So what would you play if you had to play a non-standard races game

[8wGremlin]

So what would you play if you had to play a non-phb races game.

Looks like we are going to play an altered version of Princes of the Apocalypse, but with a twist we have to be a Non-standard race. No elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, tieflings, dragonborn, humans, half orcs or elves.

Suggestions, thoughts etc.


point buy, or possibly roll for stats
phb, dmg, xgte, scag, ee, are all valid. possibly of UA on case by case basis.

[mgshamster]

The current non-standard races I'm playing right now are:

- Lizardfolk Champion, dual wielding battle axes. Outlander.
- Fire Genasi dragon sorc, pyromancer (all flame spells) with elemental adept. Noble knight with retainers.
- Water genasi land druid (coastal), as a water theme caster. Entertainer background.
- Tortle noble barbarian (planning on going ancestral).

[2D8HP]

Aasimar or Eladrin, Archeologist Background (from Tomb of Annihilation), Fighter/Rogue in search of roots.

Alternate: Urchin background orphan.

Oath of Ancients Paladin may be cool as well.

[Kane0]

Goliath war wizard. Very competitive.

[The Cats]

Goblin bear totem barbarian with the outlander background so you can start with a bear cub skin cloak and look like a lil teddy bear toodling along from behind.

Tabaxi eldritch knight with find familiar. Walk around with an owl on your head that you refuse to acknowledge exists and just casually toss your weapon aside after each battle.

[mgshamster]

A buddy of mine has a firbolg elemental adept monk. He says it's a pretty fun PC.

[Lodestar]

Lizardfolk Gloom Stalker seems like a fun idea.

[WickerNipple]

Sup'

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/3/35/Thri-kreen-1e.png/revision/latest?cb=20171111203800

[Eradis]

I mostly play uncommon races when given the chance.


Water Genasi Tempest Cleric (Nice avatar's feeling)
Firbolg Moon Circle Druid (Would have been a Changeling, but that race is from Unearthed Arcana and frankly is underwhelming so a roguish master shapeshifter is nice)
Aarakocra Monk, Way of the Sun (aerial blasts and death from above is always nice)
Aarakocra Grassland Druid (Great aerial support, and you pass as a bird anyway if you fly high enough, sneaky you)
Winged Feral Tiefling Eldritch Knight (With a bow and a rapier, try to escape this guy)
Dragonborn Battlemaster (Nothing like playing with your food and frying them if they try to flee)


I admit that the last two are more common than the rest, but still, they all are fun to play with. That Tiefling and Dragonborn will be a recurrent NPC duo soon-ish in my campaign, and the other will probably make some appearance eventually too. 'Cause you know, when you are with the curse of the GM, you can play what you'd like in different ways.

[Specter]

You definitely want at least one party member that at least resembles ahuman, like a Genasi, to deal with those who are not too fond of orcs and kobilds. Personally I've been wanting to play an Earth Genasi Barbarian myself.

[Eradis]

You definitely want at least one party member that at least resembles ahuman, like a Genasi, to deal with those who are not too fond of orcs and kobilds. Personally I've been wanting to play an Earth Genasi Barbarian myself.

This is where a Changeling or Firbolg in the 5th comes in handy. Any settlement you find, you take on the appearance of the local, blending in and getting what your party needs, even if it's just a way in to spend the night under a roof. All it need is a little bit of charisma in case you stumble upon a skeptical fellow.

[samcifer]

Warforged, Tabaxi, Shifter or if allowed (even though there's been nothing for it yet in 5e) a satyr.

[Eradis]

Warforged, Tabaxi, Shifter or if allowed (even though there's been nothing for it yet in 5e) a satyr.

I am hoping for the return of the Pixie race in the 5th. Any Tiny race would be fun actually, so would a Large playable race. I never seen one of those yet.

[Telwar]

I think Lizardfolk are surprisingly interesting. One of our group's GMs is talking about sucking up his hatred of running 5e and running OotA, so a lizardfolk gloom stalker would be kind of ridiculous in there.

[ShikomeKidoMi]

Yuan-Ti Pureblood Bard sent to infiltrate the local humans who has gone AWOL because suddenly they're not the bottom of the social totem pole any more.

