Every single D&D race explained

Summary

This script from a Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) video offers a comprehensive guide for new players creating their first character. It emphasizes the importance of choosing a race, which affects a character's physical traits and abilities. The video discusses various races, including dwarves, elves, half-elves, humans, halflings, gnomes, half-orcs, tieflings, and dragonborn, detailing their unique characteristics, abilities, and potential for role-playing. It also covers subraces, providing insights into their special abilities and how they can influence gameplay and character development, encouraging players to consider both mechanical benefits and personal connections to their characters.

Takeaways

• 🎲 The video is aimed at new Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) players, particularly those creating their first character.
• 🏆 The two most important aspects to consider when creating a character are class and race, with race being the focus of this video.
• 🔍 Race in D&D defines physical attributes and innate abilities, such as pointy ears and height, but also includes more than just physical traits.
• 📊 The three 'S's' - Size, Speed, and Specialty - are the key characteristics for each race, with size affecting combat positioning and speed influencing movement during turns.
• 🧍‍♂️ Dwarves are short, stocky, and medium-sized with special abilities like dark vision, constitution boost, and dwarven resilience against poison.
• 🧝‍♂️ Elves are similar in size to humans, have a long lifespan, and possess abilities like keen senses, resistance to charm, and immunity to magical sleep.
• 🧝‍♀️ Half-elves are hybrids with traits from both humans and elves, including average size, dark vision, charisma boost, and the ability to choose proficiency in two skills.
• 👤 Humans are medium-sized with average movement speed and no dark vision, but they have a balanced attribute boost with plus one to all ability scores.
• 🌳 Halflings are small and cheerful, with a unique 'lucky' trait that allows them to reroll a roll of one, and they are adept at stealth and have a natural dexterity boost.
• 🤓 Gnomes are small, intelligent beings with dark vision, intelligence boost, and gnome cunning to resist certain types of magic, with subraces offering different abilities like communicating with small beasts or tinkering.
• 🐉 Dragonborn are humanoids with draconic ancestry, having above-average size, no dark vision, strength and charisma boosts, and unique breath weapons based on their dragon ancestry.
• 🔥 Tieflings are infernal-human hybrids with unique appearances, charisma and intelligence boosts, resistance to fire damage, and the ability to cast infernal cantrips.

Q & A

What are the two most important things to consider when creating a character in D&D according to the script?

The two most important things to consider when creating a character in D&D are the character's class, which defines what the character does, and the character's race, which provides certain physical and special attributes.

What are the three 'S's referred to in the script when discussing the characteristics of each race in D&D?

The three 'S's referred to in the script are Size, Speed, and Specialty. Size determines how big the character is and their movement on a battle map. Speed determines how many feet the character can move per turn in combat. Specialty refers to the unique attributes each race has that differentiate them from others.

Why might a player choose to play a Dwarf character in D&D?

A player might choose to play a Dwarf character in D&D because of their unique attributes such as dark vision, increased constitution, and dwarven resilience against poison, as well as the opportunity to play a character with a rugged and resilient nature or to break stereotypes by playing a Dwarf with a different role or personality.

What is the significance of the 'dark vision' ability in D&D and which races typically have it?

Dark vision is significant in D&D as it allows characters to see in darkness as if it were dim light, which is very useful for dungeon delving. Races like Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, and Half-Orcs typically have this ability.

What are the benefits of choosing an Elf character in D&D and what are their unique features?

Elf characters in D&D benefit from a long lifespan, which allows for rich backstories, increased dexterity, keen senses, and resistance to magical charm and sleep. Unique features include the ability to learn cantrips and the potential for increased movement speed and stealth capabilities depending on the sub-race.

How does the 'lucky' racial feature for Halflings work in D&D and what does it mean for gameplay?

The 'lucky' racial feature for Halflings in D&D allows them to reroll a roll of 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, taking the higher result. This means that Halflings have a safety net against the worst possible outcomes in gameplay, making them more resilient.

What are the racial features of Gnomes in D&D and how do they reflect their intelligence and small size?

Gnomes in D&D have racial features that reflect their intelligence and small size, such as dark vision, increased intelligence, and gnome cunning which provides resistance to certain types of magic. Subraces like Forest Gnomes and Rock Gnomes have additional features like increased dexterity and the ability to make or repair items.

What is the 'Relentless Endurance' racial feature of Half-Orcs and how can it impact gameplay?

The 'Relentless Endurance' racial feature of Half-Orcs allows them to drop to 1 hit point instead of falling unconscious when their hit points reach zero, once per day. This can significantly impact gameplay by providing Half-Orcs with an extra round of action before needing to be healed or before they are defeated.

