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Races of Destiny
A new sourcebook detailing humans, half-breeds, and exotic almost-human races for the D&D game.
Races of Destiny provides Dungeons & Dragons players with an in-depth look at humans, half-orcs, half-elves, and other "almost human" exotic races that populate the D&D world. Often more strange or bizarre than completely distinct races, these half-races showcase the unusual combinations of abilities and cultures possible in a fantasy setting. This sourcebook includes brand new races, new rules, feats, spells, and magic items attuned to each race. The book contains material for players and DMs alike, including new prestige classes, rules for interaction between races, and a wealth of cultural information.
Races of Destiny provides Dungeons & Dragons players with an in-depth look at humans, half-orcs, half-elves, and other "almost human" exotic races that populate the D&D world. Often more strange or bizarre than completely distinct races, these half-races showcase the unusual combinations of abilities and cultures possible in a fantasy setting. This sourcebook includes brand new races, new rules, feats, spells, and magic items attuned to each race. The book contains material for players and DMs alike, including new prestige classes, rules for interaction between races, and a wealth of cultural information.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2004
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About the author
David Noonan
72 books11 followersDavid Noonan is an Australian artist known for his distinctive collage-based practice that merges found imagery with screen-printing, painting, and textile work to explore themes of performance, ritual, and the theatrical. Born in Ballarat, Victoria in 1969, Noonan studied fine art at Ballarat University College and later earned his MFA from the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. He relocated to London, where he currently lives and works.
Noonan's work has been widely exhibited internationally, with solo shows at leading institutions including the Tate Modern in London, Palais de Tokyo in Paris, Chisenhale Gallery, and the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis. His haunting, monochromatic pieces often draw from archival sources such as stage productions, avant-garde film, and folk traditions, lending his art an enigmatic and timeless quality.
In 2020, he was featured in the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art, and his exhibition Stagecraft at the Art Gallery of Ballarat reflected his long-standing interest in performance and transformation. His work is held in major public and private collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate, the Guggenheim, the National Gallery of Australia, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Noonan's work has been widely exhibited internationally, with solo shows at leading institutions including the Tate Modern in London, Palais de Tokyo in Paris, Chisenhale Gallery, and the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis. His haunting, monochromatic pieces often draw from archival sources such as stage productions, avant-garde film, and folk traditions, lending his art an enigmatic and timeless quality.
In 2020, he was featured in the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art, and his exhibition Stagecraft at the Art Gallery of Ballarat reflected his long-standing interest in performance and transformation. His work is held in major public and private collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate, the Guggenheim, the National Gallery of Australia, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 13, 2014
Not much meaty crunchy content in this sourcebook, mostly fluff; and even then not much flavour either.
Humans, half-elves, half-orcs, and the new illumians are the focus this book on "Destiny" races. There's really not much on destiny though. While trying to cover human civilisation and its variety is a difficult task, I would've expected some attempt at detailing how different cultures evolve, not what appears to be a generic look at western civilisation. At least it managed to avoid real world stereotypes.
The Illumians are basically enhanced humans with a focus on knowledge and intrigue. It's not my cup of tea. The floating halo of sigils feel gimmicky and comical to me.
Very little was added for half-orcs and half-elves - just simple commentary with the same broad abstraction applied the discussion humans - only shorter.
Other races touched upon include aasimars,
tieflings, dopplegangers, half-ogres, and mongrelfolk. But these are not much more than a monster manual entry.
The spells, prestige classes, and feats are ok, with a few interesting ones. There's a distinct lack of items though. And one new city deity which, together with its associated prestige class, I found be utterly ridiculous. It feels really silly and unrealistic.
In the last chapter, Campaigns of Destiny, you'd expect an exploration of the fluff and commentary made on the races in the first section. But that's not what you'd get. You get the general assumption that humans dominate most cities and it just discusses cities and cityfolk. And even then, in a very basic manner that mostly refers to the DMG.
It would have been so much better to devote some chapters on how to build a human kingdom or culture - not just a generic city - after all, this is a "Races" book, not a "city" book.
Which is my recommendation for this book: don't bother with it unless you want illumians, or a bit of additional resources for urban adventures. It doesn't really offer anything that makes these the races of destiny.
Humans, half-elves, half-orcs, and the new illumians are the focus this book on "Destiny" races. There's really not much on destiny though. While trying to cover human civilisation and its variety is a difficult task, I would've expected some attempt at detailing how different cultures evolve, not what appears to be a generic look at western civilisation. At least it managed to avoid real world stereotypes.
The Illumians are basically enhanced humans with a focus on knowledge and intrigue. It's not my cup of tea. The floating halo of sigils feel gimmicky and comical to me.
Very little was added for half-orcs and half-elves - just simple commentary with the same broad abstraction applied the discussion humans - only shorter.
Other races touched upon include aasimars,
tieflings, dopplegangers, half-ogres, and mongrelfolk. But these are not much more than a monster manual entry.
The spells, prestige classes, and feats are ok, with a few interesting ones. There's a distinct lack of items though. And one new city deity which, together with its associated prestige class, I found be utterly ridiculous. It feels really silly and unrealistic.
In the last chapter, Campaigns of Destiny, you'd expect an exploration of the fluff and commentary made on the races in the first section. But that's not what you'd get. You get the general assumption that humans dominate most cities and it just discusses cities and cityfolk. And even then, in a very basic manner that mostly refers to the DMG.
It would have been so much better to devote some chapters on how to build a human kingdom or culture - not just a generic city - after all, this is a "Races" book, not a "city" book.
Which is my recommendation for this book: don't bother with it unless you want illumians, or a bit of additional resources for urban adventures. It doesn't really offer anything that makes these the races of destiny.
Displaying 1 of 1 review