[Laserlight]

I played a pixie in 4e sorcerer and had a great time with it. Never got a chance to assemble an all-pixie party. I'm looking forward to that.

[Ralanr]

Lizardfolk, Goliath, or Firbolg.

[JackPhoenix]

Hobgoblin. Though the race we've got in Volo is anything but hobgoblin. Int/Con? Armor proficiency? 1/rest save reroll?

Hobgoblins never were, and never should have been, a wizard race.

[Throne12]

H3A1B0T a Warforge life cleric.

[Lombra]

Either a scourge aasimar zealot or an hobgoblin war wizard, the combinations are just so perfect.

[Throne12]

Either a scourge aasimar zealot or an hobgoblin war wizard, the combinations are just so perfect.

I'm playing a hobgoblin war wizard for ToA. He wears studded leather and uses a whip got spellsniper and use booming blade with dragon death casted on his owl familiar. I picked the urchin back ground it gave me theft tools prof we don't have a rogue so I'm filling in as a Pseudo-rogue.

[SociopathFriend]

Kobold can be ridiculously fun if you wanna play a cowardly helper. Enemy too close? Drop down and beg- and wait for your allies to nail your enemy in the back of the head.

[IronMike]

I am hoping for the return of the Pixie race in the 5th. Any Tiny race would be fun actually, so would a Large playable race. I never seen one of those yet.

My 14-yr old daughter's been playing a Pixie from DMS Guild. She's enjoyed it and been a pretty reliable scout, despite only dealing a max of 1 hp of damage with her itsy-bitsy dagger. She's also got some useful spells (entangle, for instance), that's helped us get through some difficult encounters.

[Naanomi]

Triton Gloom Stalker, Explorer is the deepest depths

Kenku Knowledge Cleric; recite sermons perfectly; explore ancient dungeons to flawlessly copy ancient tomes found within

Yuan-TI Celestial Warlock or Redemption Paladin: true devotee is Jaizardin

Fallen Aasimar Vengeance or Conqiest Paladin: Angels just don’t understand what it really takes for Good to prevail in the mortal world

Lizardman Moon Druid: all things are prey when you can be the right predator

Hobgoblin Necromancer: Back in formation, solider! Just because you died doesn’t give you permission to break ranks!

[Dudewithknives]

Not sure if you consider a deep gnome uncommon but a deep gnome abjurer would ba awesome.

Tortle Ancestral Barbarian.

[ZorroGames]

No Dwarf? Earth Genasi Battle Master - playing one now in home AL based game.

[ZorroGames]

I am hoping for the return of the Pixie race in the 5th. Any Tiny race would be fun actually, so would a Large playable race. I never seen one of those yet.

Pixie would be so counter type for me! Want!

[Dalebert]

"...had to play"?

I love non-standard races. Most of my chars since Volo's was released have been non-standard. A friend is about to start an all-kobold campaign and I can't wait.

Yuan-ti are my favorite for being the most broken.

[Pex]

Goblin

Bonus Action Disengage is very handy. You can Bonus Action Hide too, useful for rogues but I don't play rogues.

[Potato_Priest]

Tortle battlemaster fighter. The worst thing about the regular fighter and paladin is having to buy/find your armor. The DM can screw you over hard there if they want to, and in my experience many do. Though I’ve played a paladin twice and a fighter once, I’ve never once been able to acquire a suit of plate. One of those times I wasn’t even allowed to get chain mail, even when I had a forge, smith’s tools proficiency, and several chain shirts to reassemble.

I also love genesi (air and fire especially), so most of the time I’d be one of them with whatever class.

[Dalebert]

Goblin

Bonus Action Disengage is very handy. You can Bonus Action Hide too, useful for rogues but I don't play rogues.

Made a goblin lore bard inspired by nilbog. In fact that's his name. The bonus action stuff has been very helpful for a somewhat squishy ranged caster type who sometimes needs to maintain concentration. And a really high dex goes great with light armor prof.


Though I’ve played a paladin twice and a fighter once, I’ve never once been able to acquire a suit of plate. One of those times I wasn’t even allowed to get chain mail, even when I had a forge, smith’s tools proficiency, and several chain shirts to reassemble.

WTFudgsickle??

[JNAProductions]

Yeah, don't you START with Chain Mail if you go heavy armor?

