Fantasy Races to Feature in Your Next Game or Story

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Literary content expert Frank DiLuzio goes over common and rare races in fantasy

Co-authored by Frank DiLuzio and Samantha Fulton, BA

Last Updated: July 1, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Common Fantasy Races
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• Less Common
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• How to Create Your Own Fantasy Race
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• Controversy
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• Video

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Popular fantasy worlds like Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones are filled with fascinating, fictional races. In this guide, we partnered with a literary content expert to go through some of the fantasy races you’re most likely to encounter in pop culture and a few less common (but equally cool) gems. We’ll also dive into how to create your own fantasy race for fiction and RPGs! Plus… is “race” really the right word for groups of fantasy beings, or is it more accurate to say “species”? Keep reading for a breakdown of the controversy with fantasy races to learn more.

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Literary content expert Frank DiLuzio says the most common fantasy races are fae, dragonborn, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters, while the rarest races are lizard folk and tieflings. Other popular races are hobbits, elves, dwarves, and orcs. A fantasy race is a non-human group of mythical beings with special powers.

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Section 1 of 4:

Common Fantasy Races

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   Hobbits Hobbits are a small, underground-dwelling race known for their sage wisdom and tranquil lifestyle. Also known as halflings, Hobbits are believed to be related to men. They have pointy ears and furry feet and are usually 2-4 feet tall.

   • Familiar Hobbits: Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit) and Frodo Baggins (Lord of the Rings)

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Frank DiLuzio is a literary content and podcasting expert. He hosts the podcast Thrillers and Tea, where he shares his thoughts on recent reads and book-related topics, and shares book reviews on social media @franks_fiction.
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   Elves Elves are immortal, human-like beings with great beauty. They often have special powers related to nature. Elves tend to live in forests, but have also been depicted living in wells or springs, and even palaces!

   • Familiar Elves: Legolas (Lord of the Rings) and Link (The Legend of Zelda)
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   Dwarves Dwarves are humanoids that often have a squat, burly appearance. They usually dwell within mountains and mines. Dwarves are typically skilled metallurgists, making them exceptional craftsmen.

   • Familiar Dwarf: Gimli (Lord of the Rings)
   • Are you more of a Legolas or a Gimli? Take this quiz to find out which LOTR character you are!
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   Orcs Orcs are evil, brutish monsters. Sometimes depicted as corrupted elves, orcs are known for their cruelty and their role as the main antagonists in Tolkien’s Lord of the Ring series.

   • Familiar Orcs: Azog and Gothmog (Lord of the Rings)
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   Goblins Goblins are mountain-dwellers related to orcs, but are smaller and more intelligent. They are usually portrayed with green skin and are known to be malicious tricksters.

   • Familiar Goblin: Griphook (Harry Potter)
   • Find out which Harry Potter character you are!
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   Fae Fae, or faeries, are ethereal supernatural beings with a strong connection to nature. They enjoy playing tricks on humans and have pointed ears and magical powers. Fae are often stronger, faster, and more agile than humans.

   • Familiar Fae: Aelin Galathynius and Rowan Whitethorn (Throne of Glass)
   • According to DiLuzio, fae are one of the most common fantasy races you’ll see in fantasy novels today.
   • Trying to name a fae character in your fantasy world? Use this fae name generator!
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   Giants Giants are massive, human-like beings with immense strength. Their intentions can range from helpful and friendly to malicious, and they are often associated with wilderness and chaos. They traditionally appear in fiction as antagonists, but have also been portrayed as good in books and movies like The BFG.

   • Familiar Giant: Grawp (Harry Potter) and Blunderbore (Jack and the Beanstalk)
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   Angels Angels are celestial beings that typically act as representatives for a higher power or being. They often serve as a conduit between the heavenly and the human and are ethereal in appearance and abilities. Sometimes they have fallen to earth and must find a way to return to the heavens.

   • Familiar Angels: Aziraphale (Good Omens) and Raziel (Shadowhunters)
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   Wizards Wizards are humans with some innate ability to use magical powers and cast spells. They often require schooling to hone their wizardry skills and can be portrayed as good or evil. "Wizard" is typically used to describe males, with female wizards often being referred to as witches (but witches are also sometimes considered their own distinct fantasy race).

