I tend to put monster races into my worlds quite often. As in they interact on a daily basis with elves, dwarves, etc. Not like orcs pillaging cities. The most common ones I have are Minotaurs, Gnolls, Orcs and Goblins. I also feel like I stereotype them every time. The minotaurs are usually mercenaries. The gnolls are hunters/trackers. Orcs are noble, misunderstood warriors. And goblins are frugal merchants or pirates. Does anyone else do the same thing with additional races? Do you ever put them into roles you haven’t before and how did your players like it? I’m on the fence when it comes to whether players have more fun knowing what to expect from fantasy races or if they would rather be surprised by something unexpected.
What do you guys think?
Depends on the campaign. I had a campaign where 12 of the 14 races were created by the different gods of the realm. In this case each of the races had a specific role they were best at…save the Beasts (animals that had ascended to sentience and seeming like one of the other races) and Demons (spirits that had become physical by accident, choice or through a forced summoning).
For other games where the origins of the races are decidedly more evolutionary, the tendency toward certain roles is entirely cultural with no real reason why they should be one way or another.
Depends on the campaign. I had a campaign where 12 of the 14 races were created by the different gods of the realm. In this case each of the races had a specific role they were best at…save the Beasts (animals that had ascended to sentience and seeming like one of the other races) and Demons (spirits that had become physical by accident, choice or through a forced summoning).
For other games where the origins of the races are decidedly more evolutionary, the tendency toward certain roles is entirely cultural with no real reason why they should be one way or another.
I think players have fun when NPCs have creative energy behind them. If your monster races feel alive to you the DM when they are non-standard- go with it.
I think players have fun when NPCs have creative energy behind them. If your monster races feel alive to you the DM when they are non-standard- go with it.
most of my npc bad guys are either humans or large beasts. I do occasional goblins which I always play as cruel, mean and smart. the sort of creature that will barter for its life by making up a treasure in a owlbear cave and sprinkle the exit with caltrops before running to fetch 20 more goblins. I don’t mind the racial typing as a starting point but any npc that talks should have a little character. wether or not you need to be the exception to the rule is up to the story and sometimes the character.
Also I shy away from the misunderstood, brutal but nobel orcs and just make them big goblins. The other way smells to much of warcraft or native american for my comfort.
most of my npc bad guys are either humans or large beasts. I do occasional goblins which I always play as cruel, mean and smart. the sort of creature that will barter for its life by making up a treasure in a owlbear cave and sprinkle the exit with caltrops before running to fetch 20 more goblins. I don’t mind the racial typing as a starting point but any npc that talks should have a little character. wether or not you need to be the exception to the rule is up to the story and sometimes the character.
Also I shy away from the misunderstood, brutal but nobel orcs and just make them big goblins. The other way smells to much of warcraft or native american for my comfort.
Daniel Fowler me and a few of my players like Warcraft though, so that’s why I use the noble savage orcs lol. I like the big goblin thing though, which is something I used in a sci-fantasy game once. Goblins were small and smart, but through a weird evolutionary split some goblins became large and stupid. So trolls in that game were related to goblins, and had the big noses and ears like the smaller goblins. Goblins were also the only creatures that could talk to them. The trolls also got flamethrowers and fuel canisters strapped to them a lot, which kind of defeated the purpose of them regenerating from any damage but fire or acid. But they were still scary as hell!
Daniel Fowler me and a few of my players like Warcraft though, so that’s why I use the noble savage orcs lol. I like the big goblin thing though, which is something I used in a sci-fantasy game once. Goblins were small and smart, but through a weird evolutionary split some goblins became large and stupid. So trolls in that game were related to goblins, and had the big noses and ears like the smaller goblins. Goblins were also the only creatures that could talk to them. The trolls also got flamethrowers and fuel canisters strapped to them a lot, which kind of defeated the purpose of them regenerating from any damage but fire or acid. But they were still scary as hell!
fair warning: i played the games and watched the movies but know nothing else of the background fluff for warcraft. It just seems to me that warcraft suffered from the “these bad guys are much cooler then the good guys” problem and some gamers could not be happy rooting for a non-mary-sue. now even the undead horde seems like the good guys. Actually now that i think about it, a big part of my enjoyment from DMing may be getting to play the bad guys. #IMayBeABadPerson
fair warning: i played the games and watched the movies but know nothing else of the background fluff for warcraft. It just seems to me that warcraft suffered from the “these bad guys are much cooler then the good guys” problem and some gamers could not be happy rooting for a non-mary-sue. now even the undead horde seems like the good guys. Actually now that i think about it, a big part of my enjoyment from DMing may be getting to play the bad guys. #IMayBeABadPerson
Daniel Fowler that’s a fair observation! I think Warcraft went that route because some of the people who made it played D&D and I believe some of the stuff was based off of their games. So you know everyone wants their character to be relatable. Also it feels like a morally gray dilemma that Dungeon World encourages with its principles for making every character have a name and their own things that drive them. Of course I also like using savage orcs once in a while as a go-to evil race. So I guess I flip flop lol
Daniel Fowler that’s a fair observation! I think Warcraft went that route because some of the people who made it played D&D and I believe some of the stuff was based off of their games. So you know everyone wants their character to be relatable. Also it feels like a morally gray dilemma that Dungeon World encourages with its principles for making every character have a name and their own things that drive them. Of course I also like using savage orcs once in a while as a go-to evil race. So I guess I flip flop lol
I have a people are people philosophy so any campaign I run leans in that direction. Any proclivity toward evil is learned rather than instinctual. And people are shaped by their cultures and the expectations of those around them
I have a people are people philosophy so any campaign I run leans in that direction. Any proclivity toward evil is learned rather than instinctual. And people are shaped by their cultures and the expectations of those around them