I've got the VGTM quite recently, and while I like most of the races and the monsters presented (the lore was a no-go), something about the firbolg bothers me. Shouldn't it?
1st edition Firbolg.
2nd edition Firbolg
3.X Firbolg.
5e Firbolg. Something seems off. Also, while powerful build is a good replacement for large size, I personally don't like the refluffing and the image of them. Also, they are supposed to be giantkin. So giant type. Not humanoid type.
Thanks for hearing me rant, give your opinions if you want to.
The 5e version is more visually interesting than 1e/2e/3.x, and while I don't know about the older fluff, I don't mind it in 5e.
As for typing, WotC seems to be intent on keeping all players as humanoids. Personally, I'd add something like "you are considered both a humanoid and a giant, and when an effect affects humanoids and giants differently, you can choose which type you are for the purpose of that effect." if you really want to treat them as giants.
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In previous fluff (3.x because I don't check the rest, firbolgs are reclusive giantkin who rejected the ordning and basically live as barbarians. In 5e they are druidic.
I hate, hate, hate, hate into infinity the "new" firbolg. I put that in quotes because it's not really a firbolg at all, it's an oversized bloody gnome.
I genuinely don't understand why they did this. There was simply no need for it. It's the equivalent of taking a tarrasque and turning it into a turnip, as the official version, just because. There was no clamouring demand for the firbolg as a playable race. Most people didn't even know the race existed. So there was no need to shoehorn it into this edition, and cripple and maim it in order to fit a medium-size race requirement. None of it makes any sense. They could've, much more easily and without pissing off fans of the previous edition TRUE firbolgs, just called it, "Stupidgnomelookingthing", since it's essentially an entirely new race with the firbolg moniker slapped on it for no logical reason.
I.. I.. actually really like 5e Firbolgs, I always found earlier edition versions to be kind of vanilla visually and just looked like a Marvel Super Hero human. 5e Firbolgs look very interesting and with the right amount of imagination or art skills can still look pretty damn fierce. Just because the example art looks passive doesn't mean you can't make an awesome snarling beard warrior.
the 5e version we got, is not the original version, they are a fey touched variant, basically from those who spend a generation or more in the fey wilds, made them more fey like, lore wise the original non fey like firbolg do still exist
I assume that it's because I'm new to D&D and my biggest exposure to the race is from Critical Role, but I love the new Firbolgs. Having looked at the past versions, I get the disdain, but they've become a favorite of mine.
Seems to me what you're looking for is more like the Goliath, rather than the Furbolg.
Personally, I like the 5e Firbolgs in concept, but their execution is... lacking. For starters, the only class that even sort of meshes with their racial ASIs (+2 Wis, +1 Str) is the Blood Hunter. Thematically, Firbolgs and Blood Hunters couldn't be more different if they tried. This pretty much sticks you with playing a Wisdom class (Cleric, Druid, maybe Ranger at a stretch). The innate spellcasting kind of pigeon-holes you into either Druid or Nature Domain Cleric.
I think that Firbolgs make excellent choices for Druids due to their non ability score traits. Also, they would be a good choice for any Cleric that wants to actually use their divine strike class ability or in low level games where you don't have enough spell slots to always use spells. Finally, there are plenty of ways to build melee Rangers using strength instead of dexterity. And those are just the classes that are optimal. You could also certainly build effective melee martial characters that don't rely too strongly on their secondary stats. Finally, even for a bloodhunter, they're not completely optimal, since the strength and wisdom bonus are reversed from what you'd actually want (strength highest and wisdom afterwards).
To me, you could interpret Firbolgs as their classical look (essentially giant-blood humanoids) of you're going for a less animalistic appearance.
This latest interpretation, I believe, assumes that the ancient firbolgs settled into parts of the Feywild; thus were suffused with the nature magics common to those territories.
This gave them this rather bovine-like look.
Since not every firbolg does this, though, you might still have those humanoid firbolgs wandering around.
