PC races you prefer

[ZorroGames]

Me: pretty much deaults to

A) Mt. Dwarf because somebody has to break heads :smallamused:
B) Variant Human because lanterns are cool (so tired of people treating darkvision as equal to normal optics)
C) standard human (multclass base) or Hill Dwarf (old school characters)
D) Gnome for fun
E) trying Earth Genasi but it is not clicking like I hoped, may drop to F
F) selling off my Elf figures because I just do not see me playing an elf or half elf, much less halfling, dragon born, tiefling, etc., in 5e

Do you have a race you are drawn to?

Are there races that are cool but not your “A” level of Interest?

Are there races you just do not feel like you would enjoy playing?

[KorvinStarmast]

Me: pretty much defaults to

A) Mt. Dwarf because somebody has to break heads :smallamused:
B) Variant Human because lanterns are cool (so tired of people treating darkvision as equal to normal optics)
C) Standard human (multclass base) or Hill Dwarf (old school characters)
D) Gnome for fun
E) Earth Genasi but it is not clicking like I hoped, may drop to F
F) Selling off my Elf figures because I just do not see me playing an elf or half elf, much less halfling, dragon born, tiefling, etc., in 5e

Do you have a race you are drawn to?

Are there races that are cool but not your “A” level of Interest?

Are there races you just do not feel like you would enjoy playing?
(Sorry, I had to edit ....) but to answer your question

I'll probably never play another Halfling/hobbit. I played so many over the early years that I think I've about tapped out hobbit/Halfling.
Drow: not gonna. Might be talked into a half drow, however, if the group wants one. (SCAG variant)
Tiefling: leave them in Planescape.
Dragonborn: Prolly not, but I could be talked into it for a warlock, sorcerer, or paladin.
Monster race: nope. Never cared for them, still don't.

Aasimar: Yeah.
Goliath: maybe
Genisai: yeah
Lizard folk: I could be talked into it.
Tabaxi: probably not, given the number of C.J. Cherryh books I read back in the 80's. I am about anthrocatted out.

[Corsair14]

Draconians(note not the abomination dragonborns)
Forest Gnomes
Mountain Dwarves.
Minotaurs

Dislike variant humans, elves, halflings, dragonborn

[Hyperversum]

I am the kind of guy who needs to make a real effort in avoiding playing the 29038028393409782389789th Elf.

You got what I play.

[Galactkaktus]

I prefer Humans.

[Crgaston]

Half elves are probably my favorite. The feature set is nice, and they are easier to role play than some of the other races because they have at least a human component, and, well, I’m human so I can relate to that. Same for half orcs.

Also Wood Elves, since Dex and Wis are both great stats for archers.

Tabaxi are intriguing despite my general aversion to furry/scaly PC’s. I’ll probably play one soon, along with an Aasimar.
And of course humans, both kinds.

[sightlessrealit]

Tiefling's are go to. Than Tabaxi & Fire Genasi second. Everything else gets clumped together.

[Naanomi]

I play all kinds of stuff at the actual table... conceptually I’m drawn to Svirfneblin, Genasi, Hobgoblins, Aquatic races, and Halflings pretending to be human children

[nickl_2000]

The races that I go to first are VHuman, Elves, Dwarves, and Halflings. After that I look at all the other options, except Gnomes. I hate the whole steampunk Gnome thing and will never play one.

[hellgrammite]

Top 3, in order of usage.

Hobgoblin
Bugbear
Half-Elves

[Rogerdodger557]

Since I play AL mostly, the majority of my characters end up being Vumans. I would say my favorite/most used races are, in order:

Vuman
Tortle
Dragonborn


I do have a hobgoblin wizard that I'm partial to, and I have an idea of making a bugbear barbarian or fighter named Grodd, and getting a helm of telepathy for him.

[lunaticfringe]

Dwarves (Any)-> Halflings (Any)-> Goblinoids-> Half Orc/Genasi.

Variant Human is for feat heavy stuff, when the PbP game gets started I'll be playing my 3rd.

I want to play a Tortle or Grung (maybe drop the poison skin tweak it, call it a grippli) someday.

Core Tieflings make me sad, **** Aasimar.

[nakajima]

Since I'm a nigh perpetual GM, I very rarely get to actually play. Therefore, I don't have a lot of first-hand experience when it comes to choosing a race for my character. However, on the off-chance I actually get to participate as a player and have to make a character, I do tend to pick elves over other races.

