+100 Fantasy Races and Creatures Explained

This directory brings together beings and peoples from different fictional settings. The entries are not a single game ruleset: names, histories and playable status can change between franchises, editions and fan-created material. Check the linked setting before using an entry in a campaign.

Aasimar

Aasimar are the offspring of celestials and humans. They generally take the physical features of their celestial parent, though some may have childlike features such as a soft glow or small wispy wings. 

Aasimar can frequently be found in human cities, and are treated with varying levels of respect depending on the culture they inhabit. Though celestial blood is strong in an aasimar, they are still mortal and lack the extraordinary powers of their celestial parents.

Aelfwar elf

Aelfwar are elves associated with RIFT. Read their history within Telara, where factions and religious loyalties shape the setting. They offer a more specific starting point than a generic woodland elf when you want to build a character around a particular game world.

Read more: they

Altmer

The Altmer, or self named, High Elves are a race of elves who originated from the Summerset Isles. The Aldmer were once a powerful civilization that dominated Tamriel before recorded history. 
However, when they encountered the human tribes who migrated from Atmora to settle on the shores of the continent, they could not help but notice how primitive humans were. Before they knew it, the Aldmer were assisting the humans in building stronger societies and establishing more powerful cities across Tamriel.

Amnizu

Amnizu are devils in Dungeons & Dragons. Their infernal identity places them in a different part of the setting from vampires or mortal elven peoples. For a campaign encounter, use the creature description and statistics from the edition you are playing.

Read more: They

Antica

Antica can be seen wearing either capes or armor. They have a more advanced technology compared to humans because they think with the whole colony instead of their own self-interests. 

They are divided into ranks based on caste, and they are ruled by an Overmind. Their specialty is Alchemy, using it to create different types of potions. They live in colonies with a queen, which helps them form their society. They were first introduced in the game "Final Fantasy XI".

Aquatic Elf

Aquatic elves are elves adapted to underwater life. Some Dungeons & Dragons material uses the name sea elf. Their aquatic traits make a coastal or underwater community a useful starting point for a character’s background, with abilities determined by the chosen edition.

Read more: aquatic elf

Argonian

Black Marsh is the homeland associated with Argonians in the Elder Scrolls. Scales and tails distinguish these reptilian people, while underwater breathing is familiar from the games. Character bonuses and resistances depend on which title you are playing.

Ascended

In RIFT, Ascended heroes draw on a soul-based character system. A tabletop homebrew called Ascended is a separate interpretation of the name. Choose the version before assigning a history or abilities: the shared title alone does not connect the two settings.

Asura

Small bodies and large ears accompany the asura’s inventions in Guild Wars 2. They are one of Tyria’s five main playable peoples. Their research and magical technology provide a background for characters interested in experimentation, rivalry and ambitious projects.

Read more: Asura

Baknamy

Like humans, they have ears, eyes, nose and mouth. They also have four fingers on both hands. Baknamy usually wear dark clothes and are often seen wearing a turban around their heads or heads wrapped in bandages.

An exception to this is Dark Shivas in Final Fantasy XI, who fight with their faces' bandages removed.

Bangaa

They wear a lot of jewelry. They can be found in the game Eons later as enemies (often with better equipment) . In Final Fantasy XII Bangaa are still around but they have become civilized and live in Bangaa villages typically led by an elder. 

They have started using tools and weapons during this time period. They now call the humans "Man-kinds" because of their similarities to the two groups.

Black mage

Final Fantasy XIV uses black mage as a spellcasting job. Final Fantasy IX gives black mages a different narrative role. The term therefore needs a game attached to it before it can describe either a character’s profession or a particular kind of being.

Read more: Black mages

Black orc

Black orc needs a setting attached to the name. A clan, a game unit and a playable ancestry are different kinds of entry, even when their names sound similar. Settle on the intended source before assigning a dragon allegiance, a homeland or a character’s appearance.

Blood elf

Blood elves are a playable Horde people in World of Warcraft. Their history belongs to Warcraft, alongside other elven groups such as high elves and nightborne. For a character background, follow the chosen group’s own story rather than treating the different elven names as interchangeable.

