D&D (2024) Does the concept of subspecies of Elves come across as racist to you

[Scars Unseen]

Sucks how the word 'sub' has been changed to mean 'inferior'. As that's not what it's meant to mean.

A subspecies isn't inferior to a species. Any more than a species is inferior to a genus.

It hasn't been. It essentially means "below." "Substandard" is a synonym for inferior, but it literally means "below standard." In most cases, the prefix is merely descriptive, not judgmental or indicative of quality.

Anyone who disagrees, I challenge them to pit a marine against a submarine in aquatic combat and see which wins.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I would definitely be nice to separate background and culture. But as cultures are setting specific, it doesn't work if you're insisting on the PHB being 'setting neutral'.

And that's not even going into the complete minefield of what to name cultures. Can't exactly call a stereotypical dwarven culture 'dwarven'.

Plenty of cultures in the Level Up Adventurer's Guide that don't strike me as setting specific. It does work.

 

[Corinnguard]

In the Shadowrun RPG, Elves have the scientific name of Homo sapiens nobilis. Orks are Homo sapiens robustus, Trolls are Homo sapiens ingentis, and Dwarves are Homo sapiens pumilionis. There are no hybrids in this setting, instead the offspring of an elf or a human will be an elf or a human or maybe even another kind of metahuman. Chalk it up to how weird magic works in that setting with regards to biology.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

In the Shadowrun RPG, Elves have the scientific name of Homo sapiens nobilis. Orks are Homo sapiens robustus, Trolls are Homo sapiens ingentis, and Dwarves are Homo sapiens pumilionis. There are no hybrids in this setting, instead the offspring of an elf or a human will be an elf or a human or maybe even another kind of metahuman. Chalk it up to how weird magic works in that setting with regards to biology.

I mean, that would put orks, elves, and trolls as closer to humans than neanderthals were to humans. As they're most commonly referred to as Homo neanderthalensis. Though some do still argue that they're in fact Homo sapiens neanderthalensis.

 

[Remathilis]

I don't get why culture needs mechanics.

Culture is a society's norms, beliefs and expectations. It's mostly setting and roleplaying. An elf raised in Ancient Greece isn't mechanically different from one raised in Medieval France. He may dress differently, eat different food, speak a different language, worship different gods and use different weapons and armor, but his culture isn't determining if he has a +1 to strength or can cast firebolt. It certainly doesn't determine if he can see better in the dark or has blue skin.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I don't get why culture needs mechanics.

Culture is a society's norms, beliefs and expectations. It's mostly setting and roleplaying. An elf raised in Ancient Greece isn't mechanically different from one raised in Medieval France. He may dress differently, eat different food, speak a different language, worship different gods and use different weapons and armor, but his culture isn't determining if he has a +1 to strength or can cast firebolt. It certainly doesn't determine if he can see better in the dark or has blue skin.

In Level Up, background provides your stat bonus, not culture. And a culture could teach firebolt, or provide skill proficiencies, or mechanical benefits in other ways. Language and weapons/armor proficiency, which you mentioned, are also mechanical benefits cultures can, in your own admission, provide, so I'm not sure what you're saying here.

 

[Scribe]

Whats the Wizards metric of 'we design by approval rating' again? 70%?

 

[Corinnguard]

In Level Up, background provides your stat bonus, not culture. And a culture could teach firebolt, or provide skill proficiencies, or mechanical benefits in other ways. Language and weapons/armor proficiency, which you mentioned, are also mechanical benefits cultures can, in your own admission, provide, so I'm not sure what you're saying here.

Not only that, a member from a non-elven heritage living in a particular elf culture (Eladrin, High, Shadow and Wood) in Level Up can pick up those cultural traits. So you could have a human growing up in an Eladrin culture learning Misty Step.

 

[Remathilis]

In Level Up, background provides your stat bonus, not culture. And a culture could teach firebolt, or provide skill proficiencies, or mechanical benefits in other ways. Language and weapons/armor proficiency, which you mentioned, are also mechanical benefits cultures can, in your own admission, provide, so I'm not sure what you're saying here.

So everyone in ancient Greece is proficient in Diplomacy and the Xiphos? Every Medieval French person can cast Find Cheese as a cantrip?

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Whats the Wizards metric of 'we design by approval rating' again? 70%?

Rates a feature as 7/10

What I mean: "I like this feature but the balance is pretty off. With some tweaks it could be amazing"
What WotC sees: "Only 7/10? Ok sure we will bury this feature for all eternity, and salt the earth where it lies. Anyone who speaks of it again shall be banished to the endless wastelands to die"