   • Familiar Wizards: Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter)
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    Ogres Ogres are massive, physically powerful human-like beings. They are typically depicted as more monstrous than giants and usually have malicious intent. In traditional fantasy, they are brutish with an appetite for human flesh.

    • Familiar Ogre: Greasus Goldtooth (Warhammer)
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    Centaurs Centaurs are half human and half horse. They typically live in the wilderness, beyond the laws of man. Most centaurs are portrayed as unruly, although some of them are characterized as helpful and wise.

    • Familiar Centaur: Firenze (Harry Potter)
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    Dragonborn According to DiLuzio, dragonborn characters are coming up in a lot of recent fantasy novels. This is a race of humanoid dragons who are created or born from dragons, so they typically have dragon-like features. This includes a reptilian head, scaled skin, and clawed feet. Some may even grow wings.

    • Familiar Dragonborn: Arkhan the Cruel (Dungeons & Dragons - Forgotten Realms)
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    Vampires This is another very common fantasy race, says DiLuzio. Vampires are immortal creatures of the night who feed on human blood. They often possess supernatural powers, like mind control, flight, and super strength and speed. Vampires are also typically charming, and can be portrayed as romantic leads or dangerous antagonists.

    • Familiar Vampires: Lestat de Lioncourt (Interview with the Vampire) and Alice Cullen (Twilight)
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    Werewolves Werewolves are human shapeshifters who traditionally turn into monstrous wolves under the full moon. Once they shift, they often gain supernatural abilities like super strength, speed, and senses. Historically, they’ve been treated as antagonists, but in recent times, werewolves are often portrayed as good guys.

    • Familiar Werewolves: Scott McCall (Teen Wolf) and Hayley Marshall (The Vampire Diaries/The Originals)
    • DiLuzio notes that werewolves are one of the most common fantasy races.
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    Shapeshifters DiLuzio says shapeshifters are another very common fantasy race. In traditional fantasy, shapeshifters are human-like beings who can physically change their body to appear like animals, mythical creatures, other humans, and other fantasy beings.

    • Familiar Shapeshifters: Lysandra (Throne of Glass)
    • Some fantasy races commonly have the ability to shapeshift, like fae, wizards, and vampires.
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Section 2 of 4:

Less Common Fantasy Races

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   Banshee Banshee are supernatural, fairy-like beings with an unmistakable shriek. Banshee are always female and are often associated with particular families. They are able to predict and warn of impending death or doom.

   • Familiar Banshee: Lydia Martin (Teen Wolf)
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   Fauns Fauns are half goat and half human. They are friendly, whimsical little beings with an exceptional sense of direction, and they often act as guides for travelers (as long as they like the traveler). Fauns are often dancers or flute players.

   • Familiar Faun: Mr. Tumnus (The Chronicles of Narnia)
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   Imps Imps are small humanoids with horns, bat wings, and an arrow-tipped tail. They are devilish beings that live in Hell and often appear in groups or swarms. Imps do not age and, traditionally, can only die if they are physically harmed.

   • Familiar Imps: Pain and Panic (Disney’s Hercules)
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   Merfolk Merfolk are ocean-dwelling creatures with human heads and upper-bodies and a scaly fish tail. They have mesmerizing singing voices, but unlike sirens, they usually do not have malicious or evil intentions.

   • Familiar Merfolk: Ariel (The Little Mermaid) and Syrena (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides)
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   Gnomes Gnomes are small, friendly beings that often appear in a pointy red cap. They are similar to dwarves with their short appearance, but they are typically friendlier. Gnomes can live in many habitats including gardens and forests, and they are often skilled tinkerers.

   • Familiar Gnomes: Tinkmaster Overspark and Gelbin Mekkatorque (World of Warcraft)
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   Minotaurs Minotaurs have the body of a human and the head of a bull. They are heavily associated with labyrinths and are often portrayed as monstrous but misunderstood creatures.