Read more: they

Bodak

Bodaks are a race of what is left of a humanoid. They have been touched by evil, often in nightwalker form.  A bodak's body is covered in grotesque sores and boils and its skin appears gray, decomposed, and cracked. 

Its eyes glow bright yellow with no pupils or irises visible. Its right hand is clawed while its left arm ends in a stump at the wrist; a bony growth protrudes from the stump. Bodaks have a hunched posture when they stand but can walk normally as well; their gait while walking is described as rolling like that of a hunchbacked dwarf. They speak Common, but their language has no written

Bogling

The Star Wars creature called a bogling belongs to a different setting from Telara. If you encounter the same name in another game or a homebrew document, check that version separately. A shared creature name can conceal very different histories and appearances.

Read more: They

Bokoblin

Bokoblins wear yellow tunics and have a unique way to carry their weapons, which are always different (Moldy, Oocca-made, Ancient, and Monster Claw). In ''The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'', they are among the most common enemies in the game, along with Moblins (the two species refer themselves as Goblin and Moblin), Lizalfos, and the Vah Ruta (although they are not actually monsters as they are sentient machines).
They are commonly associated with Ganon's army, as they are usually depicted as being under his control, particularly during the Imprisoning War.

Bosmer

Valenwood is the homeland of the Bosmer, the Wood Elves of the Elder Scrolls. They are distinct from the Altmer. Choose a particular game’s depiction when building a character background, especially where regional traditions or character bonuses matter.

Brain Golem

The brain golems are created from the remains of creatures that have died in the Underdark, a place naturally suited for illithids. 

The majority of these remains actually belong to mindless vermin, and their thought processes are very basic. But when stacked together in a mixture of clay and strange fungi, the collective brain matter is able to create a cunning artificial mind. 

Breton

They are a blend of human and elven races with the ancestral Altmer being a major part of their lineage. The Bretons themselves are strongly artistic and culturally adept. The fact that they are so well skilled in art is evidenced by their prowess in architecture as evidenced by their strong fortresses that dot the craggy terrain of High Rock and surrounding lands.

They are divided into three distinctive subgroups that reflect the diversity of their parent races of human and elves.

Bugbear

They can have long and distinguished lives that often exceed those of humans. The Bugbears' appearance has changed throughout the series, and they've been known to be violent, merciless creatures.

They have appeared as enemies in the games, and also as code names of bosses. They are described as "completely incompatible with humans.

Bulblin

Their first appearance was in Ocarina of Time, where they betrayed the Royal Family and captured Princess Zelda. Most recently, Bulblins appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, as one of the races who dwell on Skyloft.

They come in different shapes, sizes, and colors with different weapons as well. The most distinguishing feature between them is their masks which they wear on their faces.

Burmecian

These amazing creatures are supposedly the most intelligent beings in the Empire and that Burmecia is situated near the center of the map.

On the surface, it seems like a pretty nice place, featuring great architecture and houses, but a closer look shows that Burmecia may be rotting under its own beauty.

Centaur

They have the body of a horse from the waist down, and the upper body of a human being. Their fearsome appearance is enough to strike fear in any normal person, but they are also very intellectual and wise.

They are considered to be very handsome, formidable warriors, with great strength and courage.

Chaos orc

They had been tempted by demons of the Burning Legion to join them but ultimately rejected the demons and became their enemies instead.

The well was created by Gul'dan in order to corrupt the orcs and create an army of demons to fight off the Burning Legion. After drinking from the pool, the orcs became more bloodthirsty and were easily manipulated and controlled by demons, as well as Gul'dan himself. 

Charr

Charr have feline features, horns and a strong military tradition in Guild Wars 2. Their societies include organized legions and substantial settlements. Those institutions matter to a character’s background alongside the more immediately visible claws, fur and horns.

ChuChu

They were first introduced in The Wind Waker, where they were somewhat more humanoid in appearance than later games, which have depicted them as blobs with eyeballs and arms coming from beneath their gelatinous skin (think Gollum from Lord of the Rings). 

ChuChus tend to "chug" around, hence their name.

Cinderweb spider

These large creatures have eight legs and stand roughly twice the height of a human being, weighing over three hundred pounds.    

