Seeking advice about running a player monster campaign

[smak]

I have never been a dungeon master before, but I would like to try running a game where the players play as humanoid monsters such as goblins orcs lizardmen and such.

I don't know if I should try to modify the existing monsters out of the monster manual or if I should have or allow custom made monsters. Are there any websites with reference materials or guides on how to create something from scratch? What kind of limitations should I place on the different statistics, abilities or characteristics players may want? I know for example that someone who wants to play a troll or something that regenerates I would have to modify, such as only allowing regeneration out of combat or shorter rest periods as well as the inability to regrow tissue that is completely lost such as an arm that's cut off and lost.

I had considered letting players pick from a list of physical features such as hooves, fangs, tail, claws, beak, fur, scales as well as size and coloring, and then either pick an appropriate monster type from the manual or create one.

My idea was to have the players begin as slaves, either of other monsters or of commonly played civilized races maybe in a mine or something. And then let them decide how to escape, befriend or kill their captors, or arrange a rescue from someone else. I am not sure if that is too cliché. Part of my reasoning is that as slaves they would basically begin with no wealth or equipment, and anything they managed to aquire would be all that more meaningful to them.

Are there any pregenerated scenarios or campaigns that are designed for player monsters to adventure in?

I would appreciate any advice you may have about this, or simply for someone new to game mastering.

[tkuremento]

I know there are some monstrous races in the Volo's Guide, like orcs, kobolds, etc.

[smak]

I know there are some monstrous races in the Volo's Guide, like orcs, kobolds, etc.

I have heard that volo's guide only has one playable monster race, but I could be wrong, it's just what one shop owner told me when I was ordering the core rulebooks. As a rule monsters in the monster manual are designed to be consistently killable by player races, and are weaker or have weaknesses.

[tkuremento]

I have heard that volo's guide only has one playable monster race, but I could be wrong, it's just what one shop owner told me when I was ordering the core rulebooks. As a rule monsters in the monster manual are designed to be consistently killable by player races, and are weaker or have weaknesses.

All of the races, monster or not, in Volo's are Aasimar, Firbolg, Goliath, Kenku, Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, Triton, Bugbear, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold, Orc, and Yuan-ti Pureblood. These are all actually down out as races like in the PHB, from Ability Score increases to Darkvision to whatever else they get unique to their race.

[mrhere]

All of the races, monster or not, in Volo's are Aasimar, Firbolg, Goliath, Kenku, Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, Triton, Bugbear, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kobold, Orc, and Yuan-ti Pureblood. These are all actually down out as races like in the PHB, from Ability Score increases to Darkvision to whatever else they get unique to their race.

Check out Mathew Smith's work on dmsguild, his Monster Player Races pdf (it's pay what you can), some pretty great ideas in there. You'll definitely need to tweek a few things depending on what you're running.

[Tetrasodium]

I know there are some monstrous races in the Volo's Guide, like orcs, kobolds, etc.

This yea. I'm running a game set in the monster nation of droaam (eberron). phb & volos races. Tabaxi I declared were znir pact gnolls as tabaxi do not exist in eberron. Aasimar, firbolg, goliath, triton, etc I declared were the product of illegal house vadalis experimentsdone during the war & nobody chose one.

[nickl_2000]

I'm doing a side campaign for our group when the regular DM didn't have time to prepare. So far I've written the first three modules and most of the fourth. You are welcome to look at it and steal whatever you like.

The module set up document has the races allowed and basics for the groups (and it is where I'm keeping notes about their progress).

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4Rf5npwkmpLdmNZQURMNm0xdms