Homebrewing Your Own Playable Race - Campaign Creator #18

We take a look at how you can go about creating your own custom playable race for your campaign or role-playing games. We make use of World Anvil, which helps us achieve this in an easy and structured manner.

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[lukebiltcliffe]

I was literally about to make a homebrew race and then this pops up.

[saltefan]

A very good template I tend to use:
+3 to stat increases, no more than +2 to one stat
Two useful features/abilities
One ribbon feature
Two languages
Medium or Small size
Small races get an additional ribbon to compensate for the restricted athletics/str. weapon usage and lesser speed

[MegaMawileTheNommer]

In my world, thanks to the players, there are high ogres, high orcs, and high goblins. These are uplifted variations but with their mental debuffs mostly removed. The homeland of these species went from a brutish mine to the art capital of the entire world. The ogres are ugly but regal beings, the orcs are wise fast talkers, and the goblins have taken to the role of experts. They may be short lived, but their minds are sharp.

[Melantrist]

"This increase last for 1d4 hours... because that's how long an orgy usually lasts for..." Guy seems to be quite informed in the debauchery&degeneracy department, a man of culture indeed!

[susandekker]

I'm from SA myself, and being a DM, I truly look up to you and all of your work. Thank you for all your effort

[derkrischa]

I created a Race of magicaly changed dwarfs (becouse my evil empire in the past was evil) which are slimmer, a bit less hardy but are very resistant to all magic. No matter if its a healing spell or a damadge spell, they half its effect.
When the dwarfs found them, the "secret service" tried to eradicate them, to hide that the dwarven highkings let such torture and experiments happen to their people. Now the Jahikai, as they are called now, roam the seas and rivers in little flotillas as merchants, staying far away from the mountains, to not let the dwarven hardliners finish the job...

[TaleChef]

Aquatic elves are in 5e. They’re called Sea Elves and their stats are in Mordenkainen’s

[DominickRiesland]

When considering a new race, I ask two questions:
1. Why hasn't this race been wiped out by everyone else?
2. Why hasn't this race conquered everyone else?

If those two questions can't be answered, the race needs work before being let in.

[blesper]

Sea elves exist in 5e as a player race on page 62 of Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

[Georin]

I'm making an anthropomorphic pig race based on legalistic yankee traders for a homebrew Wild West style campaign.

You can find Sea Elf options on page 62 of Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.

[nickwilliams]

I'd say the fundamental question you need to ask yourself is, "Why do I _need_ a homebrewed playable race?"

If you don't have a good answer to this question (ie. "This race will embody an important theme in the setting." or, "The nature of the race will explain how a particular setting element came to exist.") then don't bother.

A good example might be the Verrik in Monte Cook's "Arcana Unearthed" for 3e. Completely invented race. No basis for it in folklore or fiction. But the Verrik were the inventors/discoverers of two of the playable classes (Witch and Akashic). The setting _needed_ some origin for these unique classes and the Verrik provided it.

[gyrrakavian]

I've been toying with the idea of a race of beetle people.
Sure, they'll have flight, but it will probably match or even be slower than their walking speed.

[ValeriaCorvina]

Satyrs: +5 bonus to Athletics skill checks made for climbing

[SkySpiderGirl]

I have a Sorcerer pixie named Peanut and I always make sure to stay in the combat zones and never abuse the fact that I can fly. As a mutual balance I decided to put upon myself without the DM even having to say so. He thanked me for it and appreciates it. I think it helped him settle into the fact that I wanted the race, and now seems comfortable

[martaneon]

I designed a race called Stormkin. They're closely related to Storm Giants which are very important in my world. Stormkin get bonuses to Strength and Charisma. They also have the Powerful Build feature and resistance to both thunder and lightning. Now the part I had real trouble with was that I wanted them to have devastating storm based attacks. I ended up settling on giving it the Shocking Grasp cantrip and then at level 3 can cast Thunder Wave and at level 5 can cast Shatter (based of the Legacy feature of the Tiefling). They were designed by the Storm Giants to maintain order in the world. Their appearance is pleasant, especially to children. They look like pale clouds trapped in a glass humanoid body and the clouds darken when they use their spell attacks. One of players is currently playing a Stormkin samurai. It's kinda cool seeing my samurai cast Shatter on a horde of enemies before going in to cut bitches up.

[Sabamonster]

I have a homebrew race called Telves. Have tiefling, half elf. Works out really well in the social construct side of things be cause they literally fit into no cliques, groups or societal categories. Not only is the internal blood looked at with scepticism but elves are repulsed because of the union that had to take place for it to happen. One of my players had/made an amazing encounter when dealing with the Elven Royal Court, literally took 7 months (9 sessions) to get to a point where he and the Vizier could speak to one another without undertones of condescension or straight out vitriol.

[andysimmons]

Another excellent video, Guy. And kudos for your knowledge of Bacchasian orgies.

I’ve never created homebrew races in any of my rpgs although I did run a Star Trek game using the old Traveller New Era rules. I simply modified the player stats, nothing more than that. Your video is a lot more comprehensive.

[APPYuGiChannel]

I'm really enjoying this series on making your own campaign setting. It's inspired me so much that I'm back DMing for the first time in 2 years. Thankyou!

[TheKjacosta]

I made a Race called "Moglo" In a nutshell, A monster with brown fur with a mask as big as the body and they have more Charisma then the half ton man

[tigerclaw]

This finally means I can be a magic blanket!!! 🥺🥺❤❤ The ultimate healer!