The cinder spider appears to be one of the original inhabitants of the Firelands but was largely contained within the Molten Core prior to the shattering.

Cleyran

Cleyrans belong to Final Fantasy IX and are associated with Cleyra. Their depiction sits alongside the game’s Burmecians. Use that setting’s character art and story when describing them, particularly when distinguishing cultural background from physical appearance.

Read more: They

Cobble

Cobble has a large history spanning hundreds of years, and today we can boast to those who have reached our lands that we are more powerful, wealthy, and welcome than ever before. Those who listen to the stories told by travellers know that Cobble are in every way a neutral race. They provide for all of their visitors, regardless of their motives. 

Only once were they attacked on their island in a vicious struggle against the Mycra, who were trying to steal artifacts from Cobble. This was the only real war they have ever fought.

Coldwraith skeleton

Coldwraith skeleton is a name to check against a specific bestiary before using it in a campaign. Decide whether it denotes an individual monster, an undead subtype or a homebrew option. Its exact appearance and abilities need to come from that source.

Demon

They have cat-like ears and fur all over their body, and each species of demon has a different coloration pattern. They are divided into wild or domesticated races. Where humans largely began as modest people, demons tend to be quite proud of themselves and their own power.

Dinolfos

They are a long-lived race, with most Dinolfos living at least 2000 years. Since they live in such close proximity to the Kokiri, some people have been known to confuse them for one another, mostly outsiders and visitors. 

It is unknown however if the two races have anything in common with one another culturally.

Dire orc

They live in the snowy mountains and are a clan of warriors who protect the Kodiak bears, and most often join parties to hunt down monsters. Due to their bear-like kinship they share similar powers and abilities quite similar to that of the Kodiak bear.

Dire troll

They inhabit the northern regions, like the Ice Peaks, where they can feed on dire boars - that's what makes them so steady and tough. Like all trolls, dire trolls have a green skin tone and sharp claws.

Dragonian

Dragonians are born in eggs. They hatch from these eggs as adolescents with Adult racial skills and stats. They don't have childhood as other races do. All draconians are smart and strong if not a touch arrogant at times but that has not stopped them from forging an empire that spans the known world

Dragonman

They are sentient creatures that came into being by the corruption of the genes of the Amphiptere dragons by the magic of what is today known as Dragonlands. 

The first Dragonman was created in the year 173, although its mythological origins go back to legends that have been told through generations along the coastline of the East-Elven Archipelago.

Dragonspawn

These servants have dedicated their human lives to worshiping and serving the dragons of Azeroth, Outland, and the Great Beyond. Their love and dedication to the great beasts led them to be blessed with an inner power, and they now serve as their gods’ most powerful warriors. 

Draugr

They are commonly believed to be the result of ancient nordic warriors cursed by vengeful Daedric or Aldmeri gods for inaction during difficult times. They are spawned from the corpses of evil or dishonourable warriors in their burial places, barrows and graves and are the dangerous reanimated corpses of that being. 

Draugr often have strong connections to the place where they were buried and can occur in even greater concentrations around certain powerful artifacts.

Dredge

They get along well with dwarves, halflings, humans and gnomes, though have problems with elves and half-orcs. Dredge live in tunnels and caverns they dig out beneath the surface of the world. This usually happens when there is a layer of soil on top of solid rocks or natural caverns in which they find suitable for habitation.

Their society is tribal with clans and it's not unusual to see clans fighting one another as part of territorial disputes. They have a complex language system that is written in the earth with their fists; they can forge armor out of stone which allows them to burrow deeper; and their weapons significantly increase the range at which they can attack.

Dremora

They are characterized as humanoid in shape, and very masculine. It is their wish to gain access to all planes of Oblivion, especially that of Mundus, the mortal realm, which they hate with an intense passion.

Drow

Drow are dark elves in Dungeons & Dragons settings such as the Forgotten Realms. Individual stories and editions portray them differently. A character’s upbringing, loyalties and choices give a more useful background than assuming one personality for every member of the people.

Read more: drow

Dryad

A Dungeons & Dragons dryad is a woodland fey associated with a tree. Warcraft depicts dryads differently, with a deerlike lower body. These versions share a name and woodland associations, while their anatomy, history and game rules remain setting-specific.