I know WotC does not have to follow mythology. However, Irish mythology describes Firbolg to be more like Goliaths (and earlier D&D versions) vs. what they have done in 5e.
"Fir" is the word for Men, and "Balog" is a type of spear. They were just ordinary people, maybe slightly bigger, since they were described as tall. I think they get a little too much stuff, but that's between WotC and Hasbro.
Quire possible the Twilight Giant's series of books may have some bearing on the "new" look and theme. Also, GiantKIN are not Giants and in most of the FR lore, Barbarians (huge humans from the north) approach the same size, so the size and look might be getting a lot of influence from the books written. I like them, myself and have seen potential for a LOT of class options, so the claim that ANY race "pigeon-holes" players into a class is simply power-gaming and I ignore it. Any race for any class and make it work.
Firbolg Rogue, who makes those important Wis saves when caught in the act? Maybe a Sorcerer whose magic started weak (innate spells) and burst out causing them to take up the vocation. A lack of imagination is the only limit of race/class being fun and functional. Naturally power gamers will need to get the right stats for the class they pick, which is why they all got wood when the ability to shift scores came out. Lets them wear the skin they want and still have TeH OtImaZigAtionAL StAtZZ!
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Ah, yes. Of course, because D&D is always mythologically accurate. And so of course you can see that they are both druidic and giantish from the original folklore. Of course.
I've got the VGTM quite recently, and while I like most of the races and the monsters presented (the lore was a no-go), something about the firbolg bothers me. Shouldn't it?
1st edition Firbolg.
2nd edition Firbolg
3.X Firbolg.
5e Firbolg. Something seems off. Also, while powerful build is a good replacement for large size, I personally don't like the refluffing and the image of them. Also, they are supposed to be giantkin. So giant type. Not humanoid type.
Thanks for hearing me rant, give your opinions if you want to.
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The 5e version is more visually interesting than 1e/2e/3.x, and while I don't know about the older fluff, I don't mind it in 5e.
As for typing, WotC seems to be intent on keeping all players as humanoids. Personally, I'd add something like "you are considered both a humanoid and a giant, and when an effect affects humanoids and giants differently, you can choose which type you are for the purpose of that effect." if you really want to treat them as giants.
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In previous fluff (3.x because I don't check the rest, firbolgs are reclusive giantkin who rejected the ordning and basically live as barbarians. In 5e they are druidic.
Just an average metalhead who plays DnD in his spare time.
PbP Character: Roberta Thalan, Void Beyond the Stars Otherside
PbP Character: Primus Eidolon, Eotha 2
PbP Character: Usmor Illiqai, Tomb of Corrosion
PbP Character: "Templar" Danver, You're the Villains
Homebrew stuff
So Basically the BFG then?
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#6321 on Discord.
I was hoping for a revamp of the older Firbolg, but I can live with the change. I just think of them looking more like the 2e version
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I hate, hate, hate, hate into infinity the "new" firbolg. I put that in quotes because it's not really a firbolg at all, it's an oversized bloody gnome.
I genuinely don't understand why they did this. There was simply no need for it. It's the equivalent of taking a tarrasque and turning it into a turnip, as the official version, just because. There was no clamouring demand for the firbolg as a playable race. Most people didn't even know the race existed. So there was no need to shoehorn it into this edition, and cripple and maim it in order to fit a medium-size race requirement. None of it makes any sense. They could've, much more easily and without pissing off fans of the previous edition TRUE firbolgs, just called it, "Stupidgnomelookingthing", since it's essentially an entirely new race with the firbolg moniker slapped on it for no logical reason.
It honestly pisses me off.
Here's a PROPER 5e interpretation of the firbolg, but as a monster: https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/17543-firbolg
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YESSS!
Someone shares my opinion!
Also, I like the new firbolg. It fits them quite well.
Just an average metalhead who plays DnD in his spare time.
