>The world has a myriad of sentient species besides humans
>Literally every single one of them except humans is solely defined by one stereotype except for that one special snowflake who's the exact opposite of their race
Why do this? Why would I play a non-human, if that means I am railroaded into one of TWO character concepts, especially when humans can play that concept 90% of the time?
This is why I prefer human-only settings. Even when the other species are actually unique and not just Funny-Looking-Humans they're always a monolithic culture.
Pic completely unrelated.
>>43706361
People just find it very hard to think of races in any term other than stereotypes.
>>43706361
>Why do this?
Its easy and people are lazy.
Link to this post if you think OP doesn't actually have a gaming group.
>>43706361
I don't see why the solution is to stop having nonhuman sapients instead of just stopping writing them so badly. Just, like, have multiple cultures for each species, and have individuals within those cultures buy into them to varying degrees. Doesn't seem that hard.
>>43706452
Nobody on /tg/ has a gaming group.
>>43706361
I just want to know why you repost this shit every week.
Here's a suggestion, going forward: From now on title this shit "autism thread" so that I (and everyone else) can filter your spergthreads.
>>43706485
That takes a shitload of effort too.
Creating HUMAN cultures is hard if you really get in-depth and we have literally thousands for inspiration in real life. Creating cultures for a non-human species is even more difficult, especially if you want them to remain distinct from humans, because then you have to come up with everything from scratch.
As for the whole "humans-only" thing I'm just a human chauvinist. I have zero interest in playing anything but humans in both RPG's and vidya.
I actually don't have a problem with species that have thematic relevance though. Like Elementals, Gods, Demons/Angels/Celestial Beings, etc. Those kinds of beings tie into the setting's metaphysics and thematics. Dwarves/Elves/Orcs/etc. don't.
>>43706490 Underrated post
>>43706551
>As for the whole "humans-only" thing I'm just a human chauvinist. I have zero interest in playing anything but humans in both RPG's and vidya.
I know that feel. I occasionally find it in me to play something that isn't straight human, but it's the exception to the rule.
>I actually don't have a problem with species that have thematic relevance though. Like Elementals, Gods, Demons/Angels/Celestial Beings, etc. Those kinds of beings tie into the setting's metaphysics and thematics. Dwarves/Elves/Orcs/etc. don't.
You ever played Anima? I get the feeling you might like its races. I certainly like them more than I like the races in other RPGs I've read.
I'm thinking about fully embracing this fault and running a fantasy campaign where most (or all) races are indeed just funny looking human with a monolithic culture, because that is who they are. Kind of like all human sci-fi with planet specific cultures.
Now here is the problem though.
>Elves = Proto-human changed by Feywild
>Dwarves = Proto-human changed by Elemntal plane of earth
>Dragonborn = Proto-human changed by Dragons
>etc.
>Halflings = Proto-human changed by ...
>...
How could those little shits would even be able to emerge? For what purpose? With what influence?
>>43706361
Because you can play the concept and also have pointy ears/tusks/etc
>>43707249
They're just pygmies. Like actual, irl pygmies. I know you HFY enthusiasts have hard time grasping it, but sometimes people are just different
>>43706361
Why just play human only settings? Why not take this as a chance to make a myriad of cultures for each race.
I mean would Hawaiian elves, who haven't known conflict with any other race, are going to behave very differently from Russian elves who have basically been fighting even the trees they live in since their beginnings, no?
>>43706551
>Elementals, Gods, Demons/Angels/Celestial Beings, etc.
I hate such races. Way too far out for me to accept rhem walking around with normal people. Either results in special snowflake syndrom or a fantasy zoo.
Why would I even want flaming hair/horns/angel wings? What's so bad about just being short?
>>43707408
I suspect people like OP are just subletly racist and can't accept nonhumans as being just like everyone else
>>43706361
>Setting gives common characteristics of a race
>GM gives cliff notes about races for the sake of brevity
>clearly I can only play a 100% stereotype or a total inversion
Why not just work out actual characters?
Why do humans get away with a short blurb about being the most common and/or most adaptable? Why are they not seen as just two character concepts? A nonhuman can use plenty of concepts, even if you have just one example tribe.
>>43707408
See if you do that, then I'm interested. It's just that nobody does that.
>>43707850
Why can't you do that?
>>43708134
OP is a lazy shit who wants everything handed to him and is not willing to put in the work to make his own settings.
>>43707500
Nice dubs
Anyway, surely non-humans would be different to humans psychologically, just as they are physically? That's what makes it so difficult: they don't just look different, they think differently and have different morals and values to a far greater extent than the different human cultures of Earth.
>>43706361
Because when you play a human, you're railroaded into the Generic Heroman stereotype. See? Every group has a stereotype. You just don't notice your own.
>>43706361
That's why I prefer settings without humans. Makes it so you actually have to think about what they do as a culture and how they would expand, rather than just shoving them in one forest or mountain and throwing humans everywhere else.
>>43706490
I have a gaming group.
Like, in theory.
The last three weeks, the game was postponed or canceled, but I have a group.
They're real, I tell you!
>>43706361
this is why I have numerous races be part of the same empire or kingdom.
This is also why I have strange monster folks live in town.
This is also also why I give big and important enemies to the world other than "That guy looks more like a tree than I do!". like "An invasive ecology is spreading out from a crashed meteor and destroying anyone/anything in their way."
>>43706361
My Stoner Vegan Elf Paladin would like to disagree with you, sir.
>>43706490
I have a real gaming group.
