Well, my Wednesday game was cancelled this week. So let's take a look at the reprinted races in Mordenkainen Presents Monsters of the Multiverse.
The races found here were previously printed for 5th Edition in a few sources, including Volo's Guide to Monsters, Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, the Elemental Evil Player's Companion, Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, Mythic Odysseys of Theros, The Tortle Package, and The Wild Beyond the Witchlight (I think that's all?)
Except for the most recent races, which came out after the new rules for racial ability scores were introduced in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, each of these races has been at least somewhat revised - and all have been given flexible ability score boosts. This means that, at character creation, rather than having, say, Elves all get a +2 to Dexterity, you now just choose either a +2 in one ability score and a +1 in another, or a +1 to three different scores. This should make these races far more flexible in terms of what you want to play.
As a note, some of these races were introduced as subraces (especially in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes.) However, perhaps because we won't be getting revisions of the base Elf, Dwarf, and Gnome races, instead things like Eladrin, Duergar, and Svirfneblin are presented here as their own races - albeit with a note in their "creature type" entry that specifies that they count as a member of that broader racial group.
The intent for these posts is not going to be to do an exhaustive examination of every racial feature, but instead to highlight what has changed. I will not be making note of the change to ability scores, as that's a universal change to every race. Likewise, races no long grant languages other than Common and one of your choice - so while it will make sense for your Eladrin to speak Elvish, you might decide they know something else (maybe they were raised by goblins?) Likewise, guidance on alignment and age is left out.
So, to reiterate: I'm not going to list every feature here, as that would bog things down by a lot. I'm just documenting changes.
Aarakocra:
The first and likely most pertinent change here is that your walking and flying speed are now at a base of 30 feet (as opposed to 25 walking and 50 flying,) though the restriction on medium or heavy armor remains. Actually, to be precise, your flight speed is now just equal to your walking speed, so a Monk will be able to fly faster.
Your natural talon weapons now deal 1d6 rather than 1d4 slashing damage.
Aarakocra, once they hit 3rd level, also now gain the ability to cast Gust of Wind once per day for free, and can spend 2nd or higher level spell slots to cast it again. Like most new in-born spell abilities, you choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability for this.
So, looking at this, I think the loss of flight speed might be seen as a big downside, but it's still at-will flight, and you get Gust of Wind for free, which can be a pretty useful ability. I'm hesitant to call this a buff other than the general change to ability score choice. But I don't think it's much worse unless you really wanted to be able to fly fast.
Aasimar:
Off the bat the biggest change is that there aren't any subraces here - except there kind of are. The subclasses always just determined your "ult" ability and one of your ability scores, so with the latter no longer based on race, the former is now just a choice you make within the singular race.
Necrotic Shroud, Radiant Consumption, and Radiant Soul are now all under the umbrella of "Celestial Revelation." These work similarly to the old versions, including the bonus damage and the broad effects, and you don't get to use it until level 3. However, they are now activated as a bonus action, rather than an action. While that's very welcome, the bonus damage is no longer equal to your level, but now just your proficiency bonus, which is a fairly substantial nerf. This also applies to the Scourge Aasimar's Radiant Consumption, which now does PB damage instead of half your level. Interestingly, Necrotic Shroud's fear effect has a DC based on your Charisma modifier, rather than your choice of ability score.
Healing Hands also works differently. Rather than healing for a flat amount (your level,) you now roll d4s equal to your proficiency bonus. I think this will generally average out to a buff at lower levels, and a nerf at higher levels, but I think balances out decently.
The last change is that Aasimar can now be either Small or Medium in size - I think the assumption was generally that you had human parents previously, but now it seems that the options are broader for Halfling or Goblin Aasimar.
The Celestial Revelation change is going to be the most impactful. While the damage nerf is significant, especially at higher levels, I think the fact that you can activate it as a bonus action might transform this into a buff. I cannot tell you how many times I've wanted to pop my skeletal wings on my Fallen Aasimar Paladin but felt it wouldn't be worth it to give up two attacks with my +2 Greatsword. So even if it's nerfed, now these abilities might actually be used, which is the ultimate buff.
Bugbears:
While I'm focusing a lot on mechanics here, overall goblinoids got a significant reworking to their lore. Goblinoids are now considered to have originated in the Feywild, and the influence of Maglubiyet is a more recent thing that pulled them from their old fey courts.
At first glance, Bugbears have lost nothing but gained some new features. They are also now explicitly "Goblinoid," creating a link to Goblins and Hobgoblins that future modular elements can hook onto.
First off, they now have Fey Ancestry, which gives them advantage on saving throws against charm effects.
Surprise Attack has been redesigned somewhat. Rather than requiring the target to be disguised, you now get the bonus damage if you hit a creature that hasn't taken a turn yet in combat. Additionally, the "once per combat" restriction on it has been removed. This sounds like a big buff (though I guess technically a surprised creature does take a turn while they're surprised... so there could be situations where this is downside).
Sneaky has also been buffed by adding that you can, without squeezing, move through or stop in a space large enough for a small creature. Certainly situational, but nice to have.
So, looking at Bugbears, I think we've got a nearly universal buff. A dual-wielding or crossbow expert Bugbear could unleash an absolutely devastating first round of combat.
Centaurs:
Notably, this is the first non-MTG-related book to get playable Centaurs. But as a classic archetype from fantasy and myth, it makes sense to add them.
As far as I can tell, the only change at all here is that their Hooves attack now does 1d6 rather than 1d4 bludgeoning.
So, that's a buff, obviously, even if it's a tiny one. I do still find it odd that they have the Fey creature type when the ones in the Monster Manual have the Monstrosity type. Maybe the 2024 Monster Manual will change this. You'll still be very fast as long as you don't have to climb anything.
Changelings:
I really like how MotM argues for Changelings being in plenty of non-Eberron settings - they've been there all along. You just didn't realize it.
One of the big changes here is that your creature type is now Fey, rather than Humanoid. That's probably a buff given that it makes you immune to things like Hold Person. I guess in theory you might argue that this makes you more vulnerable to a Banishment spell, but I think if you were born and raised on the Prime Material Plane you'd still count that as your home plane.
You can also now choose Small or Medium for your size.
That choice of size also allows more flexibility when you use your Shapechagner feature, as you can now change your size while you change your appearance - allowing you to go from the shape of a goblin to the shape of an orc without issue.
Additionally, Performance has been added to the skills you can choose for Changeling Instincts.
Again, we're looking at a buff, albeit one that is somewhat situational. Incidentally, in my Ravnica game, the Goblin Druid/Rogue/Cleric in House Dimir had to undergo a spell (Widowgast's Transmogrification) in order to burn his old identity, and race-changed into a Changeling. The character privately expressed regret that he can't take on his old form, so there'll be good news for him if his player can start playing again.
Well, with 5 of the 33 reprinted races taken care of, I think that's a good stopping point for this post. So far most of what we've seen has been a buff, and the flexibility with ability scores certainly counts as a buff to all of these races.
I'm really eager to see what they plan to put in the 2024 Player's Handbook for the base races. I suspect we'll see the Fizban's versions of Dragonborn replace the PHB one, but I also have a naive, foolish hope that we could see setting-agnostic Warforged there.
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