What Races do you allow in your game? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

What Races do you allow in your game?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
scubasteve29
Sep 07, 2010 0:05:29 I've been going back and forth a bit about what kind of races I'd allow in my game. Logically I'd allow everything they mention in the book, but there are a few I've been grappling a bit with.

For the moment this is my list
The basic races:
Human,
Dragonborn,
Dwarf,
Eladrin,
Elf,
Genasi,
Goliath,
Half-Elf,
Halfling,
Minotaur,
Mul,
Thri-Kreen,
Tiefling

Questionable races I'm allowing:
Half-orc,
Shifter (both breeds),
Kalashtar
Although they aren't listed (and in the case of half orcs, probably wiped out) I'm allowing these races based on the fact it's mentioned Athas' environment has twisted populations of humans. In that way these races represent more savage (or psychic) variations of humanity rather than their current fluff.

Still debating:
Changeling,
Revenant,
Shardmind,
Wilden
Each race seems a bit off as far as the setting is concerned. Thematically I can believe Changelings and Shardminds could be the result of Sorcerer-King's creation, Revenant are obsidian affected undead that retained sentience, and Wilden are elementals seeking to right the world. At the same time they don't quite do it for me. Maybe they're just a little too "mystical" for a feral survivalist world.

Disallowing:
Deva,
Drow,
Githzerai,
Gnome,
Warforged,
Most Monsterous races (unless the player sells me on it)
I'm sticking with the idea that Deva and gnomes are extinct, Elves are different enough to warrant their dark siblings, the few Gith that are on the world are waraped versions of their former selves, and if arcane users aren't accepted I can't imagine an arcane construct would be well recieved.

What are you doing about races?
#2
Crimson_Concerto
Sep 07, 2010 0:24:19 I allow them all. Generally speaking, I don't find it to be very difficult to find a place of excuse for any race to make an appearance. A few may require a bit of reflavoring, but one of the big parts of Dark Sun is that "Familiar Races Aren't What You Expect", so it would seem that reflavoring races to fit the setting in a completely different way than they're traditionally expected to fit is exactly what Dark Sun wants you to do.
#3
Wolf505
Sep 07, 2010 0:53:05
Let's see, half-orcs wouldn't exist because the orcs were wiped out in the Cleansing Wars, but it's possible they could be reflavored as say.... half-tareks or something. A halfbreed of some other monstrous humanoid race besides orcs.

Kalashtar I would allow as the book suggests, as simply psionically enhanced humans rather then extra-planar beings.

Changelings I would allow simply due to the fact one of the NPCs in the CC (I won't say which one to avoid spoilers for any PCs reading) is a changeling, although he doesn't know where his ability came from since he claims to have been born from human parents. It wouldn't be hard to reflavor them as humans who have shapeshifting as a psionic wild power or something.

Revenants I don't see why they wouldn't be allowed. There are plenty of undead roaming Athas and seems like they'd fit in fine. There's lot's of potential for why a Revenant would be out for revenge. Athas is a pretty brutal place after all.

Shardminds should fit in in the sense that they are simply psionically enfused beings, however, who knows how people would react to seeing an ambulatory rock crystal walking around and talking. People tend to be suspicious of the unknown on Athas and it could result in some undue attention from the Sorcerer Kings. After all, who knows what you could do with the body of a sentient psionic crystal.

Wilden I could see as creatures of pure primordial essence from someplace like the forest ridge or something. Of course, like shardminds I could see them getting some undue attention from the populace or the SKs, especially in a place like Gulg that exploits primordial beings for their own ends.

Some monster races do make sense. Gnolls, for example, are very common on Athas.
#4
Chiba_Monkey
Sep 07, 2010 1:24:48 I was about to mention gnolls. I'd allow gnolls, especially one with the Wasteland Nomad theme. A gnoll disaffected with a life of raiding for sustenance, or perhaps the lone survivor of an attack that wiped out his/her tribe, would have plenty of reason to join an adventuring party. Of course, there's also the captured raider that was pressed into slavery and forced to fight in the arenas (gladiator theme), until the death of Kalak freed all the slaves.

Wilden I don't think I'd allow. As plant-like fey, I can't see them existing anywhere but Forest Ridge, or maybe the Crescent Forest. They might appear as NPCs or monsters, but not suitable for PCs.

