DO you pick it to fit the campaign theme or you and friends decided an 'All "X" party' etc?
Do you pick it just cause?!
Be detailed, perhaps your insight and reasoning will show a side of a race to someone who never thought they'd wanna play that race!
(only official races listed, and all sub-species compiled into a whole, I.E. All Genasi, regardless of element are Genasi, though you can specify what element in your post!)
I don't get to play a character very often (my ratio of sessions that I DM to session I am a player during is about 300:1), but when I do I end up selecting the race of my character for simple reasons.
Either I pick human because of the mechanical advantages (used to pick it for it being the only way to have unlimited potential level in whatever class I decided to play, and now I just happen to like the +1 to all ability scores and a choice of language over most other race's features), or I pick elf, kenku, lizardman, or orc (or any other far from 'regular human' race that a setting might allow that doesn't carry the stigma that some races (example: tiefling) are unfairly burdened with, such as warforged or what have you) so that I can explore the non-human mindset of the character (for example: an elven character I once played felt that the 'big bad guy' of the campaign wasn't enough of a threat to worry about at the time of the campaign because, being human, he was likely to be dead soon - and by soon, my character meant within a century which he was treating like a human might treat a year or two).
When I choose a race, it based on a combination of liking the race and beneficial racial modifiers for the character's class. For instance, my latest character is a Tabaxi rogue/warlock. Several races would work well for rogue/warlock, but it came down to that I really wanted to play a Tabaxi in the campaign. I wanted to play a Tabaxi since Volo's guide came out, and the new campaign I'm in gave me my first chance to play one. If I was trying to pick the most optimal race, it likely would have been between Human Variant for added duel wielding feat or the Tiefling for +2 charisma and free darkness once a day spell.
There isn't a wrong way to choose a race. Choosing a race that doesn't naturally fit a class can make for an interesting character. For instance if you watch Critical Role, Jester's and Fjord's races don't match the conventional wisdom as the best races for a cleric or warlock, yet both characters work and look like a lot of fun to role play.
If you are min/maxing, it is hard to pass up Human Variant for the first level feat. Certain classes and styles of play benefit greatly from some of the feats. The dual wielding feat would have given my character a +1 bump to AC and allow me to dual wield a 1D8 weapon (rapier) instead of a 1D6 weapons.
I went with half-elf and human (of course intending the variant version).
I think these two races are the best most flexible races that you can't go wrong with picking for any class. Of course there are other races that may be better for certain classes but for simplicity half-elf and variant humans are good for pretty much any class.
Ever since my days of Elfquest, I have always loved elves. Lord of the Rings just made them even more awesome. I also like the little people: dwarves, gnomes and halflings. My first game of AD&D was simple as far as races go. We were just humans, elves and dwarves. Since then, they always seem the best. The other options seem exotic almost, but I still love the classics.
Humans (variant) time and again, I love the feat (which can be a real power boost) but I just like playing them, they rarely ever "don't fit" in a campaign, stats boosts are ok and can be a godsend when you roll a load of odd numbers, some extra little bonuses which can be useful but also I just find I do better when RPing humans otherwise I find myself becoming a "Grumpy Scottish Dwarf" or another cliché.
I have enjoyed rolling with an Aasimar Paladin too though, thematically it works and a little variety is good too.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Vhon - Level 2 Warlock - What shall become of the Drunken Sailor?
I grew up reading Tolkien, and fell in love with the race. I prefer to play them only because I like the race, and not to min/max any particular class. I think I just enjoy the Tolkien take on them -- their history, proclivity towards nature, dexterous abilities, etc.
I made the promise to myself early in my D&D career to never play human. To me, playing something I already am is boring.
I favor dwarves over all the other races because I love their society structure and how hearty they are. I would go Dragonborn second, Aasimar third, and Goliath fourth.
I tend to gravitate toward elves and humans (the former are pretty, high dex, and foresty, all things I like, and humans are broadly effective). And I haven't ever actually played a tabaxi yet, but I can't say no to cat people.
Firbolg is my favourite, I fell in love with them when I first cracked open Volo's, and the love has grown ever since. I really like the lore of the race and find it interesting to play off of different aspects of nature while using them. It can give you Druidic flavour to any class, through just the look, abilities and lore without needing to play Druid -- and since I play Druid a lot, it's not a bad thing to get out my own wheelhouse. Of course my current Firbolg is a Druid, but... You know... Had to combine my favourites. :P
I also like the flavour of Genasi, but I haven't gotten to bring mine into a campaign yet.
In general I avoid humans, I like to explore the fantasy of some other race with an interesting lore to build off of, and I figure I can play humans in pretty much Every Other Game Ever, so it's not my thing.
TO PLAY AS - And why!
Do you pick it because you like the race?
Do you pick it to Min/Max?
DO you pick it to fit the campaign theme or you and friends decided an 'All "X" party' etc?
Do you pick it just cause?!
Be detailed, perhaps your insight and reasoning will show a side of a race to someone who never thought they'd wanna play that race!
(only official races listed, and all sub-species compiled into a whole, I.E. All Genasi, regardless of element are Genasi, though you can specify what element in your post!)
Occassional Dungeon Master.
I don't get to play a character very often (my ratio of sessions that I DM to session I am a player during is about 300:1), but when I do I end up selecting the race of my character for simple reasons.
Either I pick human because of the mechanical advantages (used to pick it for it being the only way to have unlimited potential level in whatever class I decided to play, and now I just happen to like the +1 to all ability scores and a choice of language over most other race's features), or I pick elf, kenku, lizardman, or orc (or any other far from 'regular human' race that a setting might allow that doesn't carry the stigma that some races (example: tiefling) are unfairly burdened with, such as warforged or what have you) so that I can explore the non-human mindset of the character (for example: an elven character I once played felt that the 'big bad guy' of the campaign wasn't enough of a threat to worry about at the time of the campaign because, being human, he was likely to be dead soon - and by soon, my character meant within a century which he was treating like a human might treat a year or two).
Aasimar - Because of their celestial powers
Tiefling - Because of their fiendish powers
Elves - Because they are sexy
Dragonborn - Because well... they are freakin Dragons
Human - Because I'm human and we are awesome
"Lawful Good does not always mean Lawful Nice."
When I choose a race, it based on a combination of liking the race and beneficial racial modifiers for the character's class. For instance, my latest character is a Tabaxi rogue/warlock. Several races would work well for rogue/warlock, but it came down to that I really wanted to play a Tabaxi in the campaign. I wanted to play a Tabaxi since Volo's guide came out, and the new campaign I'm in gave me my first chance to play one. If I was trying to pick the most optimal race, it likely would have been between Human Variant for added duel wielding feat or the Tiefling for +2 charisma and free darkness once a day spell.
There isn't a wrong way to choose a race. Choosing a race that doesn't naturally fit a class can make for an interesting character. For instance if you watch Critical Role, Jester's and Fjord's races don't match the conventional wisdom as the best races for a cleric or warlock, yet both characters work and look like a lot of fun to role play.
If you are min/maxing, it is hard to pass up Human Variant for the first level feat. Certain classes and styles of play benefit greatly from some of the feats. The dual wielding feat would have given my character a +1 bump to AC and allow me to dual wield a 1D8 weapon (rapier) instead of a 1D6 weapons.
I went with half-elf and human (of course intending the variant version).
I think these two races are the best most flexible races that you can't go wrong with picking for any class. Of course there are other races that may be better for certain classes but for simplicity half-elf and variant humans are good for pretty much any class.
Forest gnomes because they’re short elves.
Ever since my days of Elfquest, I have always loved elves. Lord of the Rings just made them even more awesome. I also like the little people: dwarves, gnomes and halflings. My first game of AD&D was simple as far as races go. We were just humans, elves and dwarves. Since then, they always seem the best. The other options seem exotic almost, but I still love the classics.
Humans (variant) time and again, I love the feat (which can be a real power boost) but I just like playing them, they rarely ever "don't fit" in a campaign, stats boosts are ok and can be a godsend when you roll a load of odd numbers, some extra little bonuses which can be useful but also I just find I do better when RPing humans otherwise I find myself becoming a "Grumpy Scottish Dwarf" or another cliché.
I have enjoyed rolling with an Aasimar Paladin too though, thematically it works and a little variety is good too.
Vhon - Level 2 Warlock - What shall become of the Drunken Sailor?
Lyreis - Level 6 Elf Fighter - Eberron: Omega
DM - Dzenda: The Cracks - DM - Dzenda: Whispered Tales
Elves.
I grew up reading Tolkien, and fell in love with the race. I prefer to play them only because I like the race, and not to min/max any particular class. I think I just enjoy the Tolkien take on them -- their history, proclivity towards nature, dexterous abilities, etc.
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
I made the promise to myself early in my D&D career to never play human. To me, playing something I already am is boring.
I favor dwarves over all the other races because I love their society structure and how hearty they are. I would go Dragonborn second, Aasimar third, and Goliath fourth.
Yup. Pretty much that.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
I tend to gravitate toward elves and humans (the former are pretty, high dex, and foresty, all things I like, and humans are broadly effective). And I haven't ever actually played a tabaxi yet, but I can't say no to cat people.
Why No wayfinder guide to ebberon content. But i love teiflings and Half-elves
Elliott Neve
Firbolg is my favourite, I fell in love with them when I first cracked open Volo's, and the love has grown ever since. I really like the lore of the race and find it interesting to play off of different aspects of nature while using them. It can give you Druidic flavour to any class, through just the look, abilities and lore without needing to play Druid -- and since I play Druid a lot, it's not a bad thing to get out my own wheelhouse. Of course my current Firbolg is a Druid, but... You know... Had to combine my favourites. :P
I also like the flavour of Genasi, but I haven't gotten to bring mine into a campaign yet.
In general I avoid humans, I like to explore the fantasy of some other race with an interesting lore to build off of, and I figure I can play humans in pretty much Every Other Game Ever, so it's not my thing.