# Volo's Guide to Monsters -- three best PC races for character optimization?



## Ogre Mage (Jan 28, 2017)

What do you think are the three best PC races for character optimization in Volo's Guide to Monsters?


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## Harrumphreys (Jan 28, 2017)

Pureblood
Aasimsar

Both are incredible races, that truly enhance the classes that they are naturally drawn towards. If you bundled up their racial powers (e.g Radiant Soul, Healing Hands / Magic Resistance, Poison Immunity, etc) and offered the bundle as a Feat, I would say that a lot of characters would snap them up.

The third was tricky. Either Hobgoblin or Bugbear. Both creatures offer strong optimisation options for a few build; Hobgoblins allow for armour and weapons on classes that lack innate proficiencies (Wizard), and Bugbear is great for a Polearm user that can also be stealthy (Ranger).

I went for Bugbear. If you're building an Optimised Polearm user, it's hard to ignore the enhanced reach. If you're going for an Optimised Wizard, there are plenty of other good options.


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## imdeadagain (Jan 28, 2017)

I'm building a lizard folk fighter/life cleric grappler, the lizard is pretty good for optimization for a grappler build as you get the bite attack at a d6 plus strength damage.


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## RulesJD (Jan 30, 2017)

Agreed on Aasimar, however, the best one for Optimization is....

Kobold.

I didn't think so at first, but after taking a Kobold Bard up to level 11 so far, sweet jesus is Pack Tactics and Grovel overpowered.  The -2 Strength is largely irrelevant thanks to Finesse weapons and Medium Armor.  

Honestly, even in a relatively open world campaign like Storm Kings Thunder, the sunlight sensitivity rarely came up.  DMs simply don't have the brainpower to factor that in, so most never cared, which means woohoo Advantage almost 24/7 in game play.  I could drop upcast Inflict Wounds like it was going out of style with little worry about wasting a spell slot.  

The Grovel is also amazingly OP for boss fights.  Providing Advantage for ALL targets while NOT granting Advantage against yourself is pretty impressive, especially once you pickup Bonus Action attack abilities like Animate Objects and Bigby's Hand.  With Grovel + those spells, I can solo bosses pretty easily.  

Lastly, the -2 Strength is very easily compensated for because Strength has the most "set value" magic items.  One Gauntlet of Ogre Power later and that significant detriment to the class goes away.  

OH, and it's small sized (so moving through Large enemies) BUT doesn't have 25 movement speed reduction.

All in all, unless you have a DM who is hyper focused on Sunlight Sensitivity, the Kobold allows for stupidly good optimization.


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## Ogre Mage (Feb 11, 2017)

So we have the Aasimar as the top choice, the Yuan-ti Pureblood in a strong second place and the Bugbear in third.  I am not surprised by the results.  The Aasimar comes with three separate subraces with somewhat different traits, making it by far the most flexible Volo's PC race for optimization. The base abilities common to all Aasimar are solid as well.

The other two races are more narrowly focused but incredible in those areas.  With +2 Cha, +1 Int, darkvision, innate magic abilities, magic resistance and poison immunity, the Yuan-ti Pureblood is incredible for any Charisma-based caster and a solid wizard as well.  The bugbear is the best melee warrior PC race in the book and has more stealth capabilities than many opponents would expect.


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## faria (Feb 12, 2017)

Why do bugbears get stealth anyway? Did they get stealth-like traits in other editions?


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## Gladius Legis (Feb 12, 2017)

faria said:


> Why do bugbears get stealth anyway? Did they get stealth-like traits in other editions?



2e Bugbears got +2 damage when attacking from surprise.

3e Bugbears had +4 racial bonus to Move Silently skill, and Favored Class was Rogue.


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## Yunru (Feb 12, 2017)

faria said:


> Why do bugbears get stealth anyway? Did they get stealth-like traits in other editions?




Bugbears have a faint ancestry to the drop bear.


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## FormerlyHemlock (Feb 14, 2017)

I am honestly shocked that Goblin is losing out to Aasimar. Goblin is the most overpowered race in all of Volo's, unless you allow kobolds to overcome sunlight sensitivity by wildshaping, in which case kobolds just barely edge them out.

Very interesting poll results.



Harrumphreys said:


> Hobgoblins allow for armour and weapons on classes that lack innate proficiencies (Wizard), and Bugbear is great for a Polearm user that can also be stealthy (Ranger).




AFB but I'm pretty sure Hobgoblins only get weapon proficiencies, not armor proficiencies. I remember being very surprised about that.


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## RulesJD (Feb 14, 2017)

I feel like people are purposefully overlooking Kobolds.  It's not even a competition for powergaming builds.

Kobol Hunter Ranger (Horde Breaker)3/War Cleric 2/BM Fighter+

Takes a bit to come online, but Sharpshooter/X-bow Exp = almost always on Advantage destruction.  It's the functional equivalent of Reckless Attack for all attacks, but without the need to generate Advantage against yourself.


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## Gladius Legis (Feb 14, 2017)

Hemlock said:


> I am honestly shocked that Goblin is losing out to Aasimar. Goblin is the most overpowered race in all of Volo's, unless you allow kobolds to overcome sunlight sensitivity by wildshaping, in which case kobolds just barely edge them out.



Goblins suck for anything with at least 2 levels of Rogue, however, since the main advantage of the Goblin is redundant with Cunning Action.


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## Motorskills (Feb 14, 2017)

RulesJD said:


> Honestly, even in a relatively open world campaign like Storm Kings Thunder, the sunlight sensitivity rarely came up.  DMs simply don't have the brainpower to factor that in, so most never cared, which means woohoo Advantage almost 24/7 in game play.




Or as some like to call it, "cheating".


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## FormerlyHemlock (Feb 14, 2017)

Gladius Legis said:


> Goblins suck for anything with at least 2 levels of Rogue, however, since the main advantage of the Goblin is redundant with Cunning Action.




That's kind of the point: you get 2 levels' worth of benefits plus some bonus burst damage for free. E.g. goblin bardlocks can do warlock 2/lore bard 18 and still get Wish. They don't have to give up Wish by going Rogue 2.

A goblin Moon Druid can abuse Pass Without Trace (especially w/ Skulker feat) in hilariously overpowered ways as a completely silent ninja Rhino of Death that can destroy whole drow war-bands single-handedly.


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## Yunru (Feb 14, 2017)

Goblin Archfey Warlock *shudders*
Greater/Lesser Invisibility and bonus action Hide.


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