D&D 5E D&D's Inclusivity Language Alterations In Core Rules

In recent months, WotC has altered some of the text found in the original 5th Edition core rulebooks to accommodate D&D's ongoing move towards inclusivity. Many of these changes are reflected on D&D Beyond already--mainly small terminology alterations in descriptive text, rather than rules changes.

Teos Abadia (also known as Alphastream) has compiled a list of these changes. I've posted a very abbreviated, paraphrased version below, but please do check out his site for the full list and context.

• Savage foes changed to brutal, merciless, or ruthless.
• Barbarian hordes changed to invading hordes.
• References to civilized people and places removed.
• Madness or insanity removed or changed to other words like chaos.
• Usage of orcs as evil foes changed to other words like raiders.
• Terms like dim-witted and other synonyms of low intelligence raced with words like incurious.
• Language alterations surrounding gender.
• Fat removed or changed to big.
• Use of terms referring to slavery reduced or altered.
• Use of dark when referring to evil changed to words like vile or dangerous.

This is by no means the full list, and much more context can be found on Alphastream's blog post.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

Most German immigrants to the USA/American Colonies came from regions other than Bavaria: e.g., Rhineland-Palatinate,* Hesse, Hanover, and Swabia/Baden-Württemburg. If you go to these areas dressed in Trachten, you will get some pretty strange stares.

* Pennsylvania Dutch is a sub-dialect of Palatinate German.

I think that's because a lot of people don't realize Germany, as we know it, was not a thing before 1871. I feel like, at least in America, Germany is as old and settled as France or Spain or England

 

[Aldarc]

Yes, but in the past 100-150 years of living in Wisconsin or Ohio, a new  gestalt German-American culture has evolved. And yeah sure, a lot of Bavarian distinctive kind of came out on top, but they are still German-American traditions now (source: being of mostly non-Bavarian German heritage out of the Ameican Midwest). So yeah, it is surprising to people whose ancestors in the 19th century came from the Rhineland or Swabia or Prussia or ehat have you find that their culture is different from Germany proper. But that's how culture evolves.

And Germans get pretty irritated that American conceptions of Germany amounts to Bavaria, like if all of American culture was believed to be Texas.

 

[Parmandur]

And Germans get pretty irritated that American conceptions of Germany amounts to Bavaria, like if all of American culture was believed to be Texas.

Understandably so. But the reason is precisely because the German-Americans in question believe that their own German culture is from Germany, when it is more complicated than that.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

You know it's not literal, right? Fair enough. I'll stop this particular tangent because it's not going to go anywhere good.

I guarantee you that he understands that it's not literal. The way you wrote the statement made it seem like YOU thought it was literal, which is why he objected.

Oh, and here's a youtube video for you because you've said that you've never heard anyone say "Top of the morning to ye" on St Patrick's Day.

 

[Autumnal]

It’s just stories and they are all just props. Merely words on a page for our self insert heroes to fight and loot or barter with or ask to join our imaginary kingdoms.

If they’re just words, why should anyone ever get upset that a publisher is using different ones? They’re mere words, right?

 

[MGibster]

Oh, and here's a youtube video for you because you've said that you've never heard anyone say "Top of the morning to ye" on St Patrick's Day.

I don't think I said that. St. Patrick's Day is exactly when I expect to hear that kind of thing.

 

[Morrus]

You know it's not literal, right?

Well of course it's not. That would be impossible.

We're way off topic though.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

It’s not a question of celebrating St Patrick’s Day. It’s the stereotypical bad Irish accent and “Top of the morning to ye” that‘s the offensive cultural appropriation. There honestly should be a standard response to such things and I’m thinking it should be “Céad míle fyas!”

The correct expression is "Póg mo thóin"

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I do wonder how people would react if a person of Irish descent was offended by the day set aside to appreciate their heritage being primarily used by many people as an excuse to get hammered on green beer.

I am Irish and I find the concept of green beer bizzare and somewhat disgusting but as long as no one attempts to deprive me of access to a decent stout ye can carry on anyway ye want as long as I don't have to pay much attention to it.

 

[Morrus]

I do wonder how people would react if a person of Irish descent was offended by the day set aside to appreciate their heritage being primarily used by many people as an excuse to get hammered on green beer.

I am a person of Irish descent. But I'm English, so I don't presume to speak for Irish people. But green beer... what? Is that a thing?