Just curious the breakdown of Races in SR4 played currently by DS members.

bump, cause I want more votes

Which character do you want? Do you want "what have you played?" or "what are you currently playing?" ?

and why the heck are there check boxes instead of radio buttons? O.o
i have played all races at least once . . yes, even elves and pinkies. . .
my Personal Breakdown as follows:
Trolls many
Dwarves a little less
Orcs still some less
Humans almost there
Elves bottomline

I divide my time between elfs and trolls, with a 1:3 ratio.

I'd just edit the poll to remove 'SR4.' The races stayed the same from SR3 so it's 'what do you play?"

Half of my PCs are humans, half are Orks - that's the rough breakdown. What can I say? I likes the orks.

I've played the odd dwarf and elf here and there. Never played a troll as a PC.

ya ain't tough and big enuff ta be a troll anyway!
Seriously, Trolls are probably the most underrepresented Player Race . . well, aside from Ghouls and Shape-Shipfters, but those don't really count in my eyes <.< . .
People probably just don't want to act all stupid and don't know how to get into the state of mind that towering over people with about 3m brings to you . . "heh, soft and squishy!"/"Orcs are like sausage dogs . . small, hairy and easy to break"

Sorry for the confusion, first, a clarification:

1. I tried to make it multiple choice since I think that people have played more than one of the races in SR4.

2. I know for some of you this doesn't properly model the fact that you may have played 2 Humans and 1 Ork.

3. This is only SR4. I am not the slightest bit interested in what you played in SR3 since the game balance between the races have changed. I also did not want to have to create options for Ghoul, Shapeshifter, Drake, etc.

4. My true objective is to see if one/more races are more heavily used (though this may not be the best way to do that)

Anyways, now that you know my (not so) hidden motive, please vote at will!

I play humans and orks nine times out of ten. Edge is wonderful and a respectable Body score is basically a necessary evil for a Shadowrunner. And honestly, if anything my typical Ork character is likely to be smarter than my typical human since they don't have so far to go to be tough as nails and as strong as an ox while my humans hit the 200 point cap early in attribute distribution. Orks can truly make wonderful generalists and don't really lose out in logic much at all compared to other races, although they're definitely far less charismatic than Elves.

I've started playing dwarves. I just feel the little guys are under-represented. I was an ork fan since i started playing SR2. Then SR4 hits and orks are what everyone plays. So Dwarves it is.

I've played everything, but I tend to stick to humans. However, lately I've been playing around more with the metatypes - up until a couple sessions ago I was playing a Troll and now I'm playing an Elf.

<-------<<<

Do you really need to ask?

Interesting that Dwarves are coming out above trolls. From being on the forums I hear a lot more about people's Trolls than I ever do about Dwarves. I've always thought it was interesting how few people played dwarves, especially given the fact that they're hardier than humans and they make amazing spell artillery. The running modifier is the main thing that turns me off, given that my characters spend their time running away and hiding.

I played an elf, but it was Sr3. I don't get to play any SR4 because I Gm all the time and everybody is quite happy they don't GM me anymore! I voted human because of the 20+ PCs I have stated in my idle no-gaming time humans are the most, with orcs coming second, elves third, dwarves fourth and only one troll.

As for the players, I gm a couple groups: I have two dwarves, four orcs, two elves and no trolls, while the rest are all humans (five). So the order of preference will be something like.

Humans 40%
Orcs 30%
Dwarves 15%
Elves 15%
Trolls -

IMO orcs are the new master race. Lots of goodies and few bad things. I wish I had a troll in my groups, I also would have liked a hacker....

Cheers!

Max

I'm fond of elvses, but the twink in me won't let me play an elf unless I'm going to use the 2 charisma that I pay for to become one. So I don't play them that much... I go with human often, but have become more partial to orks lately, now that I realize that an ork with 'human looking' can be totally hot

I am very much the same. One reason Im doing this thread is to see if there is enough reason to lower the BP cost for Elves, Trolls, and Dwarves a bit. I was personally expecting a bit more Orcs, but things really seem to be even with them and Elves. I guess maybe a racial kickback (knockback, or whatever the edge is called) may be a better choice. Allowing someone to play an elf for 20BP, but not wasting their BP if they dont want to be a face.

I also would like to see more Trolls and Dwarves, as they rarely appear.

Humans and trolls! Ya gotta love the big trogs!

We have an unspoken understanding that trolls don't really exist in our games.

playin an elf in my current game, although most of my characters are usualy humans.

