The distinct non-human species or peoples in your fictional world, each with their own biology, culture, and narrative role.
Fantasy races are the invented species and peoples that populate your world alongside (or instead of) humans. Elves, dwarves, and orcs are the classics, but the concept covers everything from Tolkien's hobbits to Jemisin's stone eaters. The best fantasy races aren't just humans with pointy ears or green skin; they have genuinely different biologies, worldviews, and cultural practices that create real narrative friction. How a race perceives time, death, or family should ripple through your entire story.
Different races give you built-in sources of tension, misunderstanding, and alliance. They let you explore themes of prejudice, coexistence, and identity through a speculative lens. If every race in your world thinks and acts like modern humans in costume, you're leaving your best worldbuilding tools on the table.
Tolkien set the template with elves, dwarves, hobbits, orcs, and ents, each with distinct languages, histories, and relationships to the world.
The stone eaters are genuinely alien: immortal, patient, and made of rock. They don't think like humans, and the story is better for it.
The Parshendi (Singers) challenge the reader's assumptions about who the 'enemy race' really is, flipping the typical fantasy war narrative.
Give each race internal diversity. Elves should disagree with each other about politics, religion, and art, just like any real group of people.
Be thoughtful about coding. If your 'savage' race maps directly onto a real-world group, rethink the design. Fantasy races work best when they explore ideas, not replicate prejudice.
It's better to have three fully realized races than a dozen sketches. Only introduce races that your story has room to explore meaningfully.
Invent a fantasy race that evolved in an extreme environment (deep ocean, volcanic plains, perpetual darkness). Spend 15 minutes writing a one-page description covering their biology, one key cultural practice shaped by that environment, and one source of conflict with humans. Focus on how their environment made them different, not just what they look like.