I guess it depends on how far you want to take it. You could do a Goliath Innkeeper, and then you would have a giant of a person who would be difficult to intimidate due to their size. If you want to take it even further however; Maybe this particular inn is owned and operated by a demon or devil who decided that it being a typical demon or devil was just so much work, and so awfully exhausting. And then, for whatever reason, they ended up owning an inn. Eventually, people became used to it and just decided that it wasn't the worst innkeeper they had ever had.
I would consider a dragonborn innkeeper a real oddity. They can be very intimidating. They look ridiculous wearing a dirty apron. They can be their own bouncer. They might tend to have booming voices so the answers they provide to questions are not so confidential; so you might overhear a good rumor, or everyone in the tavern might realize you are looking for Sgt Smith.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Big so not easily intimidated. Fluffy so not too intimidating itself.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond. Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ thisFAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Why not a Tortle? They have a ton of knowledge but are known to speak in round about ways. You could easily present them as a storied traveler who finally settled down. Their natural AC is insane! They aren't afraid of anything. I remember a painful interaction of trying to ask for directions...
"So I go left?"
"That depends, are you sure of where you are going?"
"NO. That's why I'm asking you if its left or right!"
"You must first determine if you want to go left or right before I can tell you if you should go left or right.
"AHHHH!!! I'm trying to go to So and So Town."
"So and So Town? Well that's a great place. One time I..."
If you're going the weird route, I'd say maybe a tortle or a locathah. Or if you're allowing them in your world, a loxodon, centaur, or heck a warforged would be funny. To have the barkeeper who doesn't knwo what any of the food tastes like. For a pain in the butt though, I would say maybe a grung, or a very talkative gnome
What race would you recommend as a pain the butt innkeeper? Something that can not be intimated but also something that can be very helpful if need.
every race meets your criteria...its the NPC's personality, not their ancestry that matter...you can get the exact same thing from a goliath or a gnome.
Because dragonlord2488 typed the words, 'Kobold' and 'two'...
Two kobolds. They take turns standing on each other's shoulders.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
What race would you recommend as a pain the butt innkeeper? Something that can not be intimated but also something that can be very helpful if need.
every race meets your criteria...its the NPC's personality, not their ancestry that matter...you can get the exact same thing from a goliath or a gnome.
I have a hard time imagining a Gnome physically producing the sounds a Goliath's chest could make in terms of depth.
But yeah, personality is an individual property, not a racial one.
You could argue that some races are more difficult to intimidate (Tortle and Goliath comes to mind out of sheer defense or size, respectively) but I think on the whole anyone could.
Therein lies the question: How would a person that one would expect to be easier to intimidate be able to be a difficult person in charge but also helpful?
What kind of weird mix of origin and personality (and, maybe, abilities) can you imagine that qualifies for being difficult but also helpful - someone that a person would not expect?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
Any former adventurer could be helpful and would be preferred in many cases as they would appreciate the difficulties your adventurers are navigating.
Likewise, any former adventurer could be a pain in the butt provided the class disparity wasn't too large. For example, a former 6th level Bard that gave it up for the easy town/city life might think better of the idea of becoming a deliberate annoyance to a 14th level Barbarian. Yea, the Bard could pull some stunts, but the Barbarian is going to Bring his A-Game if he realizes the Bard is being a pain in his side. The Bard probably doesn't want to become three inches shorter.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
Anyone that formerly specialized in consitution would be my addition
People like warlocks who have a spirit haunting them and aren't totally insane or alchemists who experiment with venoms and need to be immune to everything. Warriors that tanked, healers that have seen war, melee people that fought mages, preists that expeled demons. All stories where it could have gone terribly wrong but somehow they got to where they are.
All are great "I was once a..." story for inn keepers that would have tons of worldly knowledge but be very closed about it. Consitution is the defining trait of "ive seen/done it all, you don't scare me"
Ok, maybe it is not the funniest race or the most annoying, but I am going with a Hobgolbin fighter(samurai) that is lawful neutral. He has a set a rules on the wall, if you don't follow them you either get a long sword up the ... or an cross bow bolt where is does not shine. He runs the establishment as a serious business, but flowers keeps popping up from no where. Every-time he turns around he thinks he see a second shadow. Don't want to say more, becuase it will spoil adventure. Also dirty dishes disappear and appears later washed and clean.
What race would you recommend as a pain the butt innkeeper? Something that can not be intimated but also something that can be very helpful if need.