I've always been fascinated with elves, though I'm not quite sure why. I think it has to do with the fact that they, whilst still being very human, are still inherently magical by nature. They're foreign but familiar, which makes them both interesting and easily approachable. In most settings and iterations, anyway.
There's also the gameplay side of things. I really like to play wizards, so making a high elf is a no-brainer.

Also, humans. Easily identifiable and very plastic when it comes to character creation. Half-elves are cool, too.

The other 5E core races are just OK, with the exception of gnomes, half-orcs, and dragonborn. They just annoy me for some bizarre reason.

[samcifer]

Tiefling, Warforged, Satyr and Dragonborn are my favorites in that order, though I'll play variant human as well.

[DarthPenance]

I don't know why but I always seem to play humans, to my fellow playes dismay because I need a torch
Just recently playing a half-elf, I don't know, can't play anything far from human

[alchahest]

I like to play Goliath, Humans, Tieflings most of all, but outside of that everything's cool

[trctelles]

I like playing V-human (I'm a feat addict, not gonna lie) and I'm currently playing a Fallen Aasimar from Volos. I wanna try Tabaxis, because I wanna play something similar to Rengar from League of Legends, and I was planning on doing a Bear Totem Tortle for fun.

I think I'll never play a gnome or a genasi, I dont feel any love for these races.

[Dankus Memakus]

1. Hill dwarf. Absolute favorite.
2. Stout Halflings
3. Planetouched (ie tieflings, genasi, ect)
4. Gith
5. Vhumans

Edit: Can't spell.

[mephnick]

Anything but Tiefling, Drow or small races.

Generally Human, Half-elf or Goliath, but will always play a Hobgoblin if the option is there.

[Beaureguard]

I like arcane casters. I really like characters that arcane casters but aren't supposed to be. I love Half-Orc Sorcs or Goliath Locks. I also like gnomes if I'm playing a slightly silly characters. The retired Wizard school professor who's out of practice when he gets a call to adventure? Totally a gnome. The crazy fortune teller who travels around reading palms for money? Gnome. If it's a little silly, it's a gnome. If I want to feel like a badass I play a dwarf.

I really dislike genasi for some reason. I don't see any appeal in the race at all. I'm not crazy about Bugbears or Dragonborn personally, but I see the appeal. Elves and half elves are needed, but it's like rogues or fighters to me. I recognize their use, but I'd really rather not play not.

Tieflings are cool, but when I make one for some reason I'm always too edgelord. Good Race, but I'm bad at making them.

Most of the others I have no feelings for one way or another. I end up with humans a lot because they fit into any story I want to tell without issue. I don't *like* them, they're just so flexible. If I like a story that would better work with a halfling or a hobgoblin I'd happily play it.

[mephnick]

I really dislike genasi for some reason. I don't see any appeal in the race at all.

Me either. They've always seemed lazily designed for some reason. Maybe I'm just sick of the Fire/Water/Earth/Air trope that is almost universal in bad fantasy.

"We need more races to sell...hmm..elements? Yeah! Here's 4 slightly different but really the same races that have no reason to exist!"

[KorvinStarmast]

Maybe I'm just sick of the Fire/Water/Earth/Air trope that is almost universal in bad fantasy.
"We need more races to sell...hmm..elements? Yeah! Here's 4 slightly different but really the same races that have no reason to exist!"
It's not just a trope, however, it's a deeply rooted bit of metaphysical and philosophical human ideation from a very long time ago: IIRC, it goes back thousands of years but came to us from the Greek philosophers. (Gah, where are my notes on that stuff?_

The genasi are one such people, the offspring of genies and mortals.
OK, human mates with a djinn.
Elemental Air spirit.
Air Genasi makes sense.
Human mates with water elemental. (Hmm, not sure about the mechanics there ... ) OK, water Genasi (Mate with a Marid? Sounds like the title of my next album ... )
Human mates with fire elemental, cos, like, she's so hawt! Uh, OK, Fire Genesai (and a cure moderate wounds spell for the blistering?) Ok, mates with an Efreet.
Human mates with an earth elemental ('cos we likes it dirty, precious!) and the mudder gives birth to an Earth Genasi. (OK, mates with a Dao ...)

Makes about as much sense as a Tiefling, or a halfdragon.

