Race and species in D&D

[J1M]

I don't mind losing racial weapons. That actually doesn't bother me.
It's just that they include the fucking things into the game, and once again Orcs and Half-Orcs get the shit end of the stick.
If your going to include them, then fucking do so in a good enough number that things aren't wasted.

They aren't part of the 'core' set of playable races, so they are largely ignored when it comes time to apply the power-creep.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

half-orcs aren't part of the core?

Edit: I know Orcs aren't but they fucking should be. They're mentioned fucking everywhere in the goddamn game.
No, instead we get Tieflings. Fucking Tieflings in DnD 4.0. Seriously replacing gnomes? You kidding? And you won't do shit about Orcs?
Tieflings are supposed to be considered fucking rare in most cases. Orcs, common as free flowing rivers, but we don't get shit about them. They're considered stereotypes, but everyone loves making tieflings fucking deep and conflicted and ooo and ahh so tortured and deep am I.
Emo fag mother fuckers.
Orcs are where it's fucking at. In a ruthless warrior culture, someone who shows mercy is considered weak and a pussy. There's a helluva lot more pressure for an Orc or Half-Orc in orc culture to be utterly vicious, cruel, and unforgiving. Someone who's not any of those things is usually killed, hence an Orc who chooses to leave and be something else, as either a mercenary or something, is a shit load fucking more interesting and better done than a fucking tiefling.

 

[tuluse]

Half-Orcs are a core race in pathfinder, full Orcs and Tieflings are not.

Also, I think Tieflings get level adjusted in Pathfinder.

 

[Erebus]

No, instead we get Tieflings. Fucking Tieflings in DnD 4.0. Seriously replacing gnomes? You kidding?

While I don't really like Tieflings being a normal PC race outside of Planescape, gnomes have always felt rather pointless to me. There never was a strong idea behind the race, possibly because they weren't inspired from LotR (unlike dwarves, elves, halflings and orcs). It's not a surprise that some settings simply don't bother with them. And when they do exist, they're all over the place : there's nothing in common between a Pathfinder gnome, a Dragonlance gnome and a FR gnome.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Half-Orcs are a core race in pathfinder, full Orcs and Tieflings are not.

Also, I think Tieflings get level adjusted in Pathfinder.

Usually what happens when someone chooses Tiefling in Pathfinder, because they have such an advantage in abilities, the GM usually gives everybody either an extra feat or +2 to a stat of their choosing. (I don't believe they get level adjusted, if you look on d20pfsrd.com under the featured races section, they're under the uncommon races. Doesn't say anything if I recall about having to adjust race.)

 

[catfood]

The got rid of level adjustment in PF, which suits me just fine since I never allow any other race other than the core ones. I MIGHT consier running an all *insert monstrous humanoid type here* campaign, but otherwise I tell the players they can take their hipster drow and tieflings and shove them up their asses. There'll be no emo faggotry while I'm the GM.

 

[darkling]

I let my players do almost whatever, honestly, as long as it can be fit into the setting and the race build isn't greater than 11 points (Hooray for the ARG! Really. I love it.). I'll even sometimes let someone remove abilities from one of the overpowered races to get there, as long as they can justify it. It rewards those who want to integrate with the setting uniquely, while limiting power gaming a tad.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I let my players do almost whatever, honestly, as long as it can be fit into the setting and the race build isn't greater than 11 points (Hooray for the ARG! Really. I love it.). I'll even sometimes let someone remove abilities from one of the overpowered races to get there, as long as they can justify it. It rewards those who want to integrate with the setting uniquely, while limiting power gaming a tad.

I want to play a game with you sometime.
This is my race.

 

[darkling]

See, it'd have to fit into the setting. I disallowed a tiefling in my current game because I didn't feel they fit into Mystara's cosmology and that's the setting I'm using. I offered that player a 'diabolus' as an alternative, which meant he had to read a bunch of about them as they're not quite not the same and then he had to rework his character concept. I have run three campaigns where he's made characters over the years and I know he's going to do his own thing even if he ends up making a human fighter so I find it best to direct his desire for oddness into something that I might be able to use later in the campaign.

 

[Jasede]

I love playing something downtrodden, like a kobold. It gives me kicks having to lie my way past guards and sneak around to survive because everyone would kill me without a thought. Love it. Plus, who doesn't like being a little ball of hate?

Plus, killing NPC children that the DM set up to give the party information for kicks. Yummy~

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I would enjoy playing a game with Jasede as well.
He certainly sees the funness of playing the more monstrous or vicious races. Pathfinder Goblins are fun as hell.

 

[King Crispy]

Plus, who doesn't like being a little ball of hate?

Edit: Heh, this isn't as effective now that Jasede switched avatars.

 

[catfood]

I would enjoy playing a game with Jasede as well.
He certainly sees the funness of playing the more monstrous or vicious races. Pathfinder Goblins are fun as hell.

Did you read Paizo's 'Classic Monsters Revisited'? It deals with humanoid monsters like orcs, goblins, gnolls and such. While it doesn't deviate too far from the normal conventions about them, it can provide the GM with some ideas on how to flesh them out more and how to present them in a more unique way. The bugbear entry is especially good. Now I want to have an undead bugbear stalking the poor districts of a city, killing children and turning them into attic whisperers.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Bugbear serial killers are a fun element.
Orcs of Golarion was great in many respects.