PbP Character: Roberta Thalan, Void Beyond the Stars Otherside
PbP Character: Primus Eidolon, Eotha 2
PbP Character: Usmor Illiqai, Tomb of Corrosion
PbP Character: "Templar" Danver, You're the Villains
Homebrew stuff
I.. I.. actually really like 5e Firbolgs, I always found earlier edition versions to be kind of vanilla visually and just looked like a Marvel Super Hero human. 5e Firbolgs look very interesting and with the right amount of imagination or art skills can still look pretty damn fierce. Just because the example art looks passive doesn't mean you can't make an awesome snarling beard warrior.
<3
the 5e version we got, is not the original version, they are a fey touched variant, basically from those who spend a generation or more in the fey wilds, made them more fey like, lore wise the original non fey like firbolg do still exist
I assume that it's because I'm new to D&D and my biggest exposure to the race is from Critical Role, but I love the new Firbolgs. Having looked at the past versions, I get the disdain, but they've become a favorite of mine.
Seems to me what you're looking for is more like the Goliath, rather than the Furbolg.
Personally, I like the 5e Firbolgs in concept, but their execution is... lacking. For starters, the only class that even sort of meshes with their racial ASIs (+2 Wis, +1 Str) is the Blood Hunter. Thematically, Firbolgs and Blood Hunters couldn't be more different if they tried. This pretty much sticks you with playing a Wisdom class (Cleric, Druid, maybe Ranger at a stretch). The innate spellcasting kind of pigeon-holes you into either Druid or Nature Domain Cleric.
I think that Firbolgs make excellent choices for Druids due to their non ability score traits. Also, they would be a good choice for any Cleric that wants to actually use their divine strike class ability or in low level games where you don't have enough spell slots to always use spells. Finally, there are plenty of ways to build melee Rangers using strength instead of dexterity. And those are just the classes that are optimal. You could also certainly build effective melee martial characters that don't rely too strongly on their secondary stats. Finally, even for a bloodhunter, they're not completely optimal, since the strength and wisdom bonus are reversed from what you'd actually want (strength highest and wisdom afterwards).
To me, you could interpret Firbolgs as their classical look (essentially giant-blood humanoids) of you're going for a less animalistic appearance.
This latest interpretation, I believe, assumes that the ancient firbolgs settled into parts of the Feywild; thus were suffused with the nature magics common to those territories.
This gave them this rather bovine-like look.
Since not every firbolg does this, though, you might still have those humanoid firbolgs wandering around.
I know WotC does not have to follow mythology. However, Irish mythology describes Firbolg to be more like Goliaths (and earlier D&D versions) vs. what they have done in 5e.
"Fir" is the word for Men, and "Balog" is a type of spear. They were just ordinary people, maybe slightly bigger, since they were described as tall. I think they get a little too much stuff, but that's between WotC and Hasbro.
<Insert clever signature here>
Quire possible the Twilight Giant's series of books may have some bearing on the "new" look and theme. Also, GiantKIN are not Giants and in most of the FR lore, Barbarians (huge humans from the north) approach the same size, so the size and look might be getting a lot of influence from the books written. I like them, myself and have seen potential for a LOT of class options, so the claim that ANY race "pigeon-holes" players into a class is simply power-gaming and I ignore it. Any race for any class and make it work.
Firbolg Rogue, who makes those important Wis saves when caught in the act? Maybe a Sorcerer whose magic started weak (innate spells) and burst out causing them to take up the vocation. A lack of imagination is the only limit of race/class being fun and functional. Naturally power gamers will need to get the right stats for the class they pick, which is why they all got wood when the ability to shift scores came out. Lets them wear the skin they want and still have TeH OtImaZigAtionAL StAtZZ!
Talk to your Players. Talk to your DM. If more people used this advice, there would be 24.74% fewer threads on Tactics, Rules and DM discussions.
Fir Bolg
Ah, yes. Of course, because D&D is always mythologically accurate. And so of course you can see that they are both druidic and giantish from the original folklore. Of course.
this is sarcasm.
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