Changelings...sure. Explain as some kind of psionic mutation or unique wild talent.

Half-orcs I would disallow. MAYBE re-flavoring as a half-tarek, but that would require some significant exposititon on the part of the player who wished to play one.

Shardminds probably wouldn't last long once they entered a city-state and the resident SK got wind of them. I can't imagine that a being of pure psionic energy would not be coveted for study and dissection by the mad rulers.

Revenants I'm on the fence about. I have to imagine that they'd be subject to the same kind of interest from the SKs that shardminds would.
#5
slam-evil
Sep 07, 2010 4:03:14
Most of my players were more than happy to play very Athasian characters, a Thri-kreen Battlemind a Halfling Ranger/Barbarian, and my DM character, an Eladrin Monk. So far they've only encountered elves, muls, dwarves, and today the Thri-kreen was dropped by a couple Half-Giant enforcers.

I Digress...
Anyway, the exception in our party is our controller, a hybrid wizard-seeker...Deva

Its because he played a Deva Wizard in our last campaign, so this is one of his many incarnations. He was locked in a vault millenia ago and "programmed" as it were by The Powers That Be to awaken at a certain time, when the world was on the dawn of a new age.....dan duh dahh!

The triumph over King Kalak in Tyr was just the oppurtunity Destiny needed to throw its final card.

His name is Jalajadin (J's pronounced as H's) and he is a the God's last ditch effort to save the world of Athas from itself.

I just thought that this character was too cool to not be played. I wouldn't let someone play a shardmind in Darksun just because the +2's were the best for a min/max character. As the DM, the world comes first for me, and I'd love to create an awesome story with you but don't expect to play an out of place character without a good backstory.
#6
Pashalik_Mons
Sep 07, 2010 5:28:16 I'd allow any race, if the player can sell me on a story. It's a simple matter of avoiding "No" and saying "Yes, but..." For the races that don't have specific mention in the dark sun book, I'd tell the player that, and try to work with them to find a place where their character could fit in, remembering to employ the "Familiar Races Are Not What You'd Expect" theme. If you want to play an odd race on athas, and don't give me a good story, then no.