It really depends.

Currently have an elf shaman, and a dwarf hermetic.

I'm only GMing at the moment, but I'd play a Troll if I could...

Honestly, I'd say it's Dwarves, followed by Orks, at least in my experience between my home games and seeing what folks put together for Convention games over the years.

There is almost always a troll as a team heavy. There is always at least one elf (Which is, by far, my least played race personally. I loath elves on principle). There is rarely a dwarf, and only occasionally an ork. Humans are most common, but I don't really count them, since they're the freebie default.

Bull

I really don't see why people always find it necessary to play stupid trolls. It's not that expensive to buy a 3 intelligence and now that intel is split between intuition and logic, it's fairly easy to play a character who isn't pants on head stupid. Sure he might not be very good at all that book stuff but he's got enough common sense to engage in a normal conversation. The combined with the high BP stat max out costs and I think you're really encouraged to make a more well rounded character.

The fact that I told my players that anyone with a stat below 3 would be considered "at least slightly retarded" probably encouraged them to diversify as well.

Until my most recent players joined the troll heavy in our group was doing most of the talking. Granted, he wasn't cutting crazy deals or deep discounts on gear. However he did choose employment wisely and demonstrated the sort of loyalty that makes fixers tear up a little.

I'm firmly in the elf hating camp. I try not let that spill over into my GMing but... god... they're freaking annoying.
Oh look at me! Life is so hard! I'm painfully pretty and live forever! Gragh, go suck start a roomsweeper.

I have to agree that dwarves are few and far between. No one wants to play the short guy with a body hair problem. Plus the bonuses they get just aren't as... cool as what you get with trolls and orks.

in SR3 my trolls usually start out with 4 intelligence . . i play them dumb as shit but have them sheme behind the scenes ^^
Who says a Troll can't make a good talker? heavy weapons imposes a HUGE bonus to social tests *g*
Yeah, the short Jokes are the biggest reason for me not to play a dwarf . . and yes, i hate elves with a passion . . humans are as said just the default freebie . . and orcs are the smaller trolls in my eyes *snickers*

Human, Japan does not have metatypes.

...what, no Drop bears?

...well, since I'm a total BP monger (need all the skills I can get at chargen) I tend to play humans. However I am partial to dwarves as they are a pretty good buy for the BPs with the bonuses to Strength, Body and Willpower. A dwarf Matrix Specialist could be pretty tough.

Dwarf 4 Life

Currently playing a Dwarven Hasidic Magician in one game and a Dwarf based on Lorenzo Lamas's "Renegade" in another.

Orks and Humans, all the way. I like to play Cybered Combat Specialists, and there's something about the Body and Strength bonuses that just make it very hard to pass up an Ork. But then again, Humans are everywhere, and sometimes it's nice to be the majority. Not having any penalties is also a bit nice. I agree with Bull and others about elves... I've created a few (although never played them)... if I did choose to play one I'd have to do my best to play against type, because the glam-rock immortal playboy with hyper-pointy ears just bugs me.

One of my players ONLY plays dwarves. And another one just favors dwarves above all other races. Hey, I even remember some of my players playing in an-all dwarf campaign during their "cancer-provoking-game" days.

Now, where are the dwarven nations in SR? Why isn't there an alarming trend of orc piracy?

Cheers,

Max

Yeah, being an elf and not a face is totally breaking the mold. Personally I have dreams of making a Heavy Weapons Specialist Elf now that the minigun is back (I totally have a hard on for +15DV Full Burst). I also have wanted to make one since the bad ass elf with a rocket launcher (see UCAS section, Shadows of North America).


Id totally LOVE to see that game. Someone says shorty and five mean ass faces turn around. Bar goes quiet. HAHAHAHAH, now give them miniguns!

I currently have at least one surviving character of every race but Dwarf. I do tend to play mostly Humans though, Orcs being the second most common.

I've always had a soft spot for orks after one of my old gaming buddies played a slow talking Texan ork. I also like people who run smart trolls that play up the "stupid troll" stereotype for fun and profit.

I've always thought there'd be a pretty strong move towards a Dwarven nation, but I suppose their relative integration with society means they don't really need one.

Yet.

Corporate Enclaves disagrees with you. Crash Cart, in fact, employs a good number of Dwarves in their medical facilities in Tokyo, and there is that bar where the early evening shift is all humans, the long night shift has a couple troll bouncers, and ork and elf dancers and servers, and the short shift in the morning has a Oni bartender and dwarves for the rest of the staff. Remember: the Yomi Law was repealed by the current Emperor(probably under advice from his Shiawase arranged wife).


