Most of the time, Dungeons and Dragons books are pretty sparing about new species. Unless it’s a dedicated book like Monsters of the Multiverse, we rarely get more than a handful of new additions to the DnD races list. But D&D World of Warcraft said ‘screw that’. It’s stuffed with new origin stories, from reflavored Player’s Handbook species to brand-new, setting-specific picks. And some of them are actually pretty good.
I’m currently working on a full, thorough review of the new D&D book, which is now available in early access on D&DBeyond. I’ve already covered the winners and losers of classes. Now, check out the slick DnD races that caught my eye:
Earthen
Earthen are Dwarf-shaped creatures made from living stone. Their history in Azeroth is long and complex, but these crystal-covered, golem-like creatures would be easy to bring into a standard D&D setting. And, for defense-focused characters, it’d be worth it.
Earthen have 120 feet of Darkvision, and they don’t gain exhaustion levels from malnutrition. They have resistance to poison damage and advantage on saves against the poisoned condition.
Those are neat tricks, but the main features to get excited about are Quiet Contemplation and Azerite Surge. The first gives you one additional HP per Hit Point Die spent during a short rest.
The second, when you take an attack action on your turn, lets you replace one attack with a 15-foot cone blast that deals 1d10 radiant damage on a failed Dexterity save. The save DC relies on your Constitution modifier and proficiency bonus, and its damage increases at levels five, 11, and 17.
Basically, the Earthen addresses some of the biggest issues with melee builds. That extra pip of HP helps your survivability, and Azerite Surge gives a much-needed attack alternative for foes at range. The species suits Paladins and Barbarians, and other tanky frontliners well.
Goblin
World of Warcraft quietly reprints a few existing species from fifth edition. Spelljammer’s Autognome has become a Mechagnome, for example, while Monster of the Multiverse’s Goblin didn’t even need a name change. Though its rules are neither new nor original, they’re still a solid pick for your D&D character, in and out of Azeroth.
Goblins have 60 feet of Darkvision, plus advantage on saves against the charmed condition. More excitingly, Nimble Escape lets them Disengage or Hide as a bonus action – giving other classes a taste of the Rogue’s agility.
Another solid ability is Fury of the Small, which deals extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus when you damage a creature at least one size larger than yours. This applies to spells and attacks, so anyone can benefit from the damage boost.
Pandaren
Pandarens appeal thematically, because D&D doesn’t currently have an equivalent to ‘sentient Panda’. Mechanically, they’re enticing too, particularly if you favor melee.
Pandaren have 60 feet of Darkvision and resistance to bludgeoning damage from falling. They also, like our friend the Earthen, regain one extra HP per Hit Point Die spent during a short rest. Lastly comes Quaking Palm. When you hit a creature with a melee attack on your turn, your movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks from the creature you hit until the end of your turn.
This is a slightly tankier, slightly more agile D&D character. Monks are the obvious choice, given Pandaren’s lore-accurate lives of discipline and honor. However, a zippy Rogue, Ranger, or Fighter would enjoy that added maneuverability – and who doesn’t like extra hit points?
Tauren
Tauren are yak-like humanoids with a historic hatred of centaurs and a tradition tied to druidic magic. These horned, hulking creatures offer martial characters a wide variety of ways to use their attack action.
First, you can use your Horns to perform unarmed strikes, dealing 1d6 + Strength modifier in piercing damage. Many species have an alternate strike like this, and it’s rarely meta-destroying. Slightly better is Goring Rush, a feature that lets you make an unarmed strike as a bonus action after taking the Dash action and moving at least 20 feet.
Hammering Horns isn’t too shabby either. When you hit a creature with a melee attack action on your turn, you can spend your bonus action to shove a target up to 10 feet away. This species is very reliant on your bonus action, but for certain Fighters and Barbarians, that’s a price worth paying.
The main reason to pick this species, however, is Tauren Lineage. Your ancestry gives you one of three additional perks.
First, you could take a blanket +1 AC and resistance to cold damage. Alternatively, when you take the attack action on your turn, you can replace it with a magical stomp. Each creature of your choice within five feet makes a Constitution saving throw, and they’re stunned until the end of your turn if they fail. Stunned is a wonderfully powerful condition in D&D, but it only lasting until the end of the current turn limits its value. You could use it to guarantee advantage against nearby foes, or to escape scot-free without opportunity attacks.
Your last lineage option is my favorite. There’s an action where you move up to your speed (without triggering opportunity attacks), moving through the spaces of other creatures. Creatures you move through make a Strength save, taking bludgeoning damage equal to your proficiency and Strength modifier, and being knocked prone. Prone is an easily achieved condition thanks to weapon masteries, but this is an extremely entertaining alternative.
Troll
Trolls are the oldest community in Azeroth, and they’re a staple of most other fantasy settings. Now a playable D&D species, they’re fantastic all-rounders.
Bloodied Frenzy alone is a feature worth chasing. When you’re Bloodied, you have guaranteed advantage on all attack rolls. I’m sure somewhere there’s an adept character builder who can find a way to keep your Troll stable at slightly less than half health in order to fish for crits.
When you want to heal, you’ve got the Troll Healing feature, which lets you regain the maximum roll (plus your Constitution modifier) when you spend a Hit Die during a Short Rest.
Running out of Hit Dice? No biggie. Troll Lineage gives you one of three additional benefits, one of which replenishes an expended Hit Die when you use Heroic Inspiration. Alternatively, you can ignore certain difficult terrain types when you Dash (yawn), or you regain a Heroic Inspiration any time you roll a 1 on the D20 (slightly less yawn!).
Trolls also have the customary 60 feet of Darkvision. All of that makes them pretty darned difficult to kill. Once again, frontliners will get most excited about the extra durability, but pretty much any character can benefit.
Vulpera
Vulpera are small, fox-like people (another sentient animal species not currently served by D&D). They have a reputation for cunning and ferocity, which sounds like prime Rogue material. I think a Rogue would enjoy this species’ perks, but it’s far from limited to a single class or build.
As well as the standard 60 feet of Darkvision, you have resistance to fire damage. Plus, the first time you take damage after you roll Initiative, you reduce the damage taken by your level. That’s appealing for the squishier characters in your party.
Additionally, you have Vulpera Nimbleness, which lets you move through the space of any creature a size larger than you. If you can find a way to dodge opportunity attacks (the Swashbuckler subclass, for example), that’s a lot of added maneuverability. Huh, maybe this is mainly a Rogue species.
Worgen
Worgens were originally Night Elf druids afflicted by a rage-inducing lupine curse, but they’ve since learned to deal with their anger issues. Mechanically, this another shape-shifting species, but it’s one with a unique set of benefits.
You can change into your bestial form as a bonus action (or for free when you roll Initiative). Doing so gives you temporary HP equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and it lasts for one minute or until you end the effects early. Your speed increases by 10 feet, you have resistance to necrotic damage, and you can move 10 feet as a reaction (without opportunity attacks).
That’s several small boosts for an entire combat session, and any of them could be the thing that keeps you alive. This is another strong all-rounder species, though I can see squishy spellcasters getting a lot of use out of that escape hatch reaction.
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Source: Wargamer
