So what's the ETA on playable Goblins? [Non-Core Race Thread]

[Secret Wizard]

The one thing preventing me from being excited about D&D Next is the lack of Goblins as a playable race. I'm sure I'm not alone here, I can imagine lots of people being disappointed that their one favorite race (Aasimar, furry races, elemental races) didn't make the cut.

Are there any known outlines for custom race creation in the PHB? Any idea whether a Race Handbook is planned?

[ImperiousLeader]

I'm thinking we might see them in the DMG. Rare races have been confirmed, Warforged, for example are going to be in the DMG.

[hawklost]

The one thing preventing me from being excited about D&D Next is the lack of Goblins as a playable race. I'm sure I'm not alone here, I can imagine lots of people being disappointed that their one favorite race (Aasimar, furry races, elemental races) didn't make the cut.

Are there any known outlines for custom race creation in the PHB? Any idea whether a Race Handbook is planned?

I don't believe they have a Race Handbook planned, from the sounds of it, supplements will be sparse on the ground. On the other hand, I would not be surprised if either the MM or the DMG don't have rules related to creating a playable race.

I wouldn't believe it would be too hard to balance out a home brew race though even without direct instructions on them.

[Tholomyes]

The one thing preventing me from being excited about D&D Next is the lack of Goblins as a playable race. I'm sure I'm not alone here, I can imagine lots of people being disappointed that their one favorite race (Aasimar, furry races, elemental races) didn't make the cut.

Are there any known outlines for custom race creation in the PHB? Any idea whether a Race Handbook is planned?

My guess is possibly monster manual. Potentially DMG, but from what I heard, that's more stuff that belongs to other settings, aka Warforged and that... other... race, that shall not be named. If not there, then you'll probably have a while to wait, at least for an official version, seeing as there's no indication of any supplements planned for a while.

Now, unofficial versions of those races will probably be available, especially considering that there's a section in the DMG about customizing existing races and creating new ones, but I don't know how in-depth or useful those sections will be.

[Human Paragon 3]

The DMG has the section on using monsters as PC races.

[Inevitability]

The DMG? :smallconfused: I expected the Monster Manual. 3.5 had its playable monsters in the MM, 4e had them in the MM, so why move them to the DMG now?

[Totema]

I don't believe they have a Race Handbook planned, from the sounds of it, supplements will be sparse on the ground. On the other hand, I would not be surprised if either the MM or the DMG don't have rules related to creating a playable race.

I wouldn't believe it would be too hard to balance out a home brew race though even without direct instructions on them.

AFAIK the DMG is already expected to have rules for custom races. :)

[Tholomyes]

The DMG? :smallconfused: I expected the Monster Manual. 3.5 had its playable monsters in the MM, 4e had them in the MM, so why move them to the DMG now?I can see the reasoning. The DMG has rules for modifying or creating new races. This would be a perfect place to show those rules in practice, by showing monster races built using these guidelines. The Monster races in 3.5 were more as a result of the fact that NPCs are built like PCs, so if you wanted a goblin shaman, or the like, you'd have to build them like a PC, meaning Racial stats help. In 4e, it was more out of a lack of anywhere else to put them. It wouldn't have made sense to put them in the PHB, if you want to keep a distinction between monster and non-monster races, and the DMG was already filled with rules for new things like skill challenges, and, there being no real guidelines for homebrew, there wasn't as good a place to fit them in.

[Chaosvii7]

AFAIK the DMG is already expected to have rules for custom races. :)

IIRC Obryn posted a list of topics and content in the DMG which he got from a credible(or at least accurate) source, and among the list was using monsters(in some capacity) as races. WoTC themselves has mentioned that Warforged will be in the DMG, which makes me wonder if what they actually mean behind that is that the Warforged will pop up in the MM and then the DMG will either have Warforged as a sample Monstrous Race or if they'll just leave you with the instructions to make it yourself.

The logic of "it'll be in the Monster Manual" is also totally reasonable because as far as I can tell it's the golden standard with D&D and the systems of the like. I think I'd prefer it in the DMG, because it helps identify that as a choice the DM makes at the end of the day.

[pwykersotz]

Clearly we make our own with no guidelines!

Moogle
Moogles are fairly tough and very charismatic
Ability score increase. +1 Con, +2 Cha
10ft fly speed for Con score in rounds, short rest recharges.
Age. Moogles live to be nearly 50 years old
Alignment. Moogles are seldom evil, and often neutral or good.
Size. Moogles are small.
Speed. Moogles base walking speed is 20 feet.

[Chaosvii7]

Clearly we make our own with no guidelines!

Moogle
Moogles are fairly tough and very charismatic
Ability score increase. +1 Con, +2 Cha
10ft fly speed for Con score in rounds, short rest recharges.
Age. Moogles live to be nearly 50 years old
Alignment. Moogles are seldom evil, and often neutral or good.
Size. Moogles are small.
Speed. Moogles base walking speed is 20 feet.