I guess it depends on how far you want to take it. You could do a Goliath Innkeeper, and then you would have a giant of a person who would be difficult to intimidate due to their size. If you want to take it even further however; Maybe this particular inn is owned and operated by a demon or devil who decided that it being a typical demon or devil was just so much work, and so awfully exhausting. And then, for whatever reason, they ended up owning an inn. Eventually, people became used to it and just decided that it wasn't the worst innkeeper they had ever had.
I would consider a dragonborn innkeeper a real oddity. They can be very intimidating. They look ridiculous wearing a dirty apron. They can be their own bouncer. They might tend to have booming voices so the answers they provide to questions are not so confidential; so you might overhear a good rumor, or everyone in the tavern might realize you are looking for Sgt Smith.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
I'll go less exotic: dwarves are a classic for stubborn, pain-in-the-butt characters, so you can't go wrong with them.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
I have a silver Dragonborn working in the cellar doing the meat butchering.. :)
Bugbear
Big so not easily intimidated. Fluffy so not too intimidating itself.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Why not a Tortle? They have a ton of knowledge but are known to speak in round about ways. You could easily present them as a storied traveler who finally settled down. Their natural AC is insane! They aren't afraid of anything. I remember a painful interaction of trying to ask for directions...
"So I go left?"
"That depends, are you sure of where you are going?"
"NO. That's why I'm asking you if its left or right!"
"You must first determine if you want to go left or right before I can tell you if you should go left or right.
"AHHHH!!! I'm trying to go to So and So Town."
"So and So Town? Well that's a great place. One time I..."
Halflings gain advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Does this apply to Intimidation skill used on a halfling?
A pain in the butt short pint who rolls behind the bar on a wheeled stool...
If you're going the weird route, I'd say maybe a tortle or a locathah. Or if you're allowing them in your world, a loxodon, centaur, or heck a warforged would be funny. To have the barkeeper who doesn't knwo what any of the food tastes like.
For a pain in the butt though, I would say maybe a grung, or a very talkative gnome
Minotaur - hang the rag he washes the glasses with over his horn.
every race meets your criteria...its the NPC's personality, not their ancestry that matter...you can get the exact same thing from a goliath or a gnome.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
I would go with a Kobold. One, it would be completely unexpected and two, it would be hilarious.
Because dragonlord2488 typed the words, 'Kobold' and 'two'...
Two kobolds. They take turns standing on each other's shoulders.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I have a hard time imagining a Gnome physically producing the sounds a Goliath's chest could make in terms of depth.
But yeah, personality is an individual property, not a racial one.
You could argue that some races are more difficult to intimidate (Tortle and Goliath comes to mind out of sheer defense or size, respectively) but I think on the whole anyone could.
Therein lies the question: How would a person that one would expect to be easier to intimidate be able to be a difficult person in charge but also helpful?
What kind of weird mix of origin and personality (and, maybe, abilities) can you imagine that qualifies for being difficult but also helpful - someone that a person would not expect?
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
Any former adventurer could be helpful and would be preferred in many cases as they would appreciate the difficulties your adventurers are navigating.
Likewise, any former adventurer could be a pain in the butt provided the class disparity wasn't too large. For example, a former 6th level Bard that gave it up for the easy town/city life might think better of the idea of becoming a deliberate annoyance to a 14th level Barbarian. Yea, the Bard could pull some stunts, but the Barbarian is going to Bring his A-Game if he realizes the Bard is being a pain in his side. The Bard probably doesn't want to become three inches shorter.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
I like the adventurer idea!!
Anyone that formerly specialized in consitution would be my addition
People like warlocks who have a spirit haunting them and aren't totally insane or alchemists who experiment with venoms and need to be immune to everything. Warriors that tanked, healers that have seen war, melee people that fought mages, preists that expeled demons. All stories where it could have gone terribly wrong but somehow they got to where they are.
All are great "I was once a..." story for inn keepers that would have tons of worldly knowledge but be very closed about it. Consitution is the defining trait of "ive seen/done it all, you don't scare me"
Centaur!
An awakened apple tree.
Ok, maybe it is not the funniest race or the most annoying, but I am going with a Hobgolbin fighter(samurai) that is lawful neutral. He has a set a rules on the wall, if you don't follow them you either get a long sword up the ... or an cross bow bolt where is does not shine. He runs the establishment as a serious business, but flowers keeps popping up from no where. Every-time he turns around he thinks he see a second shadow. Don't want to say more, becuase it will spoil adventure. Also dirty dishes disappear and appears later washed and clean.