[Potato_Priest]

Yeah, don't you START with Chain Mail if you go heavy armor?

This was a new DM, and I was a new player, so we misread it as chain shirt.

Ironically, despite this episode and the time I fell from paladinhood (oath of the ancients) because a teammate stepped on a pretty flower (hence I failed to "protect the light"), I still consider this DM the best one I've ever played under, because one of his more recent campaigns was the best I've ever had. He's improved a lot over the years, but I still hate to rely on items or equipment outside of a very basic weapon.

[RedMage125]

Hobgoblin. Though the race we've got in Volo is anything but hobgoblin. Int/Con? Armor proficiency? 1/rest save reroll?

Hobgoblins never were, and never should have been, a wizard race.
4e Hobgoblins had INT/CON as an option.

Since 3e, hobgoblins have been emphasized as being VERY intelligent, organized and militaristic. They're also fairly hardy (all that PT from drills, lol).

I think INT/CON works, but the save reroll is a bit jarring for me.




Hobgoblin Necromancer: Back in formation, solider! Just because you died doesn’t give you permission to break ranks!
This is GOLD! May I poach the idea?

The all-tabaxi party reminds me of something my friends and I did in 3.5e. We did an all-catfolk party. With the DM's permission, we modified the stats for different tribes based on different breeds of cat (all from family pantera, so lions, tigers, jaguars, etc). Was very fun.

For my part, I'd want to see if I could get a DM to sign off allowing a Tortle to spike his body for "spiked armor" for a Battlerager Barbarian.
I've also always wanted to make a kobold paladin (Dire Weasel mount), who fancies himself as invincibly brave (like Minsc from Baldur's Gate), despite his size.

[Eradis]

I've also always wanted to make a kobold paladin (Dire Weasel mount), who fancies himself as invincibly brave (like Minsc from Baldur's Gate), despite his size.

This is absolutely the kind of character that is memorable. Heroes are often tall in accomplishment, and tales go accordingly. Think of Alexander the Great or Napoleon Bonaparte (Hero might not be the best term used for this guy, but still), both are historically small in stature, but left great marks. I could see that Kobold shoving his deity's beliefs into his enemies' face on top of his loyal weasel. You wanted to poach the Hobgoblin Necromancer idea, I wouldn't mind poaching yours as a funny NPC for my campaign.

[KorvinStarmast]

Aasimar or water Genasi. Quite frankly, it is unlikely I'd play in this campaign unless I already knew the DM and the players.

[RedMage125]

This is absolutely the kind of character that is memorable. Heroes are often tall in accomplishment, and tales go accordingly. Think of Alexander the Great or Napoleon Bonaparte (Hero might not be the best term used for this guy, but still), both are historically small in stature, but left great marks. I could see that Kobold shoving his deity's beliefs into his enemies' face on top of his loyal weasel. You wanted to poach the Hobgoblin Necromancer idea, I wouldn't mind poaching yours as a funny NPC for my campaign.

Sure! Plagarism is, after all, the Sincerest Form of Flattery. Make sure he gets a funny name, the one I was working with in my head was Tik-Snak. Something suitably yappy-sounding.

[Eradis]

Aasimar or water Genasi. Quite frankly, it is unlikely I'd play in this campaign unless I already knew the DM and the players.

What would be your reason to withhold playing such a character without knowing the group? It is, I guarantee, pure curiosity that motivates me to ask.


Sure! Plagarism is, after all, the Sincerest Form of Flattery. Make sure he gets a funny name, the one I was working with in my head was Tik-Snak. Something suitably yappy-sounding.

I probably won't put him exactly like this given the chance, but its concept please me truthfully. Depending on how my campaign goes and where my players decide to take it, this character could be a goblin named Hob, thinking he is the rightful ruler of an globinoïd army, thinking himself above everyone with a new and different self-given title each time he speaks about himself, or a self-righteous kobold with illusion of grandeur, persuaded he is a dwarvish dragonbon. Though I would probably bestow an holy trait to that last one. I have quite a bunch of NPC in reserve that are pleasing and nice, and unfortunately they won't make the cut and some more boring might make it instead for story purposes, but still. I love having them in my ever-growing bank.

[Potato_Priest]

Goblin

Bonus Action Disengage is very handy. You can Bonus Action Hide too, useful for rogues but I don't play rogues.