Seriously, though.

If you don't want to wait for it, I think the best thing you can do for yourself is homebrew it, and then if the final version better suits the fancy of you or your DM then you can use that version. There's no reason you can't do whatever you want with the game within reason, but waiting or hoping for it to occur isn't very reliable, so as far as things like this go I'd say that it's more important

Also, this Moogle race is designed excellently, and is a fine piece of homebrew.

[pwykersotz]

Seriously, though.

If you don't want to wait for it, I think the best thing you can do for yourself is homebrew it, and then if the final version better suits the fancy of you or your DM then you can use that version. There's no reason you can't do whatever you want with the game within reason, but waiting or hoping for it to occur isn't very reliable, so as far as things like this go I'd say that it's more important

Also, this Moogle race is designed excellently, and is a fine piece of homebrew.

Aww, thanks!

I was being silly with my tone, but my players asked me for a Final Fantasy adventure, and this was my first draft of the Moogles. That it gets positive feedback is encouraging. :smallsmile:

[Millennium]

Aasimar should be trivial to houserule: just take the dark/evil-flavored abilities from the tiefling and swap them with their conveniently equal-and-opposite light/good-flavored abilities. It can be argued that this doesn't really do the aasimar concept justice, but we all know that this is what Wizards will eventually do with them anyway.

[Lord Raziere]

Here is my take on some races:

Aasimar:
These people are distinct in that they have haloes always floating over them. All their life. They're always there, always glowing a little and never going away. Furthermore, not a single one of them has black hair, having albino hair instead, along with blonde, orange and sky-blue hair instead. Their eyes are similarly golden, green, sky blue, lacking any colors of the base earth such as dirt, grey or black. Their skin is fair to completely pearl white, and is always in some form of good shape.

They are mortal beings born half of the upper planes, possessing angelic heritage that inspires and drives them towards good, towards helping everyone around them. Many Aasimar have a warm-hearted sense of compassion, a sense of righteousness and justice and some form of dedication to the greater good. However their mortal half gives them flaws. They may be dedicated to good, but that doesn't mean they are wiser or know better than anyone around them for it. Their first instinct is to help, but that doesn't mean their judgement on how to help is always right. Many a young, foolish Aasimar have fallen to pride in their attempts at helping people, taking too much upon themselves and thus being crushed underneath the weight. Others fall too much into moral extremes that alienate people around them and lead them to commit horrific acts that demonstrate that the road to the Abyss is paved with good intentions. Finally there are Aasimar who fall into the trap of being unwilling to do anything for fear of violating one virtue or moral law to uphold another, and thus become a good man doing nothing.

Successful Aasimar are those who learn from their tragic failures. Aasimar culture is full of cautionary tales of those who came before them, needing tales to teach them the misuse of virtue and goodness can lead to destruction just as much as amoral selfishness. They are taught to think out their decisions and show some caution before they act for the greater good. By the time of adulthood most Aasimar have learned some degree of moderation, tempering their idealistic passion and dedication with reason and discipline. However the fundamental conflict in their mind remains: the constant nagging doubt about whether their own moral judgement is right, the fear about whether or not they fallen from grace or not- haunts them constantly.

Ability Score: +2 Wisdom

Halo:
Constantly illuminates 10 feet of area around them in dim light. This ability can't be turned off, but the halo can be hidden by clothing for purposes of stealth or disguise.

Angelic Ancestry:
You have advantage on saving throws against necrotic, and you have resistance against necrotic damage

Cantrip:
You can cast the Sacred Flame cantrip. Your Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it.

Subraces:

Monastic Aasimar:
These Aasimar spend their time sequestered in monasteries and cloistered libraries, quietly learning wisdom and virtue in peace. They are taught various philosophies and ways of thinking upon virtue, ponder the nature of reality and learn from the various tragedies and cautionary tales told to them, not being given any paragon to aspire to but failures to avoid and encouragement to become their own paragon of morality and good in the world for others to look up to. When they come of age and are deemed ready, Aasimar raised in such a way are sent out into the world on their own with only basic supplies on a long journey as a rite of passage to put what they've been taught into practice as well as learn more about good up close, hopefully to someday return to share what they have done.

Ability Score: +2 Intelligence
Lest You Be Doomed To Repeat It:
You have proficiency in the History skill

Crusader Aasimar:
These Aasimar mingle with other races and are raised to actively champion good causes and fight for them. They are less about contemplation and more about actively making sure good is done in the world, sure they still learn discipline, but they are less cerebral about it, instead instilling it into the Aasimar through hard work, training and active focus upon the cause they work for. Thus they are more bellicose and extroverted, living life heartily with the people around them after a hard days work and willing to take on anything for what they believe is right. They exemplify the more brave, warm-hearted side of the Aasimar, eagerly making friends and fighting off enemies while smiling about it.

