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<blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 9168996" data-attributes="member: 58172"><p>The recent discussions seem about: what is a species, and how should D&D mechanics express it?</p><p></p><p>Generally, a roleplaying game needs both balanced versatile mechanics and compelling narratives. One without the other does less well. D&D enjoys both. D&D is at its best when playable crunch actualizes fun flavor.</p><p></p><p>D&D is wise to gate certain mechanics by level and tier. To make somethings impossible until a later tier helps with mechanical balance. The concept of flight seems to be still in the process of sorting out. Generally, the slot-3 spell <em>Fly</em> for the level-5 tier seems to be the benchmark. Forms of flight that are clearly less powerful than this spell seem possible for the level-1 tier. Meanwhile permanent at-will flight seems to defer to the level-9 tier or even the level-13 tier. In my experience, every player figures out some method of at-will flight during level-9 tier. Flight is notable because the flavor of flight is central and relevant even at level 1, but the mechanics of it are powerful and there are reasons to defer to later tiers. Some species can fly. Likewise, teleporting via Misty Step seems to have gone from ok at level 1 (example the Eladrin in Monsters of the Multiverse) to unavailable until level 5 (example Playtest Elf). How to mechanize these species with powerful capabilities is tricky.</p><p></p><p>I value mechanics that are customizable and balanced − and appreciate the tension between the two. Gating powerful mechanical options by level can help sustain balance while also allowing customizability. 5e is awesome using the "feat" as a design space unit. The level-0 feat is excellent for lumping together flavorful mechanics. Species consist of three feats. More powerful feats come at higher level. In this way, a species with powerful capabilities can start with level-0 feats, then "learn" or "metamorphose" to master the more powerful ones later in life. In the Elf in this thread, there are Elf Species feats gained by a "Mythal", that player characters can acquire after reaching higher levels. This allows some of the more powerful aspects of the mythological Elf archetype to be available if a player is interested in them for ones own character concept.</p><p></p><p>Where all species traits are defacto feat choices, this opens the possibility that players can freeform invent species by selecting whichever feats they prefer. This defacto happens for any multispecies rules, where a character can waive any species feat requirement by saying some ancestor somewhere in the family is that species.</p><p></p><p>This freeform design for species reminds of me of the superhero genre, where species often lack traits, except for the narrative of superhero origin story. For example, one of the many explanations for why a particular character is good at magic, is decided to be because of descent from elves. I like mechanical customizability. I like mechanics that are versatile in a way that can actualize various narrative concepts. I am comfortable with freeform mechanics. D&D can handle this approach, especially because it can gate options by level.</p><p></p><p>That said.</p><p></p><p></p><p>A D&D is both a narrative game as well as a mechanical game. A freeform mechanical approach where everything is feats that can assemble like lego bricks, must sustain narrative coherence. The default setting is a narrative world. Characters create stories within this narrative setting.</p><p></p><p>A D&D that lacked stories about species would feel less like D&D. The stories about Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and Halflings are part of what makes D&D part of popculture. I would add Giants and Dragons to this mix. Also Gnomes,. The devilish Tieflings also do well.</p><p></p><p>D&D is a story about species. The game has a need to think clearly about what a species is, and how to best express the narrative concepts mechanically.</p><p></p><p>It seems to me, each D&D species needs to have a "superpower" that is clearly unlike any reallife human. 4e started this approach, such as granting the 4e Eladrin a Fey Step. This nonhuman power to teleport made the Eladrin <em>feel</em> different from the Human and from other species choices. The Playtest for 2024 continues this approach. The Elf is all about innate magic. The Dwarf has earthy Tremor Sense. The Dragonborn breathes fire or other breathweapon. And so on.</p><p></p><p>I am glad the Playtest removes the all-too-human ability score improvements from the species design space. Likewise, learned cultural tropes relocate to the background design space. What remains is a substantial amount of design space − three feats − that can fill up with powerful mechanics that feel salient and unique to each species.</p><p></p><p>When each species has a nonhuman superpower, it helps avoid references to stereotypes about reallife human ethnicities. Meanwhile, the D&D species can feel vividly different from each other. D&D can be a great game about diverse Human and Nonhuman species of life.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Note, the D&D mechanics of feat assemblage are freeform. The default setting entangles the feats within narratives about the species who populate the fantasy world. These species are what <em>feels</em> like D&D. But D&D mechanics dont have to do this. D&D can also include alternative settings that lack nonhuman species. Homebrew settings can likewise repurpose the D&D mechanics for a narrative where Humans are the only sapient species. D&D has the mechanical capability to tell almost any kind of story. At the same time, these Nonhuman species are the stories that many D&D players love.