inform you that some tables do allow the birdmen. :smallcool:

Anyway, the Minotaur is usable, the genasi are usable, the Eladrin and Aasimar are usable, and I think the Deep Gnomes might be. And it's not hard to homebrew variations on existing races.

[eleazzaar]

Although EE is quasi-official, I personally don't allow the Aarorocka at my table. I do allow the genasi, though.

At-will no-concentration flight at level 1? That's a 14th level ability for sorcerers, and pretty much impossible for anyone else.

Other people disagree with me. They are wrong, of course, but my great humility requires that I inform you that some tables do allow the birdmen. :smallcool:.

The EE Companion sorta agrees with you:



Aarakocra Traits

Being able to fly at high speed starting at 1st level is exceptionally effective in certain circumstances and exceedingly dangerous in others. As a result, playing an aarakocra requires special consideration by your DM.

I've heard they aren't allowed in league play.

[Vogonjeltz]

I've heard they aren't allowed in league play.

I've seen this sort of claim before. Who or what determines the rules of league play, and where can those rules be found (ideally online)?

[Shining Wrath]

I've seen this sort of claim before. Who or what determines the rules of league play, and where can those rules be found (ideally online)?

I'm not sure that's definitive anyway, because league play involves less ability for a DM to tailor the campaign to the party.

[Grimstaff]

The DMG has enough info to add 20+ races, as long as you're not looking for too much detail.

[BRKNdevil]

it actually says that the bird dudes aren't allowed i think. as for the UA stuff, they want us to playtest it and send back our thoughts in those surveys they sometimes give. However, I really think they need to give us a better way of telling them then that.

[SharkForce]

I've seen this sort of claim before. Who or what determines the rules of league play, and where can those rules be found (ideally online)?

the adventurer's league guide thingy. they have an actual document that tells you what rules are allowed to be used, the rules for factions, etc.

[TrollCapAmerica]

The aarakocra could probably have been leveled off a couple ways. Off the top of my head I see

A} give them a delayed flying progression similar to the Flight Hex for PF Witches. Getting an effect like Feather Fall on themselves at lv1 gliding effect at 3 and actual flight 5 or maybe higher

B[ Gliding.Just give them gliding and make their pseudo-flight take skill checks

We also have a bit of a glut with strength based races with the Dragonborn Half-Orc Mountain Dwarf Goliath Earth Gensai and now Minotaurs

[Demonic Spoon]

How are non-playtested races better than playtested ones? I'm just a bit confused on that point, Spoon.


Some better, some worse, some with weirdly-worded abilities and others that don't capture the theme they're trying to.

In general the playtest stuff is still quite good, but it hasn't quite had the polish that the released content has. I'd still consider allowing many things from the playtest materials in my games, I'd just be a bit more wary than materials from a more official source.

[numerek]

Although EE is quasi-official, I personally don't allow the Aarorocka at my table. I do allow the genasi, though.

At-will no-concentration flight at level 1? That's a 14th level ability for sorcerers, and pretty much impossible for anyone else.

8th level druid (not at will but 2*4 hours per short rest), tempest cleric 17th level,

[hymer]

8th level druid (not at will but 2*4 hours per short rest)

If you include Wild Shape, you should include the Fly spell too. With that, you can actually still cast some spells. You can't do that wild shaped until level 18, which takes most of the combat effectiveness out of it. Aarakocra flight is in a whole other category of flexibility.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

The aarakocra could probably have been leveled off a couple ways. Off the top of my head I see

A} give them a delayed flying progression similar to the Flight Hex for PF Witches. Getting an effect like Feather Fall on themselves at lv1 gliding effect at 3 and actual flight 5 or maybe higher

B[ Gliding.Just give them gliding and make their pseudo-flight take skill checks

We also have a bit of a glut with strength based races with the Dragonborn Half-Orc Mountain Dwarf Goliath Earth Gensai and now Minotaurs

Yeah, the houserule at my table is
1st level: 50' fly, must land at end of turn
5th level: May remain airborne, speed reduced by half if you begin your turn in the air.
10th level: Full 50' flight.

[Shining Wrath]

8th level druid (not at will but 2*4 hours per short rest), tempest cleric 17th level,

Good call on the Tempest Cleric; druid is burning through a limited resource as you note. If you choose a flying form, that might cost you if you then need a swimming one, or a melee brute.

[Vogonjeltz]

the adventurer's league guide thingy. they have an actual document that tells you what rules are allowed to be used, the rules for factions, etc.

Aha found it now that I know the proper name:

https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/events/adventurers-league-resources

Quick link for any who were similarly interested, I do note that the guide is updated seasonally

Edit: I can confirm from the players guide that the aaracokcra are excepted as not permissible.

[Milo v3]

These races are not allowed at every table, and you should consult your DM before considering playing one.
TBH, this is probably true of every race except human.

[hymer]

TBH, this is probably true of every race except human.

As long as we're addressing this, why wouldn't it be true of humans? I haven't done it with 5e so far, but I've had (A)D&D campaigns where humans weren't a race option.

[Shining Wrath]

As long as we're addressing this, why wouldn't it be true of humans? I haven't done it with 5e so far, but I've had (A)D&D campaigns where humans weren't a race option.

Variant humans are explicitly, well, variant.