Ability Score: +2 Strength
Aasimar Weapon Training:
You are proficient in the longsword, longbow and lance


Orcs:
Ability Scores:
All Orcs: +2 Strength
Nomadic Orcs: +1 Dexterity
Fortress Orcs: +1 Stamina
Age:
They come of age a little earlier than humans, but also also have a little shorter lifespan than them
Alignment:
Nomadic Orcs tend to be Chaotic while Fortress Orcs tend to be Lawful, having a conflict between the orcs that choose to keep to their cultural roots and the orcs that choose to adopt the trappings of civilization
Size:
Orcs are a little larger than humans standing from 5.5 to 6.5 feet tall, and are Medium
Speed:
walking speed is 30 feet
Language:
Orcs generally know Common and Orcish, but Nomadic Orcs tend to be more versed in Orcish while Fortress Orcs tend to be more cosmopolitan and learn more languages of other races
Darkvision:
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Battle Fury:
When you are dealt damage, you roll twice on your next attack roll and take the highest result
Orcish Combat Training:
You have proficiency with the spear, halberd, short bow and greataxe
Fierce Appearance:
You have proficiency in the Intimidation Skill

Nomadic Orcs:
These orcs are nomads, living off the land in mobile tribes. They worship a wide variety of spirits, but often give the most thanks to spirits of predators and prey. Predators for giving them the ability to hunt and prey for the bounty they give to the orcs from which to hunt from. They often use the metaphor of the Predator Spirits as ways to succeed in life, while using Prey Spirits as metaphors for ways to defend oneself or to escape from danger, with orcs often choosing their own Predator Spirit as their totem, and disagreeing with other orcs over which Predator is the best one.

They believe in keeping to their traditions of respecting the spirits around them, and don’t think much of the Fortress Orcs, but there is no real war between- just different cultural traditions. Nomadic Orcs have have tattoos signifying what tribe they belong to, their kills and so on. They get along surprisingly well with Wood Elves when they pass through their forests.
Fleet of Foot: Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet
Cantrip: You know one Cantrip of your choice from the cleric spell list

Fortress Orcs:
These orcs adopted the ways of civilization and cities by building fortresses and living lives of martial discipline and honor. They believe in only the Fortress Spirit, the spirit of strength and unity of their Legion. All of Fortress Orc society is militaristic. Fortress Orc children are raised to fight to defend others all their lives, every orc is a soldier. Orcish Wizards gain only practical knowledge to help the Legion and the Fortress, and even the Orcish farmers around the fortress grow food for the fortress, erect smaller walls around their own farms and act as lookouts who spot things come towards the fortress and ring bells to signal arrival of enemies.

The Fortress Orcs that adventure out into the world are known as Scouts, often sent to gain new information of the outside world to bring back to the Fortress, or new weaponry or just to keep up to date upon the world, or as diplomatic emissaries. Despite their similarities to dwarves, many dwarves suspicious of them due to the orcs more forward thinking mindset, not as caring for tradition as them.
Orcish Armor Training:
You have proficiency with light and medium armor.


Drow:
Ability Score: +2 Charisma
Drow Cantrips:
You can cast Faerie Fire and Darkness, both once per day based on your Charisma score once you reach the levels required to do so.


still work on catfolk though.

[Human Paragon 3]

Aasimar should have Thaumaturgy.

Also in the PDF, orcs have a power called aggression that lets them use a bonus action to move their speed toward an enemy.

[Palegreenpants]

Grr, you younglings and your fancy exotic races. In my day, we played humans and liked it.

[Lord Raziere]

Grr, you younglings and your fancy exotic races. In my day, we played humans and liked it.

don't threadcrap. :smallannoyed:

[Chaosvii7]

don't threadcrap. :smallannoyed:

That's not threadcrap at all, it's just a harmless joke.

Don't let him smell your fear. I hear humans can take that as a variant racial trait.

[Palegreenpants]

That's not threadcrap at all, it's just a harmless joke.

Don't let him smell your fear. I hear humans can take that as a variant racial trait.

Oh, I see. I forgot the sarcasm blueness.

[Chaosvii7]

Oh, I see. I forgot the sarcasm blueness.

Don't worry about it. It's not a forum guideline or anything. You're not resigned to blue text whenever you wanna have a laugh if you don't want to.

I just thought I was being really clever so I painted my joke blue. :smalltongue:

[Secret Wizard]

I saw Gobbos in an old playtest bestiary having two skills, one that allowed them to Hide after any attack and another that gave them an extra attack during the Surprise round or against creatures lower on the initiative list.

It seemed pretty fun.