Read more: Dryads

Duergar

Gray dwarves associated with the Underdark are known as duergar in Dungeons & Dragons. They belong among the setting’s subterranean peoples. Check the edition’s ancestry or creature entry when choosing abilities, then give the individual character a background within that setting.

Dunmer

They are known to be shrewd and intelligent and yet are shunned by other races for their secrecy. They're also well known for their potent magic making them suitable allies in battle, though to combat this they've developed enhanced physique and unique weapons.

The Dunmer were created by the immortal god, Vivec, for the purpose of building his city, Vivec City. Since then the Dunmer became one of the dominant races in Morrowind and evolved into two distinctive classes: The Great Houses and the Ashlanders.

Dwemer

They are often mentioned in stories, myths, and the songs of bards. The lives and fate of the Dwemer are shrouded in mystery and can be difficult to separate from the many apocryphal legends associated with them.

Their own name for themselves, "the Deep Folk," has been proposed as a label for the Dwemer as a whole. In modern Aldmeris, they are called Dwerghūnar, which means "the earthmen." 

Both terms translate the name used by the Dwemer themselves, "Dwemer", meaning "Masters of War.

Daemon

They don't interfere with the day-to-day life of the Moroi, but instead use their positions of influence and wealth to manipulate and destroy them from within. 

They are also responsible for the propagation of half-vampire children, as is explained in The Queen of the Damned . According to the origin story presented in The Vampire Lestat , they were created by God as an act of rebellion - a group of angels who refused to bow down before humanity. In that same account, it is said that Caine was not the first vampire; that there was another one who inspired all vampires to become like him.

Dark dwarf

They were exiled from the Ironforge clan when they tried to take over the high seat. They are not to be confused with Dark Iron dwarves which are members of the Alliance affiliated with the Twilight's Hammer clan.

Dark elf

They are often confused as being drow due to them living in the Underdark. Dark elves have exquisite features similar to moon elves but their skin is much darker as they reside in the darkness underground.

They are commonly called deep elves or grey elves by other races.  It is also known that they are very resistant to magic and poisons.

Dark titan

Dark titan is a race of titans that are evil and have dark ways. They were born from the blood that was spilled by valiant titans. It was in the first war between valiant and dark titans. In this war, a great titan called adamantium had sacrificed for his own beloved world. 

Dark titans wanted nothing but to rule this world badly and commit all sorts of crimes without any scruples against other lesser beings like- humans.

Dark Troll

In direct sunlight, they go into a deep slumber and are rendered nearly lifeless until exposed to shade once more. They are driven by a fierce hatred of their daylight kin, the forest trolls. 

Dark trolls display a great capacity for magic, though their aptitude for destruction pales in comparison with their predilection to create and grow.

Although they are almost entirely unknown to the world above ground, dark trolls have expanded into vast realms underground to escape the eternal daylight of the surface. They are most commonly known to be friendly with goblins, with whom they share their tunnels and territories in exchange for aid against intruders.

Darkfallen

Their history is deeply entwined with the elves’ own ancient history and they loathe life as much as they once adored it. Darkfallen are no less skilled in combat than most other races, but their very existence is steeped in the supernatural making them all, even those without the Blessing of Cinder Glades, stronger for it. 

They share a communion with one-another that is not shared by other beings and the dark magics they practice can summon beings from beyond the mortal realms to do their bidding.

Deep gnome

Almost all gnomes in this area are deep gnomes, including the illithid in the late '80s by R.A. Salvatore. They are the main race of gnomes in Forgotten Realms campaign setting's Underdark, their language is notably fluent according to R.A. Salvatore in one of his novels Menzoberranzan.

Their numbers are greatly reduced due to their small size compared to other drow, duergar, and svirfneblin races. Their size also puts them at a disadvantage. Most deep gnomes are taller than 2 feet while the average halfling is just under 3 feet tall.

This causes deep gnomes to be more vulnerable to creatures larger than them.

Deku

It is believed that the beings known as the Zora are originally from the Deku Tree, which contains a miniature ecosystem and numerous pools of water.