Amusingly, that feature is useful for pretty much every class but rogues, because rogues get a slightly more versatile but otherwise identical option at level 2 anyway.

[8wGremlin]

I quite like the idea of a goblin moon druid, who likes spending time as a steeder, and pouncing on things... and then running away and hiding.

[Spiritchaser]

Avariel hexblade. Yes it’s tight but I’d make it work

[FabulousFizban]

probably an awakened dog

or a magic sword!

[MxKit]

Count me as another person who loves to play non-PHB races, the less human the better! There are actually like half a dozen characters I can't wait to play that fit that category, in no particular order...


Tabaxi Drunken Master Monk/Assassin Rogue - major manoeuvrability and taking advantage of advantage
Goblin Warlock, Patron of the Archfey - maybe with a few levels of Satire Bard first; a camp jester who was passed over for a different nilbog and ran away, was then offered a pact by Hyrsam
Kobold Satire Bard - speaking of Jesters!
Yuan-ti Pureblood Grave Cleric - worships Hades (snakes are associated with Hades)
Kenku, Tabaxi, or Tortle "Cantrip Master" - with 1-2 levels each in Sorcerer, Wizard, Cleric, Druid, Bard, and Warlock to give 15 cantrips by level 5, 25 cantrips by level 10, and 33 cantrips by level 15 (probably works best with Tabaxi, thematically speaking, but I love Kenku and the AC Tortles get is very tempting)
??? Samurai Fighter/Rogue - only going 2 levels into Rogue at some point to compliment the Samurai's subclass features with a bit of Sneak Attack and the bonus action disengage... I'm REALLY not sure what race to go for with this, but the ones I'm choosing between don't include any PHB-adjacent ones (Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, any of the three Goblinoids, Kobold, maybe even Air Genasi)

[thoroughlyS]

Goblin

Bonus Action Disengage is very handy.
Seconded, for obvious reasons.

Rogue 1 for expertise, into fighter or ranger seems like a fun and simple skirmisher.

[LordEntrails]

Protector Aasimar Divine Soul Sorcerer with Acolyte background. Is s/he divine? Is s/he arcane? CElestial/mortal? Just what's going on!

[Silkensword]

If your DM allows it, which they really really shouldn't, play a Bugbear. They're incredibly fun and sort of broken. Play something like a gloomstalker 3 / fighter 11 for maximum cheese.

[samcifer]

For fun last night, I made up a lv. 5 Tabaxi Champion Fighter who focuses on archery and took the Sharpshooter feat at lv. 4 instead of a stat increase to make the most of using a longbow, though he also has a rapier for a melee option.

[Joe the Rat]

Kobold anything, really.

Right now I'm thinking Drunken Master Monk for the comedic clumsiness that inflicts damage upon your enemies. Don't hurt me!


I like fiddling with Kenku. I might go with a Draconic Sorcerer, so he can regain wings at 14th level and become Bat Angel's nemesis, Devil Bird.

[MagneticKitty]

Ever wanted to play through the game as a sentient snake? If you're allowing additional racial feats (from the same source as tortles) I'd with monk, barbarian, dex fighter, or rogue as your class.

Prerequisite: Yuan-ti Pureblood
You have unlocked more of your serpentfolk heritage. You gain the following benefits....
• You can use an action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into your true form. Your statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment you are wear-ing or carrying isn’t transformed. If you die, you stay in your current form.
• While in snake form, you gain a bite attack as a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes...

[lunaticfringe]

Earth Genasi Full Bearbarian. His skin turns to stone when he rages kinda like the first devil in ninja scroll. He also has ritual caster which is refluffed as shaman magic.

Kinda want to do a Tortle Bladelock. Not sure on the patron but it's narrowed down to GOO, Seeker, or Fey.

Evil Triton Sorcadin

[JPicasso]

half-Ogre. Cleric of healing domain possibly equal barbarian. Pacifist unless you are truly evil. Then he hits you with the nearest tree.

[mgshamster]

I had a goblin paladin (criminal background) for a while. Lots of fun to play.

