D&D 5E What PC species should return for 5ed?

[Marandahir]

Even with 3 Magic Settings! It's weird?

It is really bizarre that Gnolls never got playable stats (aside from the DMG NPC adjustment chart).

In fact, the lack of guidance on making new playable Species options out of "Monsters," like 3E Savage Species (problematic as that could be). I really, really hope this is rectified in the new DMG or MM.

Gnolls never got PC stats because they really leaned into "Gnolls aren't humanoids, they're fiends" thing. Guess they wanted a common D&D monster species that isn't undergoing the transformation into PC Species like Goblins, Orcs, Kobolds, etc.

 

[Corinnguard]

Gnolls never got PC stats because they really leaned into "Gnolls aren't humanoids, they're fiends" thing. Guess they wanted a common D&D monster species that isn't undergoing the transformation into PC Species like Goblins, Orcs, Kobolds, etc.

3e's Races of the Wild has stats for Gnoll PCs. And Level Up does have a Gnoll heritage.

Gnoll | Level Up

a5e.tools

 

[Marandahir]

3e's Races of the Wild has stats for Gnoll PCs. And Level Up does have a Gnoll heritage.

Gnoll | Level Up

a5e.tools

And they got stats in 4e in Dragon magazine.
My point was in 5e, not other editions or game systems or 3rd party variant systems.

 

[Greg K]

Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, and Half-Ogres.
edit: Lizardfolk (and give environmental variants), Gnolls, and Shifters in addition to the three above.

 

[Parmandur]

Gnolls never got PC stats because they really leaned into "Gnolls aren't humanoids, they're fiends" thing. Guess they wanted a common D&D monster species that isn't undergoing the transformation into PC Species like Goblins, Orcs, Kobolds, etc.

Yeah, and that was always such an oddball decision.

Particularly in the Aildemount book, because the "roll a lifepath' chapter there had Gnoll as a possible result.

 

[Dragonhelm]

Devas. People don't give them enough credit for a cool concept and execution.

I loved the deva! I thought they had an interesting story and were more appealing than aasimar. Plus that artwork was awesome.

I wrote an article about them several years ago for the Dragonlance Nexus called The Devas of Godshome, which detailed how they could be used in Dragonlance. Check it out!

I know that the aasimar had a deva spirit they could communicate with to guide them, but it just wasn't the same. The revised version killed that idea.

 

[Greg K]

Devas. People don't give them enough credit for a cool concept and execution.

I forgot about the Deva. Definitely, should be included. While waiting, Mike Evans at DIY ( wrathofzombie.wordpress.com ) has a Deva for 5e.

 

[Dragonhelm]

Shardminds were a original idea. If you wanted an exotic touch, here you are.

I loved the shardminds. I wanted to use them to represent Crystar from Marvel Comics.

Fraals (little gray aliens) should appear with the rest of psionic races. Dromites, elans, syands should return. Maenads may need some retouch. About the xephs the change I would add the option to spend the burst racial traits to a jump effect instead higher speed. Maybe here I feel influence by wuxia fiction.

I feel like those near-human races could be used as Kalashtar subraces, most notably the maenads and synads.

Bariaurs can't be only centaurs with goat horns.

I feel like they would need something more to be more than reskinned centaurs. Cool look, though.

What about the raptorans from "Races of the Wild"? Are they reskinned as 5e aarakocras?

The raptorans are one of my least-favorite D&D races. I feel like the aarakocra already fills their space nicely.

Azurins (Magic of Incarnum) are practically humans with a special "bloodline feat". Dusklings are practically goblings with incarnum-linked traits and "I don't mind if you are the authority here" temper. Rilkans and Skarns are like a lost opportunity and these deserve a second opportunity.

There were some neat ideas in Magic of Incarnum for the races, but I feel like they've been largely forgotten.

 

[Marandahir]

I forgot about the Deva. Definitely, should be included. While waiting, Mike Evans at DIY ( wrathofzombie.wordpress.com ) has a Deva for 5e.

Deva was just made for 4e because someone decided they had had enough of the Arse jokes about Aasimar and wanted them playable without people snickering. It's the same player species.

 

[Greg K]

Deva was just made for 4e because someone decided they had had enough of the Arse jokes about Aasimar and wanted them playable without people snickering. It's the same player species.

I thought it was because of Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender and, maybe, Doctor Who. Depending upon how one interprets the end of Heavy Metal, it can also work for Taarna dying and the girl becoming the new last of the Taarakians.