Last time, I spoke about five different but playable races that took the appearances of animals. I’m going to continue that list today! ADVENTURE AWAITS! LET’S TAKE A ROLL CALL!!!
6. Minotaurs are more than just labyrinth monsters
What do you think of when you hear the word “minotaur”? Do you imagine a bull-headed man, snorting sadistically while trapped in a stone maze, waiting for its next victim? Well, D&D can easily prove you wrong.
Usually minotaurs are revered or hated by other monsters for its strength and evilness in D&D, but what if a minotaur was hanging alongside humans, elves and dwarves in a bar, laughing at each other’s jokes in a docile manner? Even if that is hard to imagine, it is very possible! You can play as a minotaur in D&D now!
Not only are minotaurs very strong, but they definitely make good companions and party members for adventuring in your campaign. Their good strength and constitution make them good barbarians, fighters and even (surprisingly, for a monster that is usually portrayed as “chaotic evil”) paladins!
7. Tabaxi are a purrfect choice for furry lovers
If any person has played Dungeons and Dragons and has been playing for a very long time, there is a good chance that you know about the tabaxi. Tabaxi are cat-like humanoids that originate in the deep jungles. Like breeds and relatives of cats, tabaxi could have a range of fur color and looks from an average tabby to even tiger-like appearances.
They are very fast, and even a bit charismatic, so the best races for a tabaxi have to be a rogue, monk, ranger, and probably a bard would work as a class too!
8. Tortles carry their home like their beast counterparts do
This might be the third reptile-looking race here on this list (the first and second were on last week’s blog!). Tortles are (usually) kind-hearted tortoise humanoids that live near beaches and coastlines. They live very specific lives, memorized like they are daily rituals. Ironically, however, even though real-life tortoises can live for 150 years, tortles usually live up to only 50 years of age.
Since they are very strong, they are good fighters, barbarians and paladins. However, their wisdom is decent enough to make them druids and clerics.
9. Giffs are easy to spot in a crowd, with and without their gunfire
If any of you D&D players are waiting for the next big race to come up…. here it is. Literally and figuratively. Giffs may not seem like interesting humanoids to play as, at first. But these hippos can pack a punch! Or should I say, it’s more of a “bang” than a “pow”. That’s right, giffs were the ones who invented guns. They are all naturally good at shooting with pistols, so they usually use guns as their primary weapon in battle.
All giffs also have a psychic connection with the Astral Plane, which helps them use extra force damage on their enemies when they attack with a simple or martial weapon. Even though it can only be used once per turn, this crucial skill makes giffs overpowered good barbarians, monks and fighters (specifically the gunslinger subclass for best result😀).
10. Thri-keens can really bug enemies out
If you read the Monster Manual, you might recognize these desert bugs. The manual doesn’t give that much info about them, but the thri-keen are very diverse and very useful as companions.
First of all, they don’t need sleep (unlike me, who is writing this at midnight), which means they can’t get charmed by succubi or have their soul stolen by a night hag (both of those require sleep in some way!).
Second of all, they have a second pair of arms, which makes holding stuff easier for them. Thirdly, they are faster than other humanoids (with a walking speed of 40ft). Lastly, they are good jumpers.
The recommended jobs for the thri-keen are usually monk, ranger or rogue. They also manage as druids or clerics. Their only flaw? They only can live for 25 years, which is VERY short for a humanoid.
Have fun in your campaigns! See you next week for part 3!
– Nova S