Now, as for me...I like Trolls and Orks. It is fun to break the stereotypes. My favourite Troll is still from SR2-3: Doctoral Degree in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering..was a rigger..yeah..that was a fun one

Of course, I am currently prepping up a Rigger for the Neo-Tokyo game..not sure if I am going to go troll, Ork, or go Breeder or Halfer yet.

It was an IC comment. DLN is Japanese (American), and she occasionally lets her wit shine through.

Damn! I answered to quickly. I am a dwarf dwarflike. I play a couple of different races. I guess human wins the majority with ork in second place.

I've played one Orc and one Human, ever, in my 16-17 years of Shadowrun (not counting NPCs when I run stuff, of course). All the rest have been Elves.

There is some exceptions...

The only troll in my group is a combat hacker with heavy logic (almost maxed-out natural + cerebral booster).
In fact it's the most intelligent character in my group... And his pheromone-boosted charisma is not too bad.
The downside is that is a little weak on the physical side (for a troll that is), but that's ok.

I like it when my players are making not archetypal characters.

GO ELVES!!!


Trolls, while I have never played one could be very fun. Though they are very expensive when not min-maxed, I like to see smart and charismatic orcs and trolls.

I also like to see Troll mages!

Played that in SR2.
The funny thing in SR4 is, Troll are more viable as Mage (yes, the highly intellectual approach of magic) than as shaman (Low natural charisma is low).

Another proof that Troll are clever bastards :>

Yeah, I just realized that they only have a -1 Logic and -1 Intuition, I guess thats better than SR3 when they had the -2 Intelligence (though their willpower was still the same). I guess they can make decent Logic magicians with Cerebral Booster and/or Focused Concentration.

Certainly you dont have to min-max to make a decent one, especially with how hard he will be to kill.

*pulls out black painted assault baseballbat and beats nathanross repeatedly with it until he stops moving, and the sicking crunching sound stops*

There is no -1 Logic or -1 intuition in 4th. I pay the points for a 5 Logic r 5 intuition, and I have a 5 logic or intuition. I do not have a 4. There are no attribute penalties. There are no attribure bonus. There higher startign attributes, and lower maximum attributes. If you don't want to play SR4, then don't post in SR4 threads.

Forgive my different way of interpreting Attribute limits in SR4, but I see no reason for you to pull out the bat. First off, I DO play SR4, whether I think of SR4's Attribute cap in terms of a number between 4-15, or a modifier from 6. Second, I was specifically making a point about the differences between the systems, and I feel no need to apologize for trying to translate SR4 build mechanics into SR3 terms. Third, this is a thread about race, so if you want to talk about system differences or boot SR3 players out of the combined Shadowrun forum, then start a different thread.

BTW, Thanks everyone for voting so much. Though I did expect a different outcome, by all means please keep voting!

It's not so much a different interpretation as a house rule, asssuming you mean to say Cardul's interpretation is incorrect. If you read the examples for buying attributes (on page 74 of the 4th printing, not sure if it jumps much in other printings) then you see that it only takes 30 BP to get a Dwarf's Reaction to 4. Were it a penalty, it would take 40.

Though I agree that the bat reaction was a bit more forceful than I normally see in these threads.

More on topic with the thread, I've given each race a go once so far. I think I enjoyed my Dwarf rigger the most...but I can't really nail down whether it was the Dwarf part or the Rigger part that won me over. Maybe it was the interraction of both?

The Human Mage I played I know I liked more because of the Mage part, just because casting is fun.

Elves, Orks, and Trolls score about the same for me.

That's pretty fucking rude! Who are you to tell people where they can and cannot post?

The dumpshock forums are not a "separate but equal" society made up of SR3 and SR4 players, where one group posts in their threads while the other groups sits at the back of the bus. Anyone is welcome to join into any discussion.

...in agreement with Dashifen and Fortune.

BTW there is no [SR4] or [SR3] designator on this thread so it is open to discussion related to all editions.

Especially in my own thread!

Serves you right for creating an interesting thread !

Kind of interesting how the rough average of which character races people play pretty much matches the racial distribution in the books (ie. Humans are most numerous, followed by elves, orks, dwarves, then trolls). Although it's not exactly a scientific survey, still interesting data.