[mephnick]

It's not just a trope, however, it's a deeply rooted bit of metaphysical and philosophical human ideation from a very long time ago: IIRC, it goes back thousands of years but came to us from the Greek philosophers

Sure, I know all that. Doesn't mean Fantasy/Sci-Fi/videogames/movies haven't driven it into the ground so far that it doesn't immediately make my eyes roll out of my face.

Any time there's a set of 4 things that need to be gathered or explored, lazy writers immediately make them correspond to the elements by default.

[Quoxis]

Following Beaureguard i like characters whose class doesn't fit their race (and vice versa) - i've played halfling barbarians, dwarf rogues, a goliath bard, a half-elf druid/warlock... I've played genasi too, but mostly like humans that attract weird looks, not "oh look at me, i'm born of the elements, worship me".

So far, most of my characters were half-elves... I like being able to talk with NPCs for the group's benefit, so charisma is always an important stat for me, and i like skill proficiencies.
Other than that i like halflings (the innate luck is just borderline unfair) and dwarfs for the obvious roleplay of a heavy drinker and a heavier hitter. What i don't like are brutish races like halforc and dragonborn... Strength isn't my go-to stat in most characters anyway, and although i like the addition of races from volo's, i have yet to play a satisfying monster character.

[Potato_Priest]

I’ve always wanted to play a dwarf but I never have. I mostly play humans and halfling, but I also enjoy genesis.


Sure, I know all that. Doesn't mean Fantasy/Sci-Fi/videogames/movies haven't driven it into the ground so far that it doesn't immediately make my eyes roll out of my face.

Any time there's a set of 4 things that need to be gathered or explored, lazy writers immediately make them correspond to the elements by default.

Would you prefer good, evil, order, and chaos?

I’d take the classic elements over those any day.

[KorvinStarmast]

Sure, I know all that. Doesn't mean Fantasy/Sci-Fi/videogames/movies haven't driven it into the ground so far that it doesn't immediately make my eyes roll out of my face. Any time there's a set of 4 things that need to be gathered or explored, lazy writers immediately make them correspond to the elements by default.Heh, that's why I think the "Rod of Seven" parts was crafted (artifact) back in the day, in part to break that trope and fall into the magical nature of the number 7 ... The Giant chose to cut one of those out for his Dungeon of Durokan sigils ...

[hymer]

Only the most traditional of races for me: Dwarves, elves, Hobbits halflings and humans. Not half-elves, they are supposed to be rare!
I did once in my wild youth play a tiefling, an aasimar, and an earth genasi, but that was the previous milennium.

[Naanomi]

Heh, that's why I think the "Rod of Seven" parts was crafted (artifact) back in the day, in part to break that trope and fall into the magical nature of the number 7 ... The Giant chose to cut one of those out for his Dungeon of Durokan sigils ...
You are hard pressed to find a whole number less than 30 without some significance to it

[Potato_Priest]

You are hard pressed to find a whole number less than 30 without some significance to it

How about 23?

Edit: Nevermind. After a google search I’m convinced.

[alchahest]

How about 23?

Edit: Nevermind. After a google search I’m convinced.

I love that you picked the one that they made a movie about, haha

[MagneticKitty]

Anything that doesn't look human. I wish there was a plant race.
(And not just a green human with leaves) human but with x bothers me lol.

[tkuremento]

Right now I really want to play a Tortle but I like most playable races.

What I dislike though are Bugbears, Hobgoblins, Yuan-Ti, Aasimar, Kenku, and to a lesser degree Dragonborn. I dislike how all these races feel prior to stats, but I especially dislike the concept of Kenku.

If I had to pick a favourite, I might have to say either Halfling or the Half-Elf High Elf variant. Lizardfolk is pretty up there too, and depending on how I feel about Tortles they could be as well.

Also Thri-kreen when?

[ZorroGames]

I will admit a vague interest in Tortle but we already have one in my main party of 5 PCs.

[danpit2991]

WAIT !!!!!!!! WHAT????????? There is a playable race other than HALF ORC ?????? what blasphemy is this???

my list
1. 1/2 orc
2. half orc
3. .5 orc
4 . 50% orc
5. OK FINE ill be a pinkskin humie

[alchahest]

WAIT !!!!!!!! WHAT????????? There is a playable race other than HALF ORC ?????? what blasphemy is this???

my list
1. 1/2 orc
2. half orc
3. .5 orc
4 . 50% orc
5. OK FINE ill be a pinkskin humie

I like your moxy

[2D8HP]

...Human mates with fire elemental, cos, like, she's so hawt! Uh, OK, Fire Genesai (and a cure moderate wounds spell for the blistering?)...