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Yaarel, post: 9168996, member: 58172"] The recent discussions seem about: what is a species, and how should D&D mechanics express it? Generally, a roleplaying game needs both balanced versatile mechanics and compelling narratives. One without the other does less well. D&D enjoys both. D&D is at its best when playable crunch actualizes fun flavor. D&D is wise to gate certain mechanics by level and tier. To make somethings impossible until a later tier helps with mechanical balance. The concept of flight seems to be still in the process of sorting out. Generally, the slot-3 spell [I]Fly[/I] for the level-5 tier seems to be the benchmark. Forms of flight that are clearly less powerful than this spell seem possible for the level-1 tier. Meanwhile permanent at-will flight seems to defer to the level-9 tier or even the level-13 tier. In my experience, every player figures out some method of at-will flight during level-9 tier. Flight is notable because the flavor of flight is central and relevant even at level 1, but the mechanics of it are powerful and there are reasons to defer to later tiers. Some species can fly. Likewise, teleporting via Misty Step seems to have gone from ok at level 1 (example the Eladrin in Monsters of the Multiverse) to unavailable until level 5 (example Playtest Elf). How to mechanize these species with powerful capabilities is tricky. I value mechanics that are customizable and balanced − and appreciate the tension between the two. Gating powerful mechanical options by level can help sustain balance while also allowing customizability. 5e is awesome using the "feat" as a design space unit. The level-0 feat is excellent for lumping together flavorful mechanics. Species consist of three feats. More powerful feats come at higher level. In this way, a species with powerful capabilities can start with level-0 feats, then "learn" or "metamorphose" to master the more powerful ones later in life. In the Elf in this thread, there are Elf Species feats gained by a "Mythal", that player characters can acquire after reaching higher levels. This allows some of the more powerful aspects of the mythological Elf archetype to be available if a player is interested in them for ones own character concept. Where all species traits are defacto feat choices, this opens the possibility that players can freeform invent species by selecting whichever feats they prefer. This defacto happens for any multispecies rules, where a character can waive any species feat requirement by saying some ancestor somewhere in the family is that species. This freeform design for species reminds of me of the superhero genre, where species often lack traits, except for the narrative of superhero origin story. For example, one of the many explanations for why a particular character is good at magic, is decided to be because of descent from elves. I like mechanical customizability. I like mechanics that are versatile in a way that can actualize various narrative concepts. I am comfortable with freeform mechanics. D&D can handle this approach, especially because it can gate options by level. That said. A D&D is both a narrative game as well as a mechanical game. A freeform mechanical approach where everything is feats that can assemble like lego bricks, must sustain narrative coherence. The default setting is a narrative world. Characters create stories within this narrative setting. A D&D that lacked stories about species would feel less like D&D. The stories about Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, and Halflings are part of what makes D&D part of popculture. I would add Giants and Dragons to this mix. Also Gnomes,. The devilish Tieflings also do well. D&D is a story about species. The game has a need to think clearly about what a species is, and how to best express the narrative concepts mechanically. It seems to me, each D&D species needs to have a "superpower" that is clearly unlike any reallife human. 4e started this approach, such as granting the 4e Eladrin a Fey Step. This nonhuman power to teleport made the Eladrin [I]feel[/I] different from the Human and from other species choices. The Playtest for 2024 continues this approach. The Elf is all about innate magic. The Dwarf has earthy Tremor Sense. The Dragonborn breathes fire or other breathweapon. And so on. I am glad the Playtest removes the all-too-human ability score improvements from the species design space. Likewise, learned cultural tropes relocate to the background design space. What remains is a substantial amount of design space − three feats − that can fill up with powerful mechanics that feel salient and unique to each species. When each species has a nonhuman superpower, it helps avoid references to stereotypes about reallife human ethnicities. Meanwhile, the D&D species can feel vividly different from each other. D&D can be a great game about diverse Human and Nonhuman species of life. Note, the D&D mechanics of feat assemblage are freeform. The default setting entangles the feats within narratives about the species who populate the fantasy world. These species are what [I]feels[/I] like D&D. But D&D mechanics dont have to do this. D&D can also include alternative settings that lack nonhuman species. Homebrew settings can likewise repurpose the D&D mechanics for a narrative where Humans are the only sapient species. D&D has the mechanical capability to tell almost any kind of story. At the same time, these Nonhuman species are the stories that many D&D players love. [/QUOTE]
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