D&D (2024) After my players tried to break it, we discovered that the new half-race rules are hilarious and terrible.

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Well, to be literal, I'm currently on here to avoid doing a few chores I don't want to do before I can go to bed, so...

Stop slacking off and get back to mopping that kitchen floor!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

This makes your life better how exactly?

Mod Note:

When you got to this point, you started making it personal. That almost never leads to productive discussion. Try to avoid that going forward, please.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I was just having trouble picturing anyone I've ever played any (non-Toon) RPG with anywhere seriously wanting an arm-flapping flight ability or the flame-thrower-fart ability.

And so maybe that's why I didn't just jump to assuming warpiglet was trying to be a domineering DM who wouldn't have looked quizzically at the character and asked "really" and then discussed it with them if they looked confused or like they seriously thought it fit the game. That feels like the kind of benefit of the doubt I'd extend to most folks on here until they proved otherwise.

Yep.

The table’s and DM’s fun matter too. If people are into it, whatever. If the group is trying to have a serious game….

You get it. Others don’t have to.

The point is that the rules don’t rule the table nor do they have to have every edge case that is problematic accounted for. The DM matters.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

My father was a dwarf and my mother was a hummingbird ardling. I can clear this jump no problem. Arms start moving so fast they blur.

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberry...

flatulence/firebreath weapon after your dwarf gets drunk and lights it

I fart in your general direction....

I'm pretty sure Monty Python had designed half-races ages ago.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I understand that you're trying to be empathetic and I appreciate people like you in the world. But re-read the post in question; it feels like in this case you are trying to conjure empathy where it isn't deserved, in the name of avoiding a confrontation. My view is that sometimes you have to face things instead of going around them. If I'm off base, I'd like this warpiglet person to explain themselves. If they don't, that's fine too... this isn't an issue that anyone's going to lose sleep over.

You’re off base. If that is the tenor of the game and it’s participants, fine.

The point I was attempting to make by inserting absurd examples was that the rules don’t have to be that tight and spell every fluff related thing out. The DM can clarify expectations.

Clearly I was not expecting there to be a lot of fart weapon arm flapping flight ability at the average table. If there are groups that have fun with this, why would I care?

The point is that the DM can set some limits to fit the group. I did not enumerate the actual boundaries that should exist.

If you and the ‘Bub are saying the DM must allow anything the player finds fun I will say “uh, do what you enjoy.”

If that is an uncharitable interpretation, you did not explain that there are exceptions: (see how that works)

 

[Corinnguard]

It sounds to me that the designers for 1D&D should have done what Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition did with characters of mixed heritage. Allow the Player character to pick a particular heritage and then pick the heritage gift of another heritage. So if you wanted to play a half-elf, you could:

1) Pick the Human heritage and an Elven heritage gift

or

2) Pick the Elven heritage and a human heritage gift.

To get the original 5e Half-Elf, you just need to pick the second option. The first option otoh will get you a human with the psychic gifts of an elf. Elves in LU: A5e possess psychic heritage gifts (minor precognition, one way telepathy, or enhanced perception). Hmm...now I have to wonder if the A5e Elves were modeled after the elves in LoTR. The elves in that setting had something psychic about them.

Aragorn IMO would be a Half-Elf based off the first option.

It gets better. There are four suggested Elven cultures in A5e- Eladrin, High Elf, Shadow Elf (the Drow) and Wood Elf. So if you went with the second option and then picked one of these four elven cultures, you could have a Half-Eladrin Elf, a Half-High Elf, a Half-Drow or a Half-Wood Elf character.

Half-Eladrin Elf characters are proficient in longswords and rapiers, have the Fey and the Humanoid type, a spell-like ability, proficiency in one skill (Arcana, Culture, Deception, History, Insight, Persuasion, Survival) and the ability to teleport 30 feet. They would also be able to speak, read, write and sign in Common, Elvish and Sylvan.

Half-High Elf characters can use their INT when making a Deception, Insight, Intimidation or Persuasion check, they are proficient in Culture and in one skill of their choice, one cantrip of their choice while using their highest mental stat. They can speak, read, write and sign in Common, Elvish and one language of their choice.

Half-Drow characters have Darkvision 120 feet, proficiency in rapiers and hand crossbows, and three cantrips- Dancing Lights or Minor Illusion at 1st level, Faerie Fire at 3rd level, and Darkness at 5th level while using their highest mental stat. They can speak, read, write and sign in Common, Elvish and Undercommon.

Half-Wild Elf characters can move 35 feet instead of 30 feet, have the Animal Friendship spell while using their highest mental stat, proficiency in Animal Handling and Vehicles or Nature and Herbalism kits, a Climb speed of 35 feet, and a proficiency in longswords and shortbows. They can speak, read, write and sign in Common and Elvish.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

You’re off base. If that is the tenor of the game and it’s participants, fine.

The point I was attempting to make by inserting absurd examples was that the rules don’t have to be that tight and spell every fluff related thing out. The DM can clarify expectations.

Clearly I was not expecting there to be a lot of fart weapon arm flapping flight ability at the average table. If there are groups that have fun with this, why would I care?

The point is that the DM can set some limits to fit the group. I did not enumerate the actual boundaries that should exist.

If you and the ‘Bub are saying the DM must allow anything the player finds fun I will say “uh, do what you enjoy.”

If that is an uncharitable interpretation, you did not explain that there are exceptions: (see how that works)

Thanks for replying! In my initial reply to you I said:

"So instead of discussing it with this other person and trying to reach a compromise..."

That's the key to me. Your initial post had the tone of "I don't like this, so I'm shutting it down, regardless of what you think is fun." There was no opportunity given by you to at least entertain the other side of the argument. (see how that works)

I agree with you that some of those combinations are goofy (to me... and to you apparently). That doesn't mean I'm going to stomp on anyone else bringing something like that forward. We'll talk about it... if it's truly that meaningful to them to have that combo, I'm not going to stand in the way of someone else having their fun, because how does that hurt me really? If it's something brought forward that REALLY gets in the way of the rest of the group's fun... well, a person's freedom ends where another's begins.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Thanks for replying! In my initial reply to you I said:

"So instead of discussing it with this other person and trying to reach a compromise..."

That's the key to me. Your initial post had the tone of "I don't like this, so I'm shutting it down, regardless of what you think is fun." There was no opportunity given by you to at least entertain the other side of the argument. (see how that works)

I agree with you that some of those combinations are goofy (to me... and to you apparently). That doesn't mean I'm going to stomp on anyone else bringing something like that forward. We'll talk about it... if it's truly that meaningful to them to have that combo, I'm not going to stand in the way of someone else having their fun, because how does that hurt me really? If it's something brought forward that REALLY gets in the way of the rest of the group's fun... well, a person's freedom ends where another's begins.

I am fortunate in that my friends are my gaming group. Played in grade school and now still that we are family men with bills.

We rotate DMs here and there. I cannot think of a disallowed race/class combo to date. Maybe good thing maybe not. But we have similar play styles after all these years. We have added a few newer players and have had some success but then again knew them ahead of time.

Of course you would see what they are bringing to the table as DM. It has not come up—people wanting to do things that are far out of the group norms for flavor/cohesion.

But if they did, it’s on the DM and not the rules.

It would be along the lines of “for real? Fart fire?” And then let the negotiations begin.

 

[CreamCloud0]

The answer to you your flatulence/firebreath weapon after your dwarf gets drunk and lights it is “no.”

‘No flatulence-flamethrowers, but if you’re drunk then most likely you’ve got alcohol at hand, you spray out a mouthful of booze and light that on fire instead’

Mechanically identical results just in a significantly more mature fashion.