Makes about as much sense as a Tiefling, or a halfdragon..
A half Fire Genesai, half Tiefling, half Dragon, and also the other half.

All hawt!

:amused:




Anything that doesn't look human. I wish there was a plant race.
(And not just a green human with leaves) human but with x bothers me lol..
RuneQuest Elves (A.K.A. Aldryami) pretty much were plant people.


Okay my most played races in 5e D&D?



Humans (because I might just maybe be able to role-play one)

Wood Elves (for the mechanics)

Half Elves (for the "mechanics", and because then I may play a PC that's my in-real-life age, but is also has young adult fitness).

And one High Elf (I rolled a high INT, so I decided to play a Rogue who knew the Firebolt Cantrip, the closest to a spell-caster I've played in 5e so far).


If you include 1e AD&D, it's a conga-line of humans, and a Half-Orc.

[SkipSandwich]

My most played race would be lizardfolk, by a large margin, followed by Goblins, (half) Orcs and humans.

I'm neutral towards most other races but dislike elves and dragonborn, because I just find their flavor kind of blah.

[Desteplo]

Almost always forest gnome for everything
-I have a kenku (way of 4 element) , two half-orcs (eldritch Knight and barbarian), a Dragonborn (draconic of a different dragon type for double dragon lineage), tiefling (wizard/Sorcerer) and tiefling (abyssal wild-Mage!) in my back pocket

[Corsair14]

You guys must play in weird worlds. Half the races I see people listing would be run out of towns in my campaigns with torches and pitchforks for being monsters.

[danpit2991]

WAIT !!!!!!!! WHAT????????? There is a playable race other than HALF ORC ?????? what blasphemy is this???

my list
1. 1/2 orc
2. half orc
3. .5 orc
4 . 50% orc
5. OK FINE ill be a pinkskin humie


I like your moxy


the only reason not to be a Half Orc is if you can be a full Orc!!!!!!

[Afrodactyl]

I pretty much default to humans, half elves and half orcs/orc from volos. I find the human aspect a lot easier and more enjoyable to roleplay in the case of human/half elf, and sometimes is fun to be the big hulking brute of the party in the case of the orcs.

If I come up with a cool idea for a character that doesn't fit any of those, it's typically a halfling, gnome or Goliath.

[JackPhoenix]

I've been fan of half-elves since 3.5, when they were propably the worst race in PHB. 5e turning them into one of the best races is something I approve (yes, I liked half-elves before they were cool). After that, humans (variant in 5e, because feat, but there's a space for standard human too... rarely). After that, elves (including drow) and dwarves and that's about it. I don't like other races, perhaps with the exception of tieflings, yuan-ti and anything else that could be considered a "magically transformed human". I'd like hobgoblins, but their 5e incarnation doesn't feel right (hobgoblins shouldn't be a wizard race).


You guys must play in weird worlds. Half the races I see people listing would be run out of towns in my campaigns with torches and pitchforks for being monsters.

You? I like you.

[beargryllz]

V human, dorf, half orc

[Luccan]

Would you prefer good, evil, order, and chaos?

I’d take the classic elements over those any day.

I like genasi, but I'd love some planetouched aligned with law and chaos. A character to approach the ideas of having cosmic order and chaos as part of their very beings, without being completely inhuman. Sounds cool. All though I'm not sure what humans would have to mate with to make orderlings. Inevitables or modrons seem like the only options and.... ew.

Currently, I'm liking the idea of dwarves. I'll always like gnomes, although I've played very few. Half-elves were my go to in 3.X of all editions, but strangely I've never been that in to full elves. In the end, there isn't a player race this edition I would flat say no too. Except maybe Goliaths and Aarakocra depending on the day.

[Sception]

Vuman, 1/2 Elf, and Aasimar are my overwhelming favorites in 5e to date, both mechanically and thematically. Especially as I prefer to play Cha-based gishes in this edition.