What are the unique aspects of Tieflings in D&D and how do they reflect their infernal bloodline?

Tieflings in D&D have unique aspects such as hellish resistance to fire damage, infernal legacy which allows them to cast certain cantrips for atmospheric effects, and the ability to choose from a variety of infernal appearances. Their infernal bloodline is reflected in their appearance, resistance to fire, and their ability to perform infernal-themed cantrips.

How does the 'Draconic Ancestry' of Dragonborn in D&D affect their gameplay and what are the choices available to players?

The 'Draconic Ancestry' of Dragonborn in D&D affects their gameplay by determining their breath weapon and resistance to specific types of damage based on the type of dragon they are descended from. Players can choose from 10 different types of dragons, each providing a unique breath weapon and damage resistance.

What is the significance of the 'Menacing' racial feature of Half-Orcs and how does it influence their interactions in D&D?

The 'Menacing' racial feature of Half-Orcs makes them good at intimidating others, which can be used to influence interactions in D&D. It reflects their generally larger and more imposing size, giving them an advantage in social situations where intimidation is useful.

Outlines

00:00

🎲 Introduction to D&D Character Creation

This paragraph introduces the topic of creating a character in Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), emphasizing the importance of choosing a class and race. It humorously addresses the lifelong commitment to the game and the addiction it can cause. The speaker highlights the significance of race in defining a character's physical attributes and inherent abilities, such as pointy ears and height. The paragraph also introduces the concept of 'size, speed, and specialty' as key characteristics for each race, with size affecting combat positioning, speed determining movement per turn, and specialty encompassing unique abilities and attributes that set races apart. The speaker encourages new players to choose a race based on personal preference rather than optimization, to enhance the role-playing experience.

05:00

🏰 Dwarves: Resilience and Subraces

This section delves into the specifics of the Dwarf race in D&D, discussing their small stature, medium size classification, and the implications for movement speed in combat. Dwarves are characterized by their dark vision, ability score improvement to constitution, and their unique racial traits like Dwarven Resilience, which offers resistance to poison. The paragraph also covers the two subraces of Dwarves: Hill Dwarves, who are less rugged with a wisdom score boost and additional hit points, and Mountain Dwarves, who are more typical with increased strength and constitution scores. The speaker appreciates the diversity in Dwarf personalities and encourages breaking stereotypes.

10:01

🧝‍♂️ Elves: Longevity and Subraces

The paragraph discusses the Elven race, noting their medium size, 30 ft movement speed, and dark vision. Elves are distinguished by their long lifespans, which can inspire creative backstories. They receive a dexterity boost, keen senses, and Fay ancestry, which grants resistance to charm and sleep spells. The speaker mentions the three Elven subraces: High Elves, known for their intelligence and innate magical abilities; Wood Elves, who excel in stealth and movement through forests; and Drow, who have superior dark vision but suffer from a sunlight disadvantage. The unique traits of each subrace are highlighted, emphasizing the role of player choice in character development.

15:01

🧝‍♀️ Half-Elves: Versatility and Adaptability

This section focuses on Half-Elves, who are human-elf hybrids. They are described as having an identity crisis due to their mixed heritage, which can be an interesting aspect of their backstory. Half-Elves have a medium size, 30 ft movement speed, dark vision, and a charisma boost. They also receive a bonus to any two ability scores of the player's choice and the Fay ancestry trait. The speaker notes that Half-Elves are fan favorites due to their relatability and the 'fantasy edge' they provide, making them a good choice for new players.

20:04

👨‍🦰 Humans: Versatility and Lack of Dark Vision

Humans in D&D are characterized by their medium size, 30 ft movement speed, and lack of dark vision, which is humorously acknowledged as a realistic touch. Humans are described as 'jack of all trades, master of none,' receiving a +1 bonus to all ability scores, totaling five points. The speaker suggests that playing a human can be a unique choice due to their rarity among players and the opportunity to explore a 'truly fantastical race.'

👶 Halflings: Luck and Subraces

Halflings are portrayed as the 'silly little guys' of D&D, with a small size, 25 ft movement speed, and the ability to move through smaller spaces. They lack dark vision but have a significant racial trait called 'lucky,' which allows them to reroll a natural 1 on any roll. The paragraph introduces the two Halfling subraces: Lightfoot Halflings, who have a wanderlust nature and a charisma boost, and Stout Halflings, who share poison resistance with dwarves and a constitution boost. The speaker appreciates the potential for humor and creativity in playing a Halfling.