After "The Great Calamity", they seem to have overpowered most of Hyrule with their ability to control wood. The most prominent and well-known variety, the Deku Scrub, lives in the forests of Hyrule where they once lived side by side with the Hylians.

Earthen

They are an older race than humans and elves, but not quite as old as gnomes. Earthens have been in Azeroth for many thousands of years, living in isolated mountain ranges.

The typical earthen is shorter than most humans, standing at around 5’1″ to 6’5″. Some earthens are over seven feet tall, however (the largest recorded was almost ten feet).

Enchanted

They have lived for thousands of years upon the isles and were once bound to the light of day. Yet in recent times they have been found wandering the night, casting spells and causing mischief when darkness falls.

They were first created many thousands of years ago, and some have even become entire species like the Avtrot and Imbroglio.

Eth

The central premise of their culture is that they must tend to their Rifts, which appear randomly around the world. If left unattended for long enough, a Rift will become Overrun by the creatures that dwell within it. At this point, the Eth are compelled by their beliefs and culture to see that the Rift is destroyed by any means necessary.

Despite previously being united under the council of the Eternum, most Eth tribes are currently spread across the continent fighting for their survival. 

Eth society has waned drastically after each successive planar incursion, but is slowly recovering as armies gain ground on behalf of their favored gods and have begun establishing towns and villages around captured objectives.

Ethereal

They enjoy flaunting their wealth and status while simultaneously nurturing secret plots to further increase it. They are masters at manipulating markets and using their connections to accomplish their goals. They can manifest in the world of Azeroth, but only for short periods before needing to return to their home world. 

Ethereals have long whitish hair that they tie into small ponytails that get longer as they age. It is considered very rude among Ethereals to show excessive displays of wealth.

Ettin

Their natural shape is nearly identical to that of a giant, but they tend to be much smaller at roughly eight to ten feet in height. They dress similarly to ogres, and love to wear as many rings, amulets, and bracelets as possible. 

However, these decorations are not just for show; they are usually enchanted with magic for protection.

Falmer

They were created by the Aedra (gods) to be “light-elves” because, in their words, they “needed more variety”. The Falmer once had a great civilization on the continent Tamriel until they went into hiding underground and fell prey to a terminal disease called “Vampirism”.

These snow elves are also known as the “Betrayed” and “Pariahs”.  Snow elves were seen near Tundra in Skyrim and that too after many centuries when the Dragonborn came into existence.

Faun

They have exceptional agility and speed, but at the cost of strength. Fauns have large horns on their heads along with small ones on their cheeks, double-lidded eyes the color of blood, goat legs, short pointed ears and broad shoulders. 

Their skin tones can range from fair to dark and have hair that ranges from white to black as well as being either curly or straight.

Fel elf

The felblood elves deviate from their original form due to the consumption of demon blood. They serve as shock troops for the Legion and can be found in many demon armies. Next to spellcasters, they are some of the most powerful combatants in the Legions' service.

It is unknown how exactly they were created. It could be that they are corrupted highborne elves like the Sunwell survivors who drank the blood of a demon causing them to become satyrs. It also could be that their souls were bent by the corruption just like Illidan's, Arthas' and many others have been.

Fel Orc

Fel Orcs were created by the Burning Legion in their demonic laboratories, and are a combination of fel orcs and various other creatures such as ogres and draenei.

These brutish and powerful warriors serve their masters with fanatical loyalty, and can be found scattered throughout many worlds that have fallen under the sway of the Legion. The bulk of these lumbering giants live on the blighted world of Felhammer within Azeroth’s Netherstorm.

Firelord

Although weaker than their red counterparts, they can still be formidable opponents. Their power over the element of fire is great. They can send blasts of flame at their foes, or they can use such fire to try to melt away their enemies.

They’re generally considered better than air elementals, because they have consistent damage regardless of where they attack from, as long as they have something to burn the opponent with.

Firesoul genasi

They are one of the most striking beings in the realms, their skin is fiery and heads are molten. They usually host red or ruddy bronze skin tones but they can feature several hues in between those, as well. 

