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.

 

[Corinnguard]

Another thing to consider is that sometimes you have two individuals or two groups, both of whom are good, working at cross purposes to one another. They believe what they are doing is the right thing, but they see the other group as the bad guy.

 

[MGibster]

That said, since joining ENWorld, I do see why others push to change D&D into an ideal fantasy world that shares our current ideas and morals rather than one that calls back to our ancestor's outdated ones. In a world where the strong survive and the weak are crushed though, I get a bit confused at where the lines are drawn.

I kind of feel like D&D has always been a game with characters who mostly live with modern Western values. In most D&D settings, the good guys value individualism, freedom of religion, capitalism (hoards of treasure, right?), private property, and rational thinking.

 

[Jahydin]

I kind of feel like D&D has always been a game with characters who mostly live with modern Western values. In most D&D settings, the good guys value individualism, freedom of religion, capitalism (hoards of treasure, right?), private property, and rational thinking.

Yeah, not for the monstrous races though!

 

[Scribe]

I kind of feel like D&D has always been a game with characters who mostly live with modern Western values. In most D&D settings, the good guys value individualism, freedom of religion, capitalism (hoards of treasure, right?), private property, and rational thinking.

The article (one of many I'm sure) I read that outlined that its not Western (Western Euro/Canada/US) but Wild West values in the early versions of the game, was an eye opener for me.

 

[bedir than]

"wotc d&d", death by a trillion cuts... Thank goodness there are so many absolutely amazing alternatives to wotc's neo-5e "d&d".

Nothing says death by a thousand cuts like continuing growth by including and welcoming more people to the game than ever before

 

[Parmandur]

I don't think your bandits need to be complex and morally ambiguous. They can still be bad guys.

Every "bad guy" had a momma, and could have been a Saint. What gets them killed by the PCs isn't being inherently evil, but goojg down an evil path.

And I think there is greater cultural comfort with that among people today: you can get into a lethal conflict with people without them being turned into cartoon monsters. Even Orcs or Goblins.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Who the Bandits? I mean sure, some, maybe most, maybe the leaders?

If we are to be burdened with consideration for all the past sins of our fathers in every other capacity, then I dont see why we shouldnt also consider that as the example shows, there are those who are forced into a life of crime by circumstances.

Should they too be put to the sword, or rehabilitated by the just society some of us think we are forming here?

That's for the players to decide. Mine certainly have spared the lives of surrendering bandits several times. Last time they demanded a promise from the bandits to help them, so the bandits distracted the city guard while the characters robbed a rich wizard's house.

 

[Charlaquin]

Because, as we are being told in this thread, it is a person. Everyone, everywhere, has a motivation, and about the only excuse that is still even remotely borderline acceptable to some segments is 'a God/Power forced them, or they are mindless, or they are beings of pure distilled evil/constructs'.

Thats the logical end point here.

I think on the current trajectory the more likely extreme endpoint would be that tyrannical rulers (and their complicit servants) end up the only socially acceptable villains. But first off, we’re not there yet. We can cross that bridge when and if we come to it, but for now let’s focus on making the changes needed for our current social climate rather than handwringing about hypothetical future social climates. And second, even if we do one day reach that point… maybe that will be the right thing to do for that moment in time. Social norms evolve, what is right for us here and now won’t necessarily be what’s right for future generations. Certainly I hope that our grandchildren and great grandchildren look back at us as critically as we do our grandparents and great grandparents!

 

[AstroCat]

Nothing says death by a thousand cuts like continuing growth by including and welcoming more people to the game than ever before

Yeah, they keep telling themselves that, don't they? It's a little like when you find an amazing restaurant that is a bit unknown but is super interesting, imaginative and seasoned amazingly and then it catches on and is eventually franchised out for the "masses" in order to "continuing growth by including and welcoming more people".

But when you come and try one of those franchised locations you find it to be an watered down, unimaginative, uninspired shell of it's former self. Yeah, kind of like that, but man they sure have a lot of new locations, for now...

 

[Jahydin]

Also, to me, the "Orc" is symbolic of a person who is so driven by hate that they have lost all morality and have become a separate, monstrous being altogether. It's a warning that war/tragedy/conflict can makes orcs of us all if we are not careful.

Would hate to lose that.