🧙‍♂️ Gnomes: Intelligence and Subraces

Gnomes are highlighted for their small size, intelligence, and enthusiasm for life. They have a small size, 25 ft movement speed, and dark vision. Gnomes receive a significant boost to their intelligence score and the 'gnome cunning' trait, which provides resistance to certain types of magic. The two gnome subraces are discussed: Forest Gnomes, who have a dexterity boost and can communicate with small beasts, and Rock Gnomes, who have a constitution boost and the 'tinker' trait, allowing them to create various clockwork items. The speaker finds the gnome subraces to have distinct personalities, offering rich character options.

🐾 Half-Orcs: Menacing and Resilience

Half-Orcs are described as having a diverse appearance and behavior due to their mixed heritage. They are medium-sized with 30 ft movement speed and dark vision. Half-Orcs receive a strength and constitution boost, the 'menacing' trait, which aids in intimidation, and 'savage attacks,' which increase critical hit damage. A standout feature is 'relentless endurance,' allowing them to survive a would-be fatal blow with a single hit point. The speaker admires Half-Orcs for their bad-assery and the flexibility in character creation they offer.

🔥 Tieflings: Infernal Heritage and Racial Abilities

Tieflings are depicted as having infernal bloodlines, with unique physical features like horns and resistance to fire damage. They lack a homeland and are often marginalized in society, leading to a reliance on their charisma and intelligence. Tieflings receive a charisma and intelligence boost, medium size, 30 ft movement speed, and dark vision. Their 'infernal legacy' allows them to cast 'thurify,' a cantrip with various magical effects. The speaker is a fan of Tieflings for their cool appearance and the creative potential in their backstory.

🐉 Dragonborn: Draconic Ancestry and Unique Abilities

Dragonborn are humanoid dragon hybrids, characterized by their imposing size, strength, and charisma. They have a medium size, 30 ft movement speed, but no dark vision. A key feature of Dragonborn is the choice of draconic ancestry, which determines their breath weapon and resistance to specific types of damage. There are ten dragon types to choose from, each with unique attributes. The speaker finds Dragonborn to be the most unique and customizable race in D&D, suitable for players seeking a distinctive character.

Keywords

💡Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a tabletop role-playing game where players create characters and embark on adventures in a fantasy world. The game is central to the video's theme, as it discusses character creation, specifically choosing a race for a new player. The script references various aspects of D&D gameplay and lore, such as classes, races, and abilities, to guide viewers through the process of character creation.

💡Race

In the context of D&D, 'race' refers to the character's species, which can influence their abilities, appearance, and role within the game. The script emphasizes the importance of choosing a race for a first-time player, detailing various racial characteristics and how they can affect gameplay. Examples include the pointy ears of elves, the resilience of dwarves, and the dark vision common to many races.

💡Size

Size is a category in D&D that determines how much space a character occupies and how they interact with the environment, particularly in combat. The script explains that size can be small or medium for the races discussed, affecting movement and positioning on a battle map. For instance, dwarves are medium-sized but have a lower movement speed despite their short stature.

💡Speed

Speed in D&D dictates how far a character can move in a turn during combat. The script mentions that speed is an important combat attribute, with most races having a base speed of 30 feet, except for dwarves, who have 25 feet due to their stocky build.

💡Specialty

Each race in D&D has unique 'specialties,' which are special attributes or abilities that set them apart. The script breaks down these specialties for various races, such as the dark vision of elves and dwarves, the constitution boost of dwarves, and the keen senses of elves, illustrating how these specialties can impact a character's role in the game.

💡Ability Score Improvement

Ability score improvement refers to the increase in a character's ability scores, which represent attributes like strength, dexterity, and intelligence. The script explains that each race has an ability score improvement, such as dwarves getting a bonus to constitution, affecting their hit points and resilience.

💡Subrace

Subraces are variations within a race, offering additional customization options for characters. The script discusses how choosing a subrace can further define a character's abilities and backstory, such as the hill dwarf and mountain dwarf subraces, which offer different attribute bonuses and playstyles.

💡Half-Elf

Half-elves are a hybrid race in D&D, combining traits of both humans and elves. The script describes half-elves as having an identity crisis due to their mixed heritage, which can be a rich source of character backstory. They have the unique ability to gain proficiency in any two skills, reflecting their adaptable nature.

💡Halfling

Halflings are a small and generally cheerful race in D&D, known for their luck and resilience. The script highlights the halfling's 'lucky' trait, which allows them to reroll a roll of one on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving throws, exemplifying their fortunate nature in the game.