My pc race preferences might change a bit if we ever get something equivalent to a 4e style Lazy Lord in game play, or if necromancer type characters get a few more toys to work with, or if we ever get a class/subclass foundation for int based gishes as good as paladin or hexblade are for Cha (eldritch knight and bladesinger, while not at all bad for what they are, don't quite do it for me).

Or if we ever get a proper undead pc race, something akin to 4e's revenant or 3.5's necropolitan. That would get my attention pretty quick.

[MxKit]

Races I have a solid preference for: Kenku, Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, Tortles, Genasi, Bugbears, Goblins, Kobolds, Aven, Khenra, Naga, Aetherborn, Vedalken, the Revenant subrace.

Totally fine races I will still play, depending: Dwarves, Elves, Halflings, Dragonborn, Gnomes, Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, Tieflings, Aarakocra, Hobgoblins, Yuan-ti Purebloods, Minotaurs (Amonkhet), Kor, Merfolk, Vampires.

Meh, fine but I'll go for the ones in the list above first: Humans.

Boringgggg or just don't appeal to me at all, will avoid unless I have to: Aasimar, Firbolg, Goliaths, Tritons, Gith, Minotaurs (Waterborne), Orcs.

Some of the races that fall into my "totally fine, I'll still play 'em" category have subraces or variants I actually find much more intriguing, such as Half-Drow (for some reason I find these way more interesting than either default Half-Elves or full Drow), Grugach and Shadar-kai Elves, and Feral, Devil-Tongued Tieflings. Some of them have variants I find less interesting (okay, I'm mostly talking about Duergar).

And yes, some of the campaigns I play in have weird worlds, as laid out in Volo's Guide, and don't see my preferred races as anything too far out of the ordinary (or at least, not unacceptable enough to do more than garner some suspicion). Some of the campaigns I play in, things will be tougher, and I'm okay with that. Sometimes, when I'm not okay with that, I play one of the "totally fine, I'll still play 'em" races on my list. :smallwink:

[Asmotherion]

I'm always playing a Warlock Dip with something else, but I focus on the Warlock aspect of the Character, so I prioritise Charisma. So, my top selections are:

Half Elf: I always liked elves, and being a half-elf is a good vanilla option for a character. Bonus points for allowing me to be an elf with facial hair (wile a lot of settings don't allow this for regular elves) as well as being taller than the average elf in some settings, and on par with humans.

Tiefling: Very thematic for any Warlock, even non-Fiendish ones. Bonus points when the DM allows me to take the Infernal Bat Wings Option, as this is what I'm mostly interested in; Flying around during combat in the outdoors and using Eldritch Blasts is one thing... The visual of having Devilish Bat wings on a Warlock Character is the real deal on this one.

Aasimar: Same as above. Since I care a lot more about the visual, any of the subraces that allows you to manifest wings makes my day, but allowing actual flight is even more lucrative, even if it is short lived. Bonus if I get to have Black Wings like a distant cousin of Devil Jin wile using my Eldritch Blasts.

Some races I would enjoy, but do not synergise that well with what I want to build so I don't pick them:

Dragonborn: I love Dragons, and Dragonborn are a natural follow-up. I am however a bit disapointed about how it's mechanics work. First, it's primary bonus is Str, making Charisma a secondary Choice. I understand the intended to make it favor the Paladin as a Class choice for the Dragonborn, but a better bonus (more generic) would be +2 Con, as everyone needs Con, and it is it's breath weapon's caster stat. Also, no Scale Armor Bonus to AC, and the Breath Weapon usable only once/rest dealing cantrip damage (could at least give it a Dragon-like cooldown). My verdict is, if I want to look more like a Dragon, I can always be a Dragonic Origin Sorcerer who uses Alter Self/Disguise Self to look like a Dragonborn, Manifests his Wings (Eventually), and uses spells like Thunderwave shouting "Fus-Ro-Dah".

Elf: Wile I love elves, I do not enjoy their lack of a proper Cha Bonus. Drow who do have one, suffer in the light. I'd play one if a DM allowed me to switch my dex bonus with a Cha bonus, and grow a beard, as I would enjoy both the mechanics and RP behind it.

More on the other races some other time, as I'm about to fall asleep now :P

[CeriPendragon]

Drow (both good and less good) are my favorite. Otherwise Half-Elves, Humans, and other Elves are alright.

I’d like to give Tiefling’s a shot one day, but I haven’t had the oppertunity yet.