[Finger6842]

I'd like to try the following, in order of preference:
Goliath Bear Barbarian
Triton Paladin
Warforged Warrior
YuanTi Lore Bard
Merfolk Ula Wizard/Sorc
Merfolk Emeria Cleric

[Vaz]

Wild Elf Sun Soul Monk with Mobile and Wood Elf Xanathar feat. All the movement.

Or an Eladrin Forge Cleric 3/Wizard X to be a magic crafter.

[Joe the Rat]

Revising an old idea, Goblin Beastmaster Ranger with a Giant Wolf Spider companion/mount.

Alternatively, Goblin Artificer, with a Giant Spider automaton. Can't decide if "Mad bomber on Spider Tank" or "Cannonade on Spider Tank" is better.

[Eradis]

Revising an old idea, Goblin Beastmaster Ranger with a Giant Wolf Spider companion/mount.

Alternatively, Goblin Artificer, with a Giant Spider automaton. Can't decide if "Mad bomber on Spider Tank" or "Cannonade on Spider Tank" is better.

Mad bomber seems more fun to me.

[SkipSandwich]

I already play "non-standard" races almost exclusively (Lizardfolk being my favorite).
So to even more nonstandard I would have to see if the DM would be willing to let me play an Awakened Warhorse Barbarian named Red Hare, who is undertaking a vision quest to find the one warrior worthy of riding him into glorious combat.

[Mortis_Elrod]

Favorite choices would be...

Lizardfolk > Tabaxi > Triton > Hobgoblin > Aasimar > Goblin

Anything else would be very specific. But ill play a walking Lizard Man any day as well as a Black Panther.

[Fayd]

Warforged warlock of the hex blade (flavored to be gradually unlocking secrets buried in their weapons systems).

Genasi Mystic (wu Jen probably)

Juke, the Kenku bard.

[KorvinStarmast]

What would be your reason to withhold playing such a character without knowing the group? It is, I guarantee, pure curiosity that motivates me to ask. (1) I have a problem with badly balanced primary/secondary world campaigns, and found to my disappointment that people who want to play monsters as PC's too often forcefully ignore that key element of good fantasy/swords and sorcery story structure. (2) I find the 'play a monster' approach to break the primary / secondary world balance more often than not. (Dark Sun was one of the few approaches that I found to work). (3) Back in early D&D days, we had a lot of players try out various monsters as PC's, since it was a very wide open game. It took a lot of time and effort for the DM to get the level and power progression right, but there were some interesting results. As often as not, however, the monster PC ended up having this "I'm so special" thing going on. I found it to detract from the play experience. (4) What I see in Volo's is mostly bloat. Role play, and becoming a character in the game world who actually fits into the game world matters to me now more than it did before, so I take a bit more care with any character selection.

Now, if I know the players/people well, I'll know how they play and if that group is a good fit for this kind of game, my own experiences and reservations considered. We do this to have fun.

[Beechgnome]

Among published, I want to play a Kenku Kensai who holds a longsword with two hands and does unarmed strikes with his feet.

But I really want to play an artificer Awakened Racoon.

Something like:

Awakened Racoon

+2 to Dexterity, +1 to Intelligence.

Superior darkvision: You have darkvision out to 120'.

Speed: You move 25' per turn. You also have a climbing speed of 25'.

Digger: You have a digging speed of 10'.

Claws: Your hands have razor-sharp claws. You do d4 slashing damage with unarmed strikes.

Wounded frenzy: While you have less than half your hit points, you may make one attack per turn with advantage.

Scavenge: You are adept at finding useful things among the refuse. If you spend 10 minutes searching an area where refuse, garbage or wreckage has accumulated, you can find any common, nonmagical item with a value up to 10 gp.

[MagneticKitty]

Wounded frenzy: While you have less than half your hit points, you may make one attack per turn with advantage.

Scavenge: You are adept at finding useful things among the refuse. If you spend 10 minutes searching an area where refuse, garbage or wreckage has accumulated, you can find any common, nonmagical item with a value up to 10 gp.

I'd change it to wounded frenzie once per any rest.
And add a DC to scavange.
Edit: Oh and dark vision 60 not 120. Else everyone will want to be one. Also might note they have to use armor rules for barding. And size small which restricts their weapons.
Otherwise good.

Edit edit: I'd actually remove wounded frenzie completely. 6 things is too many.