💡Gnome

Gnomes are a small, intelligent race in D&D, with a playful and inventive nature. The script mentions two subraces of gnomes: forest gnomes, who have a connection to nature and small beasts, and rock gnomes, who are hardy and skilled at creating clockwork items, showcasing the diversity within the gnome race.

💡Half-Orc

Half-orcs are a hybrid race, combining human and orcish traits. The script describes half-orcs as having a wide range of appearances and behaviors, influenced by their upbringing. They possess the 'relentless endurance' trait, allowing them to survive a blow that would normally render them unconscious, reflecting their toughness.

💡Tiefling

Tieflings are a race with infernal bloodline in D&D, often appearing with horns and unusual skin colors. The script notes their 'hellish resistance' to fire damage and 'infernal legacy,' which grants them unique abilities like casting the 'thurify' cantrip, emphasizing their connection to the underworld and their potential for roleplaying.

💡Dragonborn

Dragonborn are a race of dragon-humanoid hybrids in D&D, characterized by their strength, charisma, and draconic ancestry. The script explains that dragonborn players choose a type of dragon they are descended from, which determines their breath weapon and resistance to certain types of damage, offering a high level of customization and a distinctive appearance.

Highlights

Introduction to character creation in Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), emphasizing the lifelong impact of choosing your first character.

Explanation of the importance of choosing your character's class and race, with a focus on the latter for this video.

Description of 'race' in D&D, including physical attributes like pointy ears and height, and going beyond mere appearances.

Introduction of the 'three S's: Size, Speed, and Specialty, as key characteristics for each race in D&D.

Discussion on the combat implications of 'Size' and its effect on movement during gameplay.

Clarification on 'Speed' and its significance in determining movement per turn in combat.

Emphasis on 'Specialty' as the most impactful characteristic on a character's abilities and attributes.

Recommendation to choose a race based on aesthetics or narrative appeal rather than optimization for new players.

Overview of the Dwarf race, including their small stature, mountainous lifestyle, and typical professions.

Dwarves' racial abilities such as Darkvision, ability score improvement to Constitution, and Dwarven Resilience against poison.

Introduction of Dwarf subraces: Hill Dwarf and Mountain Dwarf, with distinct abilities and characteristics.

Elves described as long-lived, beautiful, and medium-sized with Darkvision and several unique abilities.

Elven abilities including Keen senses, Fey ancestry for magical resistance, and the benefits of high elf, wood elf, and drow subraces.

Half-elves as a blend of human and elf, with the potential for an identity crisis and unique racial abilities.

Human race described as versatile with a balanced set of ability score improvements and no specific niche.

Halflings characterized by their small size, luck ability, and subraces that offer stealth and resistance to poison.

Gnomes detailed as intelligent and small with dark vision, gnome cunning, and subraces that offer unique abilities like communicating with beasts or tinkering.

Half-orcs as a hybrid race with menacing presence, savage attacks, and relentless endurance as key abilities.

Tieflings presented as infernal-blooded humanoids with unique racial traits like hellish resistance and infernal legacy.

Dragonborn as dragon-human hybrids with unique racial abilities, breath weapons, and resistance based on draconic ancestry.

Closing remarks encouraging character creation and exploration of the different races in D&D.