   • Familiar Minotaur: Kaz (Dragonlance)
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   Trolls Trolls are monstrous beings that possess magical powers. They are often portrayed as hostile toward humans. Their appearance is typically somewhere between that of a giant and an elf.

   • Familiar Troll: Cave trolls Tom, Bert, and William (The Hobbit)
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   Djinn Djinn are human-like beings with supernatural abilities. Also known as genies, Djinn can shapeshift, grant wishes, possess humans, and tell the future. Djinn can be good or evil and will often magically benefit those they like.

   • Familiar Djinn: Elalyth (Clan Destine)
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   Druids Druids are mystical beings that harness their powers from the natural world. They are often able to communicate with animals or control natural elements, sometimes even harnessing the power of the sun or the moon!

   • Familiar Druid: Keyleth (Critical Role)
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    Witches Witches are female, human-like magical beings associated with sorcery and spells. Although witches are traditionally depicted as evil and devilish, there have been more fantasy stories centered around complex witches who work toward using their magic for good.

    • Familiar Witch: Manon (Throne of Glass), Hermione (Harry Potter)
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    Lizard folk According to DiLuzio, lizard folk are a rare fantasy race that you don’t see often in books. This is a race of humanoid reptilians who mostly resemble bipedal lizards with scaly skin and claws. They’re traditionally portrayed as an ancient race and are often the antagonists.

    • Familiar Lizard folk: Lizalfos (The Legend of Zelda)
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    Tieflings Tieflings are another rare fantasy race, says DiLuzio. They are demonic-blooded creatures with horns, tails, and an infernal ancestry. While they may have “evil” ancestors, tieflings are not inherently evil beings. However, they’re often treated with distrust by other beings.

    • Familiar Tieflings: Farideh (Dungeons & Dragons - Forgotten Realms)
    • DiLuzio notes that “the more humanistic a race is, the more common it seems to appear.”
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Create Your Own Fantasy Race

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1. 1
   Give your race physical characteristics. Do you have a specific eye or hair color in mind? Maybe you want to give your race a distinctive physical trait like pointed ears or horns. If you really want to get creative, try drawing a picture of what you want your new fantasy race to look like and go from there!

   • Just trying to get your D&D campaign going? Take this quiz to find out what race your character should be!
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   Decide if your race has a specific job. Sometimes, fantasy races have a niche like mining or alchemy. Your race could have specialized skills, traits, or abilities that make it uniquely suited for a certain occupation in the fantasy world you’re creating.
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   Write your race’s history. Does your race have a tragic backstory? Do they have tension with a fantasy race from another magical realm? Giving your race historical details will help you with worldbuilding and character development.
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   Pick a location for your race. Deciding on a geographical origin will help you figure out how your race interacts with other peoples and what types of environmental factors might be shaping your story and characters. Is it hot and humid? A frozen tundra? Does it border enemy territory? Get creative!

   • Use this generator to name your fantasy realm!
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   Create other races. Maybe your race has relatives, or one race descended from another. Think about how the presence of your race might intermingle with the others. Is there conflict? Will alliances be formed?
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Section 4 of 4:

Controversy Surrounding Fantasy Races

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1. 1
   The phrase “fantasy race” may imply that race impacts abilities and intentions. While race is socially constructed in real life, fantasy worlds tend to use race as a concrete way to categorize characters into good and evil, which can be misleading.

   • J.R.R. Tolkien famously described his “race” of orcs as “a degraded and repulsive version of the least-lovely Mongol-types.” Using a real ethnic group to inspire a “race” of monsters is problematic and has led to controversy surrounding race in fantasy worlds.
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   Many advocate for using the word “species” instead of “race.” In simple terms, a species is a population that shares an evolutionary history and can reproduce with other members. When creating fantasy beings, it is more accurate to describe creatures like orcs, gnomes, or hobbits as a species, rather than saying that their ethics, skills, or temperament are a result of race.

   • Avoid using stereotypes to shape your group of fantasy beings. To best avoid controversy, don’t craft groups of characters around negative, real-world stereotypes. This is your fantasy world to create as you please—think outside the box!

   1. And if the steps above have been helpful, be sure to download this article as a PDF so you can print, read, or reference it any time.

   Download PDF for $2.99
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