As for revenants, they seem like a natural fit for dark sun to me. Undeath is common in the world, and it's not hard to imagine someone with some unfinished business trying to finish it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 scubasteve29 Sep 07, 2010 0:05:29	I've been going back and forth a bit about what kind of races I'd allow in my game. Logically I'd allow everything they mention in the book, but there are a few I've been grappling a bit with. For the moment this is my list The basic races: Human, Dragonborn, Dwarf, Eladrin, Elf, Genasi, Goliath, Half-Elf, Halfling, Minotaur, Mul, Thri-Kreen, Tiefling Questionable races I'm allowing: Half-orc, Shifter (both breeds), Kalashtar Although they aren't listed (and in the case of half orcs, probably wiped out) I'm allowing these races based on the fact it's mentioned Athas' environment has twisted populations of humans. In that way these races represent more savage (or psychic) variations of humanity rather than their current fluff. Still debating: Changeling, Revenant, Shardmind, Wilden Each race seems a bit off as far as the setting is concerned. Thematically I can believe Changelings and Shardminds could be the result of Sorcerer-King's creation, Revenant are obsidian affected undead that retained sentience, and Wilden are elementals seeking to right the world. At the same time they don't quite do it for me. Maybe they're just a little too "mystical" for a feral survivalist world. Disallowing: Deva, Drow, Githzerai, Gnome, Warforged, Most Monsterous races (unless the player sells me on it) I'm sticking with the idea that Deva and gnomes are extinct, Elves are different enough to warrant their dark siblings, the few Gith that are on the world are waraped versions of their former selves, and if arcane users aren't accepted I can't imagine an arcane construct would be well recieved. What are you doing about races?
#2 Crimson_Concerto Sep 07, 2010 0:24:19	I allow them all. Generally speaking, I don't find it to be very difficult to find a place of excuse for any race to make an appearance. A few may require a bit of reflavoring, but one of the big parts of Dark Sun is that "Familiar Races Aren't What You Expect", so it would seem that reflavoring races to fit the setting in a completely different way than they're traditionally expected to fit is exactly what Dark Sun wants you to do.
#3 Wolf505 Sep 07, 2010 0:53:05	Let's see, half-orcs wouldn't exist because the orcs were wiped out in the Cleansing Wars, but it's possible they could be reflavored as say.... half-tareks or something. A halfbreed of some other monstrous humanoid race besides orcs. Kalashtar I would allow as the book suggests, as simply psionically enhanced humans rather then extra-planar beings. Changelings I would allow simply due to the fact one of the NPCs in the CC (I won't say which one to avoid spoilers for any PCs reading) is a changeling, although he doesn't know where his ability came from since he claims to have been born from human parents. It wouldn't be hard to reflavor them as humans who have shapeshifting as a psionic wild power or something. Revenants I don't see why they wouldn't be allowed. There are plenty of undead roaming Athas and seems like they'd fit in fine. There's lot's of potential for why a Revenant would be out for revenge. Athas is a pretty brutal place after all. Shardminds should fit in in the sense that they are simply psionically enfused beings, however, who knows how people would react to seeing an ambulatory rock crystal walking around and talking. People tend to be suspicious of the unknown on Athas and it could result in some undue attention from the Sorcerer Kings. After all, who knows what you could do with the body of a sentient psionic crystal. Wilden I could see as creatures of pure primordial essence from someplace like the forest ridge or something. Of course, like shardminds I could see them getting some undue attention from the populace or the SKs, especially in a place like Gulg that exploits primordial beings for their own ends. Some monster races do make sense. Gnolls, for example, are very common on Athas.
#4 Chiba_Monkey Sep 07, 2010 1:24:48	I was about to mention gnolls. I'd allow gnolls, especially one with the Wasteland Nomad theme. A gnoll disaffected with a life of raiding for sustenance, or perhaps the lone survivor of an attack that wiped out his/her tribe, would have plenty of reason to join an adventuring party. Of course, there's also the captured raider that was pressed into slavery and forced to fight in the arenas (gladiator theme), until the death of Kalak freed all the slaves. Wilden I don't think I'd allow. As plant-like fey, I can't see them existing anywhere but Forest Ridge, or maybe the Crescent Forest. They might appear as NPCs or monsters, but not suitable for PCs. Changelings...sure. Explain as some kind of psionic mutation or unique wild talent. Half-orcs I would disallow. MAYBE re-flavoring as a half-tarek, but that would require some significant exposititon on the part of the player who wished to play one. Shardminds probably wouldn't last long once they entered a city-state and the resident SK got wind of them. I can't imagine that a being of pure psionic energy would not be coveted for study and dissection by the mad rulers. Revenants I'm on the fence about. I have to imagine that they'd be subject to the same kind of interest from the SKs that shardminds would.
#5 slam-evil Sep 07, 2010 4:03:14	Most of my players were more than happy to play very Athasian characters, a Thri-kreen Battlemind a Halfling Ranger/Barbarian, and my DM character, an Eladrin Monk. So far they've only encountered elves, muls, dwarves, and today the Thri-kreen was dropped by a couple Half-Giant enforcers. I Digress... Anyway, the exception in our party is our controller, a hybrid wizard-seeker...Deva Its because he played a Deva Wizard in our last campaign, so this is one of his many incarnations. He was locked in a vault millenia ago and "programmed" as it were by The Powers That Be to awaken at a certain time, when the world was on the dawn of a new age.....dan duh dahh! The triumph over King Kalak in Tyr was just the oppurtunity Destiny needed to throw its final card. His name is Jalajadin (J's pronounced as H's) and he is a the God's last ditch effort to save the world of Athas from itself. I just thought that this character was too cool to not be played. I wouldn't let someone play a shardmind in Darksun just because the +2's were the best for a min/max character. As the DM, the world comes first for me, and I'd love to create an awesome story with you but don't expect to play an out of place character without a good backstory.
#6 Pashalik_Mons Sep 07, 2010 5:28:16	I'd allow any race, if the player can sell me on a story. It's a simple matter of avoiding "No" and saying "Yes, but..." For the races that don't have specific mention in the dark sun book, I'd tell the player that, and try to work with them to find a place where their character could fit in, remembering to employ the "Familiar Races Are Not What You'd Expect" theme. If you want to play an odd race on athas, and don't give me a good story, then no. As for revenants, they seem like a natural fit for dark sun to me. Undeath is common in the world, and it's not hard to imagine someone with some unfinished business trying to finish it.