[Eradis]

Among published, I want to play a Kenku Kensai who holds a longsword with two hands and does unarmed strikes with his feet.

But I really want to play an artificer Awakened Racoon.

Something like:

Awakened Racoon

+2 to Dexterity, +1 to Intelligence.

Superior darkvision: You have darkvision out to 120'.

Speed: You move 25' per turn. You also have a climbing speed of 25'.

Digger: You have a digging speed of 10'.

Claws: Your hands have razor-sharp claws. You do d4 slashing damage with unarmed strikes.

Wounded frenzy: While you have less than half your hit points, you may make one attack per turn with advantage.

Scavenge: You are adept at finding useful things among the refuse. If you spend 10 minutes searching an area where refuse, garbage or wreckage has accumulated, you can find any common, nonmagical item with a value up to 10 gp.

That's one heck of a house ruled race. It beats most of the official race on many aspect. Looks fun though. I'd abuse that 10 feet digging speed. It's insane. "Just gimme 10 seconds and I'll dig your grave, and a tunnel to the other side of the wall".

[Beechgnome]

That's one heck of a house ruled race. It beats most of the official race on many aspect. Looks fun though. I'd abuse that 10 feet digging speed. It's insane. "Just gimme 10 seconds and I'll dig your grave, and a tunnel to the other side of the wall".

Well, like a lot of homebrew stuff, it's usually better to make it nice and shiny and then nerf a bit here and there than come out with something blah no one wants to play.

Maybe I could tone it down by making wounded frenzy a thing you do once a short or long rest, put dark vision to 60 (since only deep gnomes get 120, I believe). I would still like a digging speed, though. Perhaps 5 feet, limited to soil/earth/loose stone?

[JNAProductions]

Well, like a lot of homebrew stuff, it's usually better to make it nice and shiny and then nerf a bit here and there than come out with something blah no one wants to play.

Maybe I could tone it down by making wounded frenzy a thing you do once a short or long rest, put dark vision to 60 (since only deep gnomes get 120, I believe). I would still like a digging speed, though. Perhaps 5 feet, limited to soil/earth/loose stone?

I feel the opposite-better to make something not powerful enough, so it doesn't overshadow anyone, and then buff it as needed.

[Naanomi]

Scavenge seems super gamey to me. I’d replace it with advantage on rolls to locate useful items in refuse... magically generating items in the trash can to generate something worth a year’s peasant wages on command seems a bit absurd

[Joe the Rat]

Scavenge might work better modeled off of cunning artisan - A short rest and a pile of junk (and possibly some tools) can produce something off of a list of items, or a simple weapon or piece of equipment with a cost of Xgp or less.

Lizardfolk and Tabaxi abilities are good exemplars for modeling a Halfworlder.

[Ventruenox]

Bugbear WolfBarb 5/Assassin X with the Urchin background. This Bugbear is fluffed to be the red-haired runt of his brood, with the vocabulary and mannerisms of a certain popular red muppet found in an urban setting named after benne. Due to his soft and cuddly appearance, the Zhentarim assign him bodyguard roles for children and pets. When the clients cannot pay the protection premiums or go against the will of the Zhentarim, "Emmo" as he calls himself, will kill and eat his charge. This AL-legal build is designed to add a dash of horror to the campaign by desecrating fond childhood memories of a sweet character through creepy roleplaying.

[Aembrosia]

A mephit. Like a smoke mephit shadow monk or mud mephit druid. Not the most optimal choice i suppose, considering i have to die for my purpose to be fulfilled.

Edit: a flumph acolyte cleric. Praise be the spaghetti monster, may he bless us with his noodly appendage.

[Beechgnome]

Scavenge might work better modeled off of cunning artisan - A short rest and a pile of junk (and possibly some tools) can produce something off of a list of items, or a simple weapon or piece of equipment with a cost of Xgp or

gah I snipped the end off. I hate posting off a phone.

This seems sound. Criticisms noted. I had whipped it up as an option for a player, but we ended up going in a different direction, but I dropped it in this thread because it, or something like it, still interests me. But I agree as written it's like the conjurer ability without an end duration. Or a limit. Which was obviously not my intent. I mean, racoons are amazing, but even they miss good stuff in my conpost some nights.

[johnnnrussel]

I think The Witcher is an good idea:smallsmile: