Excluding the core races....

[tedcahill2]

When I say core races I refer to the ones in the player's handbook, human, elf, 1/2 elf, 1/2 orc, 1/2ling, gnome, and dwarf.

I want to run a game that, for this decade old group, will feel fresh. We've played all the tropes of typical fantasy (Tolkien fantasy that is).

I'm thinking of running a game with no PH races, except humans. To Humans I was going to add raptorans, goliaths, kalashtar, elan, dragonborn, changling, maenad, xeph, and warforged.

I can't decide if I want to simply say that the other races have never existed, or if they were wiped out, or left, or what.

Anyone have experience with this sort of idea?

[Waker]

I can't decide if I want to simply say that the other races have never existed, or if they were wiped out, or left, or what.

Anyone have experience with this sort of idea?
Maybe have the racial deities leave and take their followers with them? You could also consider taking out humans and leaving some of the human offshoots, like Illumians and Azurins.

[Manyasone]

They just never lived on your world. Take a leaf out of Feist his magician series

[martixy]

Started to read your post and thought - finally someone of a like mind. Up until went back on it...
Why would you except humans?

To this day, I seem to be the only DM I've encountered, IRL or on the internet, willing to chuck away all those drab cliches. And given your exception for humans, that status remains.

What I would suggest is increase the "base monstrousness level" in a manner of speaking. Since most 0-LA races are basically humans with makeup (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RubberForeheadAliens)(disclaimer: TV Tropes link), if you want to escape from the clutches of mediocrity, I'd suggest allowing 1-2 free LA and reducing/sacking any accompanying RHD.

Depending on how much you can count on your players to deviate from the cliches given the chance, I'd suggest anything from pseudo-humans taking a backseat in your world, to not existing entirely.

[Waker]

Started to read your post and thought - finally someone of a like mind. Up until went back on it...
Why would you except humans?

To this day, I seem to be the only DM I've encountered, IRL or on the internet, willing to chuck away all those drab cliches. And given your exception for humans, that status remains.

What I would suggest is increase the "base monstrousness level" in a manner of speaking. Since most 0-LA races are basically humans with makeup (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RubberForeheadAliens)(disclaimer: TV Tropes link), if you want to escape from the clutches of mediocrity, I'd suggest allowing 1-2 free LA and reducing/sacking any accompanying RHD.

Depending on how much you can count on your players to deviate from the cliches given the chance, I'd suggest anything from pseudo-humans taking a backseat in your world, to not existing entirely.

I'm none too pleased with human representation in the majority of fantasy stories. The same "There used to be empires for the older races, but then they receded for some reason and then humans!"
One plotline that I used many years back basically made humans a crossbreed of the PHB races to serve as ideal soldiers for a war god. They bred fast, didn't have any specific weaknesses and could adapt to pretty much anything. After a coalition of the races joined together and stopped the march of humanity from spreading across the globe, they found themselves not coldhearted enough to outright commit genocide. Humans thus became the second-class citizens and outcasts in the lands of the other races, adopting the traits of the locals. Rather than having a bonus feat and skill point, a human living in Dwarven lands would have a bonus to stonework and familiarity with dwarven weapons and language. In Elven lands... And so on.