How the races see each other? - General Discussion - D&D Beyond General - D&D Beyond Forums (2024)

Chapter two of the basic rules discusses how the core races see each other (Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Half-Elf, Halfling, Half-Orc, Human, and Tiefling). However, I am not finding how the other races see many of the less known races. I understand that as the DM I can do whatever I want but I am trying to start from the core rules and adjust as needed for my world. So I was wondering how yousee the social beliefs of the lesser-known races as written?

For example, are all Kenku seen as criminals by the other races? How about the goblinoids? Are people even aware of the Gith orAasimar?

(Changeling, Kalashtar, Shifter, and Warforged ...Eberron)

(Aarakocra, Genasi, and Goliath ...Elemental Evils)

(Centaur, Loxodon, Minotaur, Simic Hybrid, and Vedalken ...Guildmater's Guide)

(Aetherborn, Aven, Khenra, Kor, Merfolk, Naga, Siren, and Vampire ...Plane Shifts)

(Aasimar, Bugbear, Firbolg, Goblin, Hobgoblin, Kenku, Kobold, Lizardfolk, Orc, Tabaxi, Triton, and Yuan-ti Pureblood ... Volo's Guide to Monsters)

Gith (Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes), Locathah (Locathah Rising), Tortle (Tortle Package), and Verdan (Acquisitions Incorporated)

This is almost entirely up to the DM (even the guidelines in the PH are fair game to be modded to suit a setting/story). I'll offer a few opinions based on my own campaigns:

• One could probably assume thatsome races/lineages are rare enough that most people might not have interacted with enough individuals to form an overarching opinion.
• "Monstrous" and some other races/lineages (Bugbears, Goblins, Hobgoblins, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Non-Eberron Orcs, Yuan-Ti, Vampires, Gith) would probably be feared or even attacked in some societies due to their appearance and historical opposition to/rejection of/preying on other societies
• Races/lineages whosehistory or origins are tied to a traumatic event might be feared or distrusted(possibly Warforged)
• Races/lineages whose abilities go into supernatural might be judged based on those differenced and how they are perceived by society (so Changelings, Shifters, and Verdan might be distrusted due to their changeable natures/abilities,Genasi might be treated differently based on their genie ancestry (I would bet Air Genasi and water Genasi might get a better reception than Fire Genasi since their abilities are less destructive)
• Society might be wary of races whose physical attributes make them seem more dangerous...claws, horns, and talons might cause a person to be wary of Tabaxi, Minotaurs, and Aarakocra, while the Goliath's immense size might scare some folks, especially small races, or they might not...

All of it, even the ones mentioned in PHB, depends on the setting and how the GM has worked out the world.

For example, in my world which is an alt-Roman Empire, the Aarakocra hail from what we would call Sicily, and were originally conquered by the Carthaginians. The Romans then liberated Sicily, and in gratitude the Aarakocra swore allegiance to the Republic (it wasn't an Empire yet...). The Aarakocra then joined the Roman army and served as scouts and "air power," giving the Romans a huge advantage over their enemies. They helped the Romans win many battles, and in exchange were granted full Roman citizenship. In many wars since, Aarakocra have been the key to Roman victories, so the humans of my world, at least the Roman humans, respect and quite like Aarakocra.

Similarly, Grey Elves from Sardinia and Corsica met the Romans early in the Republic days, and allied with them, eventually getting absorbed into the Empire and becoming full Roman citizens. Grey Elves and Roman humans are generally besties, and mutually respect each other.

On the other hand, the Romans rather brutally conquered the High Elves of what we would call the German forests, and turned them into a tributary region. The Romans have recently lost control of this region. The High Elves do not like humans, or at least Roman humans, and there is if not outright enmity (the High Elves are not stupid enough to start a war with the Romans, even in their weakened state), very little appreciation for humans among the High Elves. In particular, High Elves consider Grey Elves to have betrayed their true heritage by allowing themselves to come under Roman rule, so there is perhaps even more dislike between Grey Elves and High Elves than between Humans and High Elves. For their part, the Grey Elves think the High Elves are smug and haughty (which in truth, they are).

In another world, humans and Aarakocra might hate each other, and humans and elves might love each other. It's all up to the DM.

Quote from Wysperra >>

This has the potential to devolve quickly....

That it does. Let's try to keep it on topic. In my homebrew world this is how the different races view each other:

• Humans view themselves as superior to most races they aren't allied with (they're allied with the halflings and the half-elves, and they treat elves and dwarves as equals)
• Half-elves are generally the same as humans, since they often grow up alongside humans in the same communities
• Halflings appreciate any species as long as they're kind and aren't aggressive. They tend to judge by the individual, not the masses.
• Elves view themselves as custodians of the world, guardians against the chaos and bloodshed that the other races breed. They don't aggress against anyone besides the thri-kreen, who they have bitter rivalry with (the thri-kreen tried to eat them when their races first met)
• Dwarves view other races as either allies (kin), enemies (rivals), or neither (outsiders). They dislike most drow, but ally with them occasionally against the undead that control a large portion of the Underdark
• Half-Orcs usually live in the Wild Tribes alongside human and orc tribe members. They view the residents of Galoron (the main human kingdom) as ruthless warmongers (which their leaders are, at least)
• Gnomes often live alongside the elves at tinkerers, and they view most other races as opportunities for inspiration
• Tieflings are persecuted by the superstitious Wild Tribes and the vengeful humans of Galoron, though they have good reason (demons caused the gods to fade and almost destroyed the world). They only really find peace among the elves, who have lived long enough to know that not all tieflings are "demonspawn"
• Dragonborn are tribal wanderers who are rarely seen but not unwelcome among most other races. More superstitious folk might fear them, but generally, they get along decently with most races besides orcs (in my world, orcs were created by the giants, and giants and dragons are bitter enemies)
• Thri-kreen are a nomadic people with no real home after they were driven from their land by the humans of Galoron. They're distrustful of most outsiders, but don't actively fight other species, including the elves that aggress against them

My campaign has Tieflings as rogue-ish wanderers. I replaced the Vistani with them, they try to hide their horns with fancy hats, hair and ribbons/cloth. The world is still recovering from demon invasion so they assume (sometimes rightly) that folks will have some prejudices.