Transcripts

I am a human don't believe me watch this

I can't see anything cuz it's dark and I

don't have dark vision if you're new to

D and D and just getting into creating

your first character then first of all

welcome if you're anything like me this

is the start of a lifelong crippling

addiction that will Define your

personality for decades the two most

important things to choose when making

your first character are of course your

class which defines what your character

does I have a whole video about classes

right somewhere on it's somewhere on the

screen but we don't care about class

right now cuz we're worried about race

race defines if you have pointy ears and

are tall or if you have pointy ears and

are short or if you don't have pointy

ears at

all unfortunately there's more to each

race than just the pointiness of their

ears so in this video we're going to

break down every part of each of the

races in the players handbook and

hopefully by the time this video is over

you'll be ready to commit to one of

these races for your character and then

have them be your lifelong partner or

you know just some character you play

with in a one shot and then make a

million other characters whichever you

want to go with the most important

characteristics for each race are the

three s's or as I like to call

them those are size speed and Specialty

size is a category that just means how

big your character is it's most

important in combat when you're taking

up tiles on a battle map characters who

are considered small take up one tile

but can squeeze past bigger characters

characters who are medium take up one

tile and can't squeeze past and then you

have things like large and huge which

take up multiple tiles but none of the

races we're talking about today go to

large or huge so we're just worried

about small and medium speed is also

something that is mostly important in

combat it determines how many feet you

can move per turn but the most important

part of each race is what I call their

specialty each race comes with a few

special attributes that differentiate

them from the other races every race has

what's called an ability score

Improvement which adds a few points to

one of the ability scores those being

strength dexterity Charisma Constitution

intelligence and wisdom and then

typically each race gets a few more

special attributes that help them out in

certain situations or make them more

resilient in certain situations but

we'll get to each of those the specialty

is definitely what is going to have the

biggest impact on your character but I

would highly recommend just picking

whatever race sounds the coolest or

looks the coolest to you I wouldn't go

for optimizing on your first character

unless that's how you want to play

you'll have a lot better of a time at

the table if you feel like you can

connect with the character you've

created and race goes a long way to

doing that that sounds a little nerdy

but we are talking about DND so it's it

gets pretty nerdy dwarves are short

little buggers who have been around for

quite a while cuz they can live up to

400 years sometimes even more in typical

fantasy like Lord of the Rings which is

a huge inspiration for D and D races as

you'll see as we go through all of them

dwarves are mountain people usually like

miners or Warriors or any other rugged

profession that they can possibly be

they're also known for talking like this

oh God I can't do a Scottish accent this

is probably a good time to say that

there's a lot of things in the player's

handbook and in other source material

that tells you how a certain race acts

but you should feel completely free to

ignore that it's a useful jumping off

point for making your character to know

the typical behaviors of a race but a

race is made up of people and people are

different from one another so if you

want to make a dwarf who's not rugged

and is more like a magic user Druid

who's really in tune with nature go for

it dude freaking do it it's a fantasy

game what's stopping you but what is an

objective truth about dwarves is that

they're small but they're not classified

as small despite being short dwarves are

very stocky they're very rounded out and

for that reason D and D classifies them

as a medium which means they're not

going to be squeezing around other

creatures on a battle map despite this

dwarves only get 20 5 ft of movement

speed per turn or five tiles the average

is 30 ft but smaller characters usually

get 25 because of their small legs so

dwarves unfortunately are not considered

small and still get lower movement speed

so sorry guys that's that's a tough draw

for them but now we get to the good

stuff the Specialties first of all

dwarves get dark vision which means they

can see up to 60 ft in dim light and

they can see in darkness as if it was

dim light so it's a really useful

ability to have when dungeon delving and

it's one that luckily almost every

single race has unfortunately we as

humans do not have that even in DND D

but we'll get to it as for their ability

scores dwarves get plus two to their

constitution because you know they're so

rugged and resilient and this means they

have things like more hit points and are

able to stay concentrated on spells or

are just less likely to be affected by

poison actually that brings me to the

next special ability they have dwar dwar

resilience Dwarven resilience literally

means they are less likely to be

affected by poisons and if they do take

damage from poison that damage is cut in

half so dwarves are really built around

this idea that they are strong and

resilient but this is not where it ends

with dwarves because dwarves are one of

a few races that have a subrace that you

need to pick when you make your

character the first subrace is the hill

dwarf which is the less rugged version

of a dwarf they get a plus one to their

wisdom score and they get one hit point

per level they level up which can be

pretty useful the other subrace is the

mountain dwarf which is the much more

stereotypical dwarf the rugged resilient

Lord of the Rings gimly dwarf that you

know from typical fantasy these guys get

a plus two to their strength score in

addition to the plus two in their

constitution they already got so these

people are ready to rumble in melee

combat if that's the direction you want

to take them overall dwarves are cool I

think they're pretty neat and I