They are slightly taller than humans with muscular yet lithe bodies and long limbs. As shown by their traits, they seem to be an offshoot of the earth genasi or maybe even that they stem directly from it. Either way, this kinship is one of blood and not one of quality or power so the fire genasi can’t claim to be more powerful than their ancestors.

Flame elf

Those who have seen one could never forget it, though. Flame elves are fire elementals consumed by dark magic and twisted forever. They now hunt and consume all life on Azeroth. Aiding Ragnaros the Firelord  in his quest to create a world of pure fire in order to conquer or destroy it,

Flamekin

They can be found in the Fire Lands but are often seen in other places and on some occasions even working for other races. Flamekin are very different to those they work for and are hard to please. There is a legend that states that one day the Flamekin will rise and destroy all who they work for.

Flamewaker

The current theory is that he will be the final hard boss of the adventure, like Loatheb in Naxxramas. I want to talk about Flamewakers because they are very interesting. 

They are not quite made up of flames and they are not single units like most minions. They are multiple fire elementals that have blood and skin, so they look like normal opponents but they’re pretty dangerous as soon as you get them all out at the same time.

Forest gnome

They live in chaotic forests in small and scattered communities that make use of camouflage, secrecy and misdirection as a deterrent to predators. Forest Gnomes are chaotic good creatures who strive to help beasts and those that cannot defend themselves from danger. 

They make their homes among the trees of large forests where they live quite comfortably thanks to their abilities at living off the land.

Forest nymph

They have personalities, personalities that are to be expected from a person that has spent their entire life in a forest. Forest Nymphs also have their very own culture, food, cloth and even their own language.

Forest troll

They live in the wild in Azeroth, but also inhabit Medivh's Tower in the DeadMines dungeon. Forest trolls tend to be larger than other types of trolls. Compared to their jungle cousins, they have a shorter lifespan. 

One trait all forest trolls share is their head-hunting habits - they like to adorn their staves and bows with oversized troll heads.

Forgotten

Since they can wear any mortal's skin, they usually have brown hair, and brown or dull grey eyes, though their eyes sometimes shine yellow when they slither under the bright sunlight. They do not have wings, nor tails.

Once blessed by the Goddess, but since sealed away by her, they now reside in the woods near Nesharim where they wait for her to return.

Forsaken undead

The forsaken were victims of one of the terrible plagues that ran through Lordaeron when it was attacked by Arthas during the Third War. 

Victims of the plague were buried rather than cremated, because there were so many infected bodies and so few men able to perform proper funerary rites: either those who survived the initial invasion, or those who helped clean up afterward.

Frost dwarf

They are direct descendants of the earthen - a race of sentient, living stone creatures created by the titan Khaz'goroth. Eons ago, a small group of earthers left the caverns under Kalimdor and sailed north to investigate the Lich King's invasion. They settled among a tribe of ­vrykul and taught them to speak, write, and fight. 

The vrykul adopted these guardians as gods and named them Aesir in their tongue – meaning "gods" in Old Norse – after a clan of huge stone giants whom they also worshipped more or less as gods

Galka

Galka appear in Final Fantasy XI. Fan-created tabletop adaptations also use the name, translating the idea into another rules system. The original game supplies the fictional context; a homebrew adaptation supplies only the rules its author chose to write.

Read more: They

Read more: They

Garif

Garif belong to Final Fantasy XII. Keep their communities and background within that game’s world when using them as a reference. Other Final Fantasy titles contain their own peoples and places, so a detail from one game does not automatically describe the Garif.

Gerudo

The Gerudo are a predominantly female people in The Legend of Zelda. Breath of the Wild places their stronghold in the desert. The particular game determines how their settlements, clothing and traditions appear, making it worth choosing one depiction before assembling a character reference.

Giant (Elder Scrolls)

Giants are a race of gargantuan (gigantic + enormous) and towering humanoids from Tamriel. They are a rather peaceful race, unless provoked or think that someone is a threat. Giants can be found living in many areas of Tamriel, particularly the wilderness. 

In some mountainous regions like Stonefalls, giants can be seen traversing the terrain on what appears to be stone platforms.

Gigas

The first Gigas are said to have come into existence when Black Dragon Kalbak was killed by God. When he was killed, his blood fell onto the ground and from it, seven giantesses emerged. Gigas are different from humans in ways that are unfathomable and unnatural. 

