Ok, so this question started mostly due to a joke my players made in regards to how humans obviously are compatible with damn well nearly every other race.
Whether it's Half-Dragon, Half-Orc, Aasimar, Tiefling, or hell some undead (looking at you Dhampir) it seems that humans simply can't stop themselves from needing to prove that they are the most prolific and bardic species in all the realms.
Enter my question. Granted I'm by far no means a geneticist, however what would take to create a creature that could qualify to be seen (at least on a genetic level) as a member of EVERY race..
I think it would be funny if any item that would require a particular racial "bloodline" they would have rights to
Unless of course it was also of a particular heritage (say a noble or some other specific bloodline)
That aside.
I also think it would be funny for such a character to go over to said Holy Mcguffin and be like "Fool my great great grand Pa was an Angel" only to grab the Profane Mcguffin and be "and my Great great aunt was a devil!"
This would continue ad infinitum much to the annoyance of the other outsiders.
His one weakness
Rangers: I have favored enemy Un..
Him : Shit that's me...
Ranger gives a confused look. "You don't look undead..."
Him "Racist"
Perhaps this idea is flawed on its premise but I would like to see if it would be possible, if only for the laughs.
But that's just the thing...in a world filled with magic, are they really infertile? I've never see anything suggesting they are, especially when you consider consider how somewhat common these races seem to be.
I'll note that a disproportionate number of the races are, ultimately, a type of human or potentially a type of human:
1. Tieflings were originally humans who were twisted by magic.
2. All the lineages--Dhamphir, Hexblood, and Reborn--can be made from humans.
3. Genasi are human stock crossed with elementals.
4. Aasimar are humans that have been granted extra powers by a celestial.
5. Yuan-ti are humans that twisted themselves with snake magic.
6. Kalashtar are humans that have another soul from a long-lost empire fused with themselves.
7. Shifters are rumoured to have human ancestors.
Beyond that, we have Half-Elves and Half-Orcs, which means Humans can produce offspring with Orcs and Elves. In other editions it was made clear that these offspring were viable, and could reproduce themselves.
As a biologist, this question has always interested me. I eventually came to the conclusion that most of the races are some variation or "breed" of human, like breeds of dogs or cats for instance. Genetically, they are all compatible, but rarely do you see a Great Dane mixing with a Chihuahua; likewise, you don't see too many Halfling-Orc hybrids or gnomish giants.
I stand by my policy that any attempt to reconcile real world science with a fantasy world full of magic will never end satisfactorily, especially one where the rules are based on game balance and flavored with fairy tales. Any similarities between how things work in D&D and the real world are entirely coincidental, right down to fundamental forces like gravity (if you don't believe me do some reading on the Astral Sea).
That being said, the OP's idea for a concept and a villain is amusing in a silly way, though it would beg the question of how many humans are the same way because they can mate with just about everything as a result of the "adaptability" as a distinguishing gimmick assigned to humans of many fantasy/sci-fi settings. When a race can breed with anything that so much as looks vaguely similar to it you're going to have a lot of stray genetic threads twisted around the population after a few centuries.
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Ok, so this question started mostly due to a joke my players made in regards to how humans obviously are compatible with damn well nearly every other race.
Whether it's Half-Dragon, Half-Orc, Aasimar, Tiefling, or hell some undead (looking at you Dhampir) it seems that humans simply can't stop themselves from needing to prove that they are the most prolific and bardic species in all the realms.
Enter my question. Granted I'm by far no means a geneticist, however what would take to create a creature that could qualify to be seen (at least on a genetic level) as a member of EVERY race..
I think it would be funny if any item that would require a particular racial "bloodline" they would have rights to
Unless of course it was also of a particular heritage (say a noble or some other specific bloodline)
That aside.
I also think it would be funny for such a character to go over to said Holy Mcguffin and be like "Fool my great great grand Pa was an Angel" only to grab the Profane Mcguffin and be "and my Great great aunt was a devil!"
This would continue ad infinitum much to the annoyance of the other outsiders.
His one weakness
Rangers: I have favored enemy Un..
Him : Shit that's me...
Ranger gives a confused look. "You don't look undead..."
Him "Racist"
Perhaps this idea is flawed on its premise but I would like to see if it would be possible, if only for the laughs.
If half-human half whatevers are infertile, it could reasonable humans are just humans.
That said I love the idea that in fantasy worlds, humans are every species at once.
My homebrew content: Monsters, subclasses, Magic items, Feats, spells, races, backgrounds
But that's just the thing...in a world filled with magic, are they really infertile? I've never see anything suggesting they are, especially when you consider consider how somewhat common these races seem to be.
I'll note that a disproportionate number of the races are, ultimately, a type of human or potentially a type of human:
1. Tieflings were originally humans who were twisted by magic.
2. All the lineages--Dhamphir, Hexblood, and Reborn--can be made from humans.
3. Genasi are human stock crossed with elementals.
4. Aasimar are humans that have been granted extra powers by a celestial.
5. Yuan-ti are humans that twisted themselves with snake magic.
6. Kalashtar are humans that have another soul from a long-lost empire fused with themselves.
7. Shifters are rumoured to have human ancestors.
Beyond that, we have Half-Elves and Half-Orcs, which means Humans can produce offspring with Orcs and Elves. In other editions it was made clear that these offspring were viable, and could reproduce themselves.
As a biologist, this question has always interested me. I eventually came to the conclusion that most of the races are some variation or "breed" of human, like breeds of dogs or cats for instance. Genetically, they are all compatible, but rarely do you see a Great Dane mixing with a Chihuahua; likewise, you don't see too many Halfling-Orc hybrids or gnomish giants.
In Xanathar's Guide to Everything, it shows that half-elves can have two half-elven parents.
pm me the word "tomato"
she/her
I stand by my policy that any attempt to reconcile real world science with a fantasy world full of magic will never end satisfactorily, especially one where the rules are based on game balance and flavored with fairy tales. Any similarities between how things work in D&D and the real world are entirely coincidental, right down to fundamental forces like gravity (if you don't believe me do some reading on the Astral Sea).
That being said, the OP's idea for a concept and a villain is amusing in a silly way, though it would beg the question of how many humans are the same way because they can mate with just about everything as a result of the "adaptability" as a distinguishing gimmick assigned to humans of many fantasy/sci-fi settings. When a race can breed with anything that so much as looks vaguely similar to it you're going to have a lot of stray genetic threads twisted around the population after a few centuries.