especially like to see stereotype

breaking dwarves because dwarves get a

lot of personality and I think that

that's cool this must be the 2023

Oscar's best actor category where

they're announcing Austin Butler's movie

in which he played the titular role

because we're talking about

elves Elvis D and D elves much like

dwarves are pretty close to the tolken

style elf they're about the same size as

humans but they are described as being

hauntingly beautiful so feel free to

make an ugly elf the player handbook

also says that they like jewelry so one

of the defining characteristics of elves

in D and D is that they live for a super

long time by far the most of any race

they can live as much as 700 years and

sometimes more they're not Immortal but

they're pretty close to it relative to

other races what I like about that

lifespan is it leaves a lot of room for

creativity in your character's backstory

there's a lot of time for them to have

had defining moments or time to have

learned combat Styles or magic it's just

it it gives you a lot of creative

freedom unsurprisingly elves are

classified as medium and can move 30 ft

and they also get dark vision as you'll

soon come to see this is basically the

standard package as far as those

categories go 30 ft movement medium size

dark vision the like so many races are

that elves get quite a few Specialties

but let's start with the ability score

elves get a plus two to their dexterity

score because they're so damn graceful

dexterity helps you fight with finesse

weapons like rapers and also helps you

shoot things like bows and other ranged

weapons so basically if you're trying to

make a legalist character D and D has

you covered with elves they're ready to

shoot bows elves get something called

Keen senses which just means they're

really good at perception checks and

they also get Fay ancestry which means

they're less likely to be magically

Charmed and they cannot be put to sleep

by Magic which is a very Danger ous

condition to be put in and also means

you're going to have way fewer turns in

combat where you're not doing anything

so good for you elves and just like

dwarves we've got subraces the first is

the high elf which is basically the hoyy

toyy mightier than thou elf that you see

in a lot of other fantasy they're really

really intelligent and almost every

single member of the highelf society has

been trained in some form of magic so

even if you're a barbarian highelf which

you totally can be you're going to learn

what's called a canant trip cantrips are

spells that you can cast whenever you

want without using any other resource

than your action it's a really useful

thing to have in your back pocket no

matter what you're playing so it's cool

that these guys get it High Elves also

get plus one to their intelligence score

because you know they're so damn smart

wood elves have mastered the forests

that they've grown up in and are able to

move around them and hide within them

with complete ease wood elves get a plus

one to their wisdom score and also get

plus five 5T of movement speed so

instead of moving 30 ft per turn they

can move 35 ft per turn which is

surprisingly useful they're also able to

stealth a little bit easier than other

races but stealth is a little bit of a

confusing thing and I could make an

entire video just on that so for now

just know that they're able to stealth

easier and they get more movement speed

which is the cool part anyway and

finally we have the Dr the Dr are elves

that are from a place called the underd

dark the underd dark is known for being

and also being dark and also being very

spooky it's a really cool place and if a

campaign ever takes you there be

prepared but it's also going to be a lot

of fun since the Dr are from the underd

dark they have darker skin typically and

they also get Superior dark vision which

means they can see twice as far in

darkness as any other race with dark

vision the Dr will also learn a can trip

at level one much like the highelf but

will continue to learn canant trips as

they level up which is super cool but

there's a reason for this and that's

because the Dr are the only race with a

debuff they actually have a negative

effect when they're in the sunlight if

you're a Dr in the sun trying to make an

attack or do any sort of ability check

that requires your sight you're going to

have disadvantage which means you're

much less likely to succeed at whatever

you're doing this seems bad and I mean

like it is but it's also so cool to have

this kind of flavor with a race and

again no other race has something like

this and I'm I'm a huge fan of it and

that's all there is to say about elves h

i only there was some sort of Elf that

was not quite fully

elf half elf half elves are human elf

hybrids and I know what you're thinking

oh are there human hybrids of every

other

race nope the player's handbook

describes half elves as being viewed as

elves by humans and as humans by elves

which means they have a lot of times an

identity crisis and I think that's a

really cool part of your backstory that

you can incorporate

or you could ignore it altogether again

it's your story do what you want half

elves are also great for people who kind

of want to be a human but want a little

bit of a fantasy Edge to it boom half

elves they're basically the same size

and traits as humans but they have

pointy ears and a bit of Elven ancestry

half elves of course are classified as

medium with 30 ft of movement speed and

you guessed it dark vision but they also

get plus two to their Charisma score and

+ one to any two scores you want which

is really cool they also share the Fay

ancestry trait that I mentioned with

elves just a little bit earlier on and

they can gain Proficiency in any two

skills of their choice if you want to

know what those skills are look up a

list of the skills there's quite a few

of

them maybe I'll make a video about them

someday in my experience half elves are

a fan favorite race I think because

they're the easiest race to relate to

while still having a bit of a fantasy

twist to them and for that reason it's

not a bad starter pick if that's what

you want to go with humans are um well

they're they're humans there's a good

chance that if you're watching this

you're a human unless you're showing

this video to your cat in which case

meow humans are of course medium and

have of course 30 ft of movement speed

but humans do not have dark vision I

can't see in the dark so that's actually

just realistic good job good job D and D

you did it you made it realistic I'll be

honest not having dark vision isn't the

end of the world you can just take a c

trip that casts light or grab a torch

the worst part of not having dark vision

is actually just everyone else in your

party who probably does have dark vision

bullying you because you're blind humans

are kind of the good at everything

Master at nothing of DnD as far as races

go because instead of getting plus two

to any ability score they get plus one

to every single ability score this is

pretty cool because that's five total

points added to your ability scores

whereas other races just get two or or

three so it's pretty decent but I'm

pretty sure that's to compensate for the

fact that the humans don't really do

anything else they're just they're just

kind of humans I do want to add that if

you're feeling iffy about playing a

human because you're like oh I'm playing

a fantasy game why would I be a human in

my experience humans are one of the

rarest races that my characters play

like no one wants to be a human so if

you want to be a truly Fantastical race

feel free to be a human I've talked a

lot about how much inspiration DN D took

from Lord of the Rings and that is no

more evident than in the halfling

because these guys used to be called

Hobbits and then tolken the token estate

was like

no don't do that when you read the

players's handbook about halflings they

really are the silly little guys of DnD

but they don't have to just be that

however if you're thinking about playing

a silly little guy a halfling might be a

good pick for you the player handbook

also describes them as appearing

relatively harmless for that reason Reon

a halfling barbarian is really really

fun because of their short legs

halflings can only move 25t much like

the dwarf but unlike the dwarf they

actually are considered small so you can

squeeze around your taller allies in

combat and it's great for that reason I

love that unfortunately halflings don't

get dark vision but to compensate they

get plus two to the dexterity and one of

the single best racial features in DND D

which is called lucky lucky means that

whenever you do an attack roll or an

ability check or a saving throw if you

roll a one you can roll the die and take

the higher result that basically means

that whenever you're rolling a D20 as a

halfling if you roll a one it didn't

happen roll it again if you roll another

one that's unfortunate but I mean this

is just so good it really makes these

silly little guys so much more but wait

there's more there are sub braces for

halflings two to be exact the first is

the Lightfoot halfling which is really

the Bilbo baggin of halfing Lings they

are described as having a huge sense of

wonder lust and use their Charisma and

stealthing abilities to Traverse the

world for that reason they get a plus

one to the Charisma score and are able

to stealth behind any NPC or character

that is larger than them the second sub

race is the Stout halfling which has a

lot more in common with dwarves in that

they have that same poison resistance

and they get a plus one to their

constitution scores whichever you pick

you get

lucky wait no that sounds wrong while

we're talking about silly little guy

let's move on to gnomes who are

definitely little but definitely very

smart and don't have to be silly but the

player's handbook does describe them as

having an enthusiasm for living that is

completely evident in everything they do

so that's neat but I will say that if

you have play balers Gate 3 then you

know that not all gnomes are these happy

go-lucky little people some of them are

terrorists gnomes have the same small

size and 25 ft movement speed as

halflings but they do get dark vision

and also to emphasize just how smart

they are they get a plus two to their

intelligence score gnomes also get gnome

cunning which is something that just

means they're less likely to be affected

by wisdom intelligence or Charisma based

magic and as you may have guessed there

are two subraces with gnomes the first

of these is the forest gnome which are

gnomes that you know were raised in the

forest forest gnomes get a plus one to

the dexterity I assume because they've

been bobbing and weaving through the

trees all their life and they're also

able to communic with small beasts

through the use of hand gestures and

noises which I'm pretty sure means that

you can talk to a bird by just making

bird calls and doing doing this I'm

pretty sure Forest gnomes are also able

to use the minor illusion can trip which

can help distract enemies and it

basically just makes a mirage up here

Rock gnomes are the much more Hardy and

inventive type of gnome they get a plus

one to their constitution score and are

also really good at tracing the history

of magic items and other mysterious

objects Rock gnomes also get What's

called the Tinker trait which lets them

use a set of tools called Tinker tools

to make Clockwork items these Clockwork

items can be a Clockwork toy that moves

around and makes a little bit of noise

can be really useful to serve it the

distraction you can make a fire starter

so you're able to light fires easier or

you can make a music box that plays a

song if you want I guess these two sub

races are cool cuz they're very

different from one another and have a

lot of personality to them so I think

it's a cool thing to pick out when you

decide to make your character if you go

with gnome but enough with the small

people let's get back to big people

specifically the half Ork the half or

along with the half elf are the only

hybrid braces in D and D fifth edition

but I will say there are more coming in

a future Edition half work's appearances

and behaviors vary wildly from half

workk to half workk and that's because

they have that human ancestry and the

orcish ancestry if they grew up with

Orcs then they're much more likely to be

tribal and to be mired in scars which

are signs of Honor in orcus tribes but

if they grew up in human society they

might be like any other human they could

be very intelligent Librarians or they

could still be you know a little bit

brutish from the underbelly of society

it all depends where they grew up so

there's a lot of stuff you can do with

half works it's basically a clean pallet

for you to work with you just have you

look really cool you look like an orc

but you can talk like any other person

it's great I love half Works half Works

get the standard set of being medium can

move 30 ft and of course have dark

vision but because of their generally

larger size they do get a plus two to

their strength and a plus one to their

constitution scores in addition to that

half orks get what's called menacing

which makes them really good at

intimidating people which feels a little

bit you know a little bit mean they

don't have to be so so menacing and they

also get Savage attacks which just means

you do even more damage on a critical

hit than you already do but by far my

favorite part of half works is their

relentless endurance Relentless

endurance just means that once per day

when your hit points drops to zero when

you normally fall unconscious you can

actually fall to one hit point instead

it's really useful for getting an extra

action in combat before you go

unconscious or healing so you can avoid

it entirely and it can be really a make

or break in a lot of situations so with

menacing Savage attacks and Relentless

endurance it really drives home just how

badass half ORS are I'm a huge fan but

if we're going to talk about races that

I'm truly a huge fan of we're going to

talk about my favorite race the tling

you might be wondering why they're my

favorite race is it because they have a

lot of special features or some crazy

high movement speed or anything no

they're pretty average it's because they

look so damn cool they've got horns

teelings are humanoids with an infernal

bloodline which basically you can see as

being human demon hybrids this means

they can have skin colors r in from Deep

Purple to a bright red to blue even they

get the cool horns and you can make the

horns look however you want you can have

them curl or you can have them be like

small or you can have them be broken off

like what happened why is your horn

broken T Lings are also one of the only

races that doesn't have a Homeland they

tend to live among humans and can be in

whatever part of society with humans but

in D and D lore they're typically

relegated to the fringes of society

because of how they look that might not

be true in your world or in your DM's

world but in D and D lore that is how

they're treated because of this though

they have learned how to subsist

basically on their personalities and

their smarts for this reason they get

plus two to their Charisma score and

plus one to their intelligence score

teelings get the standard set medium

size 30 ft movement speed and dark

vision but the racial features they get

is what really makes them feel like

they're from an infernal hell the first

thing they get is called hellish

resistance which means they take half

damage from fire damage which just makes

sense if you're supposed to be from the

underworld T flings also get something

called infernal Legacy which lets them

cast thury as a cantrip thury is awesome

it lets you have a bunch of magical

effects happen you can make your eyes

glow when you're talking to someone or

make your voice boom three times louder

or make flames rise or change color it

can really help add to the atmosphere of

an interaction you're having with an NPC

if you're really trying to like

intimidate them or convince them that

there's like a poltergeist going on it

leaves a lot of room for RP I love it

infernal Legacy will give you more

cantrips as you level up but at level

one you get thury and that's what we're

going to focus on for now I think T

Lings just have so much room for

creativity because of their backstory at

least in the classic D and D lore but

also they just look so cool so if you

play a tling you have my support and

last but certainly not least we have the

most exotic of the DN races the dragon

born if you've played Skyrim then this

is not that dragon born this is a

different dragon born entirely these

dragon born are Dragon humanoid hybrids

they basically look like dragons who are

walking on their hind legs they're also

generally taller and heavier than humans

so they can be pretty damn imposing

because of this imposing size dragon

born get a plus two to their strength

score but they also get a plus one to

their Charisma score I assume because

they can be pretty intimidating which is

a charisma skill they do get the

standard set of 30 ft movement and

medium size but they don't get dark

vision which I think is weird but I

guess they didn't want to make humans

the only race with no dark vision the

coolest part about dragon born is unlike

other races where you don't choose a

subrace or there's only a couple of sub

rces to choose from with dragon born you

choose what kind of dragon you're

descended from there are 10 different

dragons to choose from and they have

different attributes based on what you

choose your draconic ancestry will

change two things the first being your

breath weapon every dragon born gets a

breath weapon if you choose to be

descended from a Red Dragon for example

you'll spew out fire damage like a very

stereotypical Dragon but if you choose

to be descended from a white dragon

you'll spit out this icy breath that

does cold damage and on the other side

of that coin your draconic ancestry

grants you resistance to that damage so

red dragons are resistant to fire damage

white resistance to cold there's a whole

table in the player's handbook that

defines all this and also tells you

exactly the size of your breath weapon

dragon born in my opinion are easily the

most unique of all the races in the

player's handbook I mean they're the

only one that doesn't look strictly

humanoid in some way for that reason

they're also the one I've seen played

the least I think because you kind of

want to be able to relate to your

character a little bit and it could be

maybe a little hard to relate to like a

lizard person but if you're trying to

play something that's out there and

really cool and extremely customized

ible I think dragon born are a good pick

my light just turned off well that's

probably a sign that I've talked for too

long but that is all the races in DD

which one is your favorite which one are

you going to play if you're like me

you'll just start making characters and

eventually have made a character for

each of them but I'm gonna go

um I'm gonna go to sleep now