They can put out six times the power of an ordinary man in every aspect, whether it is their physical strength, stamina or attack range. Despite being large in size, they move more swiftly than any other living creature on the land.

Gilgoblin

They are very similar in appearance to goblins with an exception to their skin color. Gilgoblins are bluish-grey in color while goblins have greenish skin tone with some having blue colored skin. 

They reside mostly near the shores and coastal areas, and make their encampments on islands just offshore from larger humanoid settlements. They appear to possess large pointed ears and rather bulbous noses. The most distinctive feature of the gilgoblin is the long beard that protrudes from its face, resembling a fish bone.

Gilnean

Gilnean describes someone from Gilneas in Warcraft. World of Warcraft’s playable worgen are associated with that kingdom and the Alliance. Cultural origin and transformation are different parts of a character’s history; being from Gilneas does not itself establish every detail of that history.

Gnome

They live underground in various dwellings such as Gnomeregan. A few gnomes have made their way to the northern part of Lordaeron, where the dwarven cities of Ironforge and Grim Batol (once home to the Wildhammer dwarves) exist. 

For this reason, some humans refer to all gnomes as dwarves, although both races deny any dwarvish ancestry. They are known for their fierce love of the earth and all earthly things and are closely attuned to the natural world. Gnomes are among the oldest races in Azeroth, predating even the Elves by several millennia. 

Goblin

Goblin men and women usually wear their hair at shoulder length or shorter, unless they're balding; unlike humans, goblins don't get facial hair.  They also have large pointed ears with those of males being larger than females and prominent noses but no other visible differences between the sexes.

They were active during the Third Era and have since been missing, likely hiding in the mountains of Morrowind. The Nords knew them as the “Slaughter-fish People,” their term for all goblins, beasts, men and mer of Tamriel alike. According to Meridan Ottus, they were particularly fond of long walks on the beach and quenching blades in blood.

Gold dwarf

In the world of Forgotten Realms, Gold dwarves are amongst the smallest of the dwarf races, as they average less than 4 and half feet tall.  They are considered to be stout and are extremely brave and aloof.  This is due to their undying loyalty to allies, which makes them least likely to break a given oath. 

The Gold dwarves came into existence from Menzoberranzan, commonly called the City of Intrigue, under the Earth in the continent Faerûn, an expansive land that was created by a number of deities that are worshiped by game players around the globe. 

The city was no stranger to political fluctuation among its thirteen houses which then led to migration of dwarves from this city and through the Underdark.

Goron

Gorons eat rocks and are closely associated with Death Mountain in The Legend of Zelda. Breath of the Wild places mining and volcanic surroundings in their daily lives. In Ocarina of Time, Darunia leads the Goron people. Their rounded, heavy bodies contrast with Hyrule’s more humanlike inhabitants.

Read more: They

Grawl

Grawl are a race of primitive ape humanoids that inhabit the Charr Homelands and Shiverpeak Mountains' southern area.  Grawl resemble hairy, bipedal apes, standing up to 2.5 meters in height and weighing between 90 and 200 kilograms. 

They have large maws filled with sharp teeth used for hunting and fighting, as well as massive clawed hands ending in long, curved fingernails similar to those found on orangutans.

Half-draenei

Half-draenei describes mixed draenei ancestry in Warcraft. Build an individual character’s background around a specific account of their family and setting. Where you are writing an original character, make that original backstory clear rather than assigning it to every person with similar ancestry.

Half-elf

They are one of the most common races in all of Eurania, rivaled only by humans and dwarves.  Half-elves are always an oddity to both humans and elves, but are sometimes welcomed into elven communities.

The most distinguishing characteristic of half elves is their appearance, as they display characteristics from both races; for instance, they have a human skin tone, whereas elves have green or fair skin.

Half-night elf

Mixed night-elven ancestry is described by the term half-night elf in Warcraft. A particular character’s family history matters more than assigning one body type or appearance to the whole category. Check the setting’s usage before carrying traits over from another elven people.

