As a DM, how far/much do you think a player character should

>>53815048
Come on, anon, it's in the front of every roleplaying book ever. Fun before rules. As long as it doesn't make me uncomfortable, or the other players, no reason to keep it from happening.

Race as class. Deviating from the elven standard is like the other guy deviating from being a fighter. My players understand this and hardly ever ask this sort of a thing.

>>53815058
>Fun before rules.
And then Anon's campaign fell into anarchy and was soon abandoned.

>>53815048
I want a reason for it and the social ramifications shown to me.
Orc magus? Tribe shattered after adventureers killed them all. Interested byu magic and got to a haven of human scum and villany. Got apprenticed as a magus out of pity and as a joke. Actually did ok. People in general see the orc and act with a certain disbelief and orcs consider him a traitor.

>>53815089
>Interested by magic
I'd like to see some stronger conviction behind a decision than that, if players are going to do something off-the-wall.

>>53815048
You don't put your fut down, you make sure that they aren't presupposing that their character is in fact the archetype for their race, rather than the notable exception it is. That should be reflected in any backstory they come up with.

>>53815048
anything goes as long as its fun, mate
even coldsteel the edgehog can be fun in the right hands
>>53815058
FPBP

>>53815068
What's it like, being trash?

Player characters can deviate from pretty much any social norms they want, as long as they make a compelling character by doing so. Adventurers are already outliers, and God knows the human race has its freaks and weirdos.

It's when you do it just for the sake of being different that it's a problem. Or worse yet, for the sake of following a template, like Drizzt clones.

>>53815158
Coldsteel the Edgehog is now the BBEG in your campaign.
What kind of team do you assemble to beat him?

No limit provided they are totally cool with you treating them as the weird element they are. Likewise, playing to the culture should be responded with quick acceptance when encountering that culture.

>>53815102
Well yeah, but I was giving a bare minimum example that I made up on the spot.
Interested by magic could be expanded to "My friends and family was brutally killed by a rain of fireballs from a tiny man in the skies. THe last words from my shaman was 'the magic of man did this..." Then the orc wants to know of this and when he does he will learn it and then have his revenge!
However, during this seach he will find that things are not so easy as he first thought, make new friends in magus school and discover the true meaning behind forgiveness."

Or some other shit. Mix in a few other interesting elements, make it longer and more relatable and you have a character.

>>53815183
The Care Bears.

>>53815069
Good thing that hasn't happened yet.

>>53815048
If you are running a game where there is such thing like a "race norm", and not, you know, cultural norm for specific groups, you are shit GM and have absolutely zero right to "correct" anyone at anything.

>>53815069
>I still think it's late 70s and it's GM-vs-players
Go fuck yourself, you fucking child

>>53815048
Depends on the kind of game you want to run. It should be noted, however, that in most games PCs are by definition exceptional people, so if in doubt you should probably lean towards permissive.

>>53815245
>badwrongfun.jpg

You're just as bad people who insist that every dwarf should be a grumpy drunkard.

>>53815245
Absolute shit DM spotted.

>>53815048
I'm of the belief that if it's not in the rules it's not in the game, if there's no mechanical reason for elves to give a shit about nature, or dwarves to be lawful, then it's merely a suggestion. Incidentally this is why Burning Wheel has my favourite non-human races.

>>53815048
As long as its not stupid and has a point. My rule is that for lvl1 characters, you should be able to know everything about them by their name or a brief description of what they look like. Lady Liana, Sorceress of the Serpent's Eye. Ser Marcus of Hemagegh, Hedge Knight. Gorak Skullsplitter.

If its not pulpy and simple, keep it out of my games.

Is the character still entertaining for the group to play with? Are you giving the player realistic consequences for being so utterly unlike his kin? Then anything should go.

>>53815048
adventurers are by definition unusual people. I generally don't care unless it's completely outlandish to the point of being mary sue.

>>53815281
>>53815282
Sorry, but if you insist all races are hiveminds who act exactly the same way, then you're a shit DM. Unless they actually are all hiveminds who act exactly the same way, which would be an interesting scenario.

>>53816031
Having norms and being identical are two different things, Mr. Goalposts.

There's nothing wrong whatsoever in having a setting where (in general) elves are hippies, dwarves are obsessed with precious metals, and orcs are warmongering savages.

>>53816175
Monoculture races are bad

Elves from (country) are hippies, but Elves from (somewhere else) prefer to build huge cities.

(Orc Tribe) are warmongering savages, but (Other Tribe) are nomads who prefer a more tough and ascetic life

>>53815181
Ninth pbp

>>53816203
No they aren't. There's absolutely nothing bad or wrong about playing an old-school game in a pulp setting.

>>53816284
Well, it depends on your tastes. Personally, I can't stand that stupid shit.

t. other anon

>>53815048
There's limits. There's a point where you deviate so much that I can only ask myself why you picked up that race when you clearly don't like it or don't want to play it.

The exception is when averting the cliche is precisely the point of your character. This can be done well as long as the contradiction that is his life is a central part of the character BUT not the only one.

>>53816284
Even Tolkein had different nations or cultures of Orcs, Elves, Dwarves and Men.

Exactly how much more oldschool does this need to be?

I think you may prefer a video game if your different playable races are just one note blocs. Maybe something like Overwatch?

>>53816284
Not him, and you're more or less right, but it gets old fast. Better to leave it for one-shots or short campaigns.

>>53816338
It's not my preference, but that doesn't mean it's not a valid style, if the GM and the players prefer it.

>>53816338
Actually even in absolutely normie tier games like wow most races have different cultures and polities.

>>53815048
Unless they're breaking rules, or making a character specifically to fuck with your game or your setting's rules, let it happen.

Does your setting include dwarves that are magic inept? No magic. Do your elves all hit druid/levels of hippie genetically because they're fae or some shit? Enforce that. Otherwise, the orc wizard, elf fighter, and dwarf rogue are fine, heaven forbid every player not optimize the +2 con or plan around the -1 int.

>>53816203
>>53816284
Monocultures are fine if you tell your players they'll be playing a Saturday morning cartoon world, or in your homebrew setting, or in an intentionally simple situation. But insisting on monoculture in any other setting is like insisting all Americans are loud and like burgers, or all Italians are lazy and slow, or all Asians walk around in traditional clothing.

But your level of "realism" is up to you, and it's on you to communicate that to your player before they make something that'll trigger your autism. If you're GMing, hey can play by the rules of your game or find a new game if you want it that way.

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>>53815229
Fucking Care Bears.