Dragonborn and Aarakocra haven't been found/rediscoverd yet.

The Elves and Dwarves are currently at war.

Humans and Halflings don't have lands of their own and are residents/citizens of Elf or Dwarf cities. Since they have been living in that condition for hundreds of years they feel cultural ties to whichever city they were raised in.

Quote from Wysperra >>

My campaign has Tieflings as rogue-ish wanderers. I replaced the Vistani with them, they try to hide their horns with fancy hats, hair and ribbons/cloth. The world is still recovering from demon invasion so they assume (sometimes rightly) that folks will have some prejudices.

Dragonborn and Aarakocra haven't been found/rediscoverd yet.

The Elves and Dwarves are currently at war.

Humans and Halflings don't have lands of their own and are residents/citizens of Elf or Dwarf cities. Since they have been living in that condition for hundreds of years they feel cultural ties to whichever city they were raised in.

Galoron, while I call it a human kingdom, truly consists of about 60% humans, 20% half elves, 16% halflings, 2% gnomes, 1% elves and dwarves, and 1% other. Before the Demon War, 106 years before the present day, Galoron, the elves, and the dwarves were firm allies. But during the war, the elves and dwarves gave up hope of victory, the elves retreating to the fey Redbranch Woods, and the dwarves retreating to the Underdark. Galoron would have been destroyed, but the gods sacrificed themselves to push the demons back to the Abyss and seal them there forever.

In the main mountain range of the world, there's pretty much an all out war between the goblinoids, the goliaths, and the changelings/doppelgangers, all who didn't bear much fighting in the war. In the Underdark, there's a war raging between the now most powerful entity in the world, who's the "god" of undead, the isolated dwarf clans, the majority of the drow, and a group of drow who broke off from the rest after Lolth went silent at the end of the Demon War. Only the political skill of the drow's "high priest" keeps the main society of drow from collapsing into chaos.

On the surface, the Wild Tribes and Galoron are at war, since Galoron wants to reclaim its old strength, most of which was demolished in the Demon War. They bore the brunt of the fighting and the toll it took still remains a hundred years later. The tieflings mostly try to hide their identity, because they're often burned to death (an excruciatingly slow and painful process due to their fire resistance) if they're caught. A few of them manage to escape to Redbranch Woods and live out their lives among the elves.

Quote from masterwitchpoly >>

Chapter two of the basic rules discusses how the core races see each other (Dragonborn, Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Half-Elf, Halfling, Half-Orc, Human, and Tiefling). However, I am not finding how the other races see many of the less known races. I understand that as the DM I can do whatever I want but I am trying to start from the core rules and adjust as needed for my world.

You have read the all that the core rules have to say on the matter. They intentionally do not cover this because it is expected to vary from setting to setting, and no one knows how it might work in your setting better than you.

I would probably consider it more of a local thing than an overarching thing, and also related to the longevity of the race. Generally speaking, the older a person becomes, the more they see, but the more they become fixed in their beliefs.

For example, a village comprised of halflings and dwarves, oft visited by humans, would not bat an eye at these races. Races would be considered Exotic if they were not often seen - a Goliath walking into town would cause a stir. A Bugbear in a party of adventurers moreso, for they would have expected the Bugbear to be hostile, not friendly.

Then you get their individual experiences. If they are subject to regular raids from bugbears, then they will be suspicious and hostile to the bugbear. If the traders they trade with have stories of the feats of goliaths, they would be interested in them.

Broad, overarching opinions are the commonplace of the internet era. Linking everyone together gets opinions to spread fast.In a medieval world, one village might have strong opinions on dwarves, whilst a village 100 miles south might be skeptical as to whether they really exist.

"With their eyes."

Heh.

Most of the races are based on stereotypical settings like FR, Greyhawk, Mystreia. Especially since most of the races are functionallysocieties and kingdomsas well. Its hard to separate the idea of the elven race writeup from elven kingdoms. Even the genasi are tied to stereotypes from Al-Qadim (fantasy Arabian nights kingdom) and the genie courts.

The only exception would be a few of the niche beast lineages, and then? Tabaxi are cat stereotyped, kenku get stereotyped as crows (who swipe shiny things), tortle are slow turtles. And they're usually associated with barbarian / primitive societies, like the bullywugs and lizardfolk are.

It is all DM dependent. That being said, if one reads some of the D&D source material, it is clear that Duergar and standard Dwarves hate each other. Drow are hated by all. Various species do NOT get along with others. Dwarves in general are mildly xenophobic.

In my campaign, only the core species of the PHB are available to be played.

There are 3 Greater Species: Elves, Dwarves, and the latest interlopers: Humans. The various other species are scattered in enclaves within the territories (I built a continent for my campaign) of the 3 Great Species. Tieflings are incredibly rare, and viewed with great suspicion, for obvious reasons. Dragonborn are even rarer, since no one has seen a Dragon for a 1000 years. Half-Orcs are kill on sight, due to the generational hatred among the various races and Orc's, who have been fighting in the north with all the species for a millennia.

And the Chromatic Dragons, well, they consider everyone as slaves and food, and bide their time, hidden, growing in numbers, in order to subjugate all the pests crawling on their hereditary lands.