Read more: Half-night elves

Half-orc

Half-orc appears in several fantasy settings. The chosen game or story determines how ancestry is described and what rules apply. For an original character, establish their family, community and personal history instead of deriving intelligence or temperament from a generic ancestry label.

Halfling

Halfling birth day's are known as Naming Day when their true names are gifted by a godly figure either chosen by the parents or gods themselves. Halflings have clever minds and quick reflexes and are renowned craftsmen. Most Halflings choose to settle in secluded gardens or orchards away from the hustle and bustle of city life. They were only interacted with when there was trouble in the forests or a specific good needed. 

Since they have finally left their homeland and started to encounter more races they have seen this as a new age for social equality and seen themselves as the middle road between giants and dwarves.

Highborne elf

The Highborne elves were a tribe of graceful and intelligent high elves, who were the highest caste of night elf society and also the lowest rank in the Kaldorei's corps of arcane wielders. 

They were once the personal servitors of Queen Azshara and her favored Highborne during the height of their civilization's power in ancient Kalimdor.

Hobgoblin

Their sizes can be as tall and as heavy as goblins, but usually smaller than half the size of a goblin. Despite their appearance, hobgoblins are tougher and stronger than a goblin because they have tough yellow skin, large teeth and nails, and a large muscular body. 

They live in tribes scattered around in forests, rocky areas, mountains, plains, swamps, and underground areas. Hobgoblins are carnivores who love to feast on humans when they have the chance.

Mountain dwarf

Mountain dwarf is used in fantasy settings and particular Dungeons & Dragons editions. In a campaign, choose that edition’s dwarf options first, then decide which mountain community or clan shaped the character. A familiar ancestry name does not supply a single shared genealogy across franchises.

Dwarves

Dwarves, the short and stocky humanoids known for their superior crafting skills, have a long tradition in fantasy games. 

In Dungeons & Dragons they are a player character race that gets bonuses to every craft skill, including bartering. 

Dwarves are simple but noble creatures with a rich history in Germanic folklore, although D&D dwarves began as a Tolkien-inspired version of the traditional dwarven mythology.

Beast Man

Beast Man may name an individual character, while beastfolk can describe a broad animal-featured people. Decide which meaning you intend. For original worldbuilding, define the animal features and community directly, then develop the individual character’s role within that world.

Giants

Giants are legendary creatures in the same vein as Dragons, Faeries and Monsters. Although they have been a part of human mythology for centuries, they have also appeared in current pop culture more recently. Because of this, giants have become a Standard Fantasy Race having only varied slightly in terms of details. 

Hobbits

Hobbits are a race of small, furry-footed humans who live in peace and quiet in a shire-like region called The Shire. They are famous for their love of food and beer, as well as their incredible courage and will to do good. Even so, they don't go looking for adventures - they're content just to live a peaceful life!

LizardFolk

Lizardfolk are friendly and curious beings that enjoy learning about new things. Their desire to explore and their friendly, open-minded dispositions often bring them into contact with other races, though the gap between their way of thinking and that of the smooth-skins is great indeed.

Treants

Treants are powerful tree-like creatures that can be found in various forests and jungles. Most species of treants appear to have bark with face-like features and legs that emerge from the base of their trunk. Although most treants are still alive, some of them are long-dead (petrified) and resemble stone statues.

Trolls

The word "troll" has come to refer to all types of monstrous creatures in fantasy settings. They are often similar to giants, ogres and goblins, but have a long history as the personification of evil in many cultures. 

The Trolls are infamous throughout history as they wreak havoc on unsuspecting travelers through their many tricks and pranks. These little devils enjoy eating anything delicious or good which happens to be near them.

Dragons

Dragons are a common fixture in fantasy. They are large, reptilian creatures with wings, scales and claws. In some stories dragons are just what one might expect - aggressive beasts that burn villages and swallow knights whole. Many others view dragons as more intelligent and helpful, but usually still dangerous creatures that must be dealt with carefully.

Cover image: Pexels

Using the directory for a character

First choose the fictional setting, then match the name and background to its sources. For an original elf character, our elf names list can help with naming after that background is settled.

If you’re drawing the character, keep clothing and skin-color choices separate from the rules attached to its ancestry. Our color names reference can help describe a palette without treating it as an official franchise color specification.