D&D 5E Latest D&D Errata: Drow, Alignment, & More

Sage Advice is a series of articles in which Jeremy Crawford, one of the D&D Studio’s game design architects, talks about the design of the game’s rules and answers questions about them.

Book Updates | Sage Advice | Dungeons & Dragons

This Sage Advice provides updates and errata for a number of books, as well as answers to rules questions.

dnd.wizards.com

D&D books occasionally receive corrections and other updates to their rules and story. This Sage Advice installment presents updates to several books. I then answer a handful of rules questions, focusing on queries related to Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons and Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos.

Official errata has been published for the following books:

• Curse of Strahd
• Dungeon Master’s Guide
• Player’s Handbook
• Storm King’s Thunder
• Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
• Tales from the Yawning Portal
• Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
• Tomb of Annihilation
• Volo’s Guide to Monsters

Here's some of the highlights.

• Alignment is removed from the Racial Traits section of races.
• Drow have undergone lore changes which reflect the different types of drow. The 'darkness of the drow' sidebar which portrays them as only evil has been removed.
• Storm King's Thunder alters references to 'Savage Frontier' and 'barbarians'; Curse of Strahd alters references to the Vistani.
• The controversial Silvery Barbs spell has been clarified.

As a drow, you are infused with the magic of the Underdark, an underground realm of wonders and horrors rarely seen on the surface above. You are at home in shadows and, thanks to your innate magic, learn to con- jure forth both light and darkness. Your kin tend to have stark white hair and grayish skin of many hues.

The cult of the god Lolth, Queen of Spiders, has cor- rupted some of the oldest drow cities, especially in the worlds of Oerth and Toril. Eberron, Krynn, and other realms have escaped the cult’s influence—for now. Wherever the cult lurks, drow heroes stand on the front lines in the war against it, seeking to sunder Lolth’s web.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It is literally a known and studied problem within fandoms that people internalize the fandom and perceive an attack on their media as an attack on them.

Regardless, people feel how they feel. Nothing you said challenges what I said.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think it's a complicated question, realistically.

Personally I'd say there were three major things which can push the issue from "Not really" to "Yeah it does say something bad about you":

1) The author's works incorporate ideas which, once you realize their personal politics, make it clear that they really do think X horrific thing is actually a good thing.

and/or

2) The author's views are so horrific that they're not merely grotesque or outdated or eye-roll-worthy, but in fact "beyond the pale". Obviously there are a few people who are ridiculous about this - like I once read a blog that suggested any fantasy author who features racism or sexuality-based oppressed should be cancelled - but they're outliers and rarely have much support (esp. as it would mean cancelling most left-wing fantasy authors!). It's easy to see (imho) who is genuinely beyond the pale of mainstream-ish society in their views.

and/or

3) The author has really awful views and is alive, and is actively campaigning based on those views/encouraging people to them. If this is the case, and you keep spending money on the author's works, or actively promoting them, it's pretty easy to see that there's a direct line between you supporting that author and the author being empowered to further be awful.


Sure but I can find 4-6 hour long series on YouTube about how [insert horrific historical figure] was actually a good person, or how Star Trek "became woke" and started sucking (at no point was Star Trek not "woke" for it's time period lol). Chancers on YouTube will make videos about anything and people will watch them. Hell, I once clicked on a mild criticism of Mass Effect (which in no way touched on feminism or anything of the sort), and then YouTube decided I wanted right-wing lunatics ranting about "the feminists ruining gaming", and apparently there were dozens/hundreds of videos on the subject, because they made up about 20% of my recommended videos from then until YouTube changed it's algorithm away from the the "radicalization" algorithm.

There's no possibility the authors didn't know it was basically a massive whitewash. Douglas Niles is only 67, not 97, and he and the other author certainly did some research into the subject. The discussion of exactly how awful the Spanish were in South America had been ongoing since literally the 1600s! (C.f. the "Black Legend" and "White Legend" re: Spain). They basically chose a "White Legend" approach, and they didn't have to do the conquistador thing at all - they could have written something actually original.

I mean, he probably should be downplayed a fair bit because his actual personal importance has been overstated and he was a monster, and "Columbus day" definitely shouldn't be a thing (and it isn't in many places now) - it's easy to keep the holiday and just make it be about something else.

It is complicated, but I think the fact that people can't actually say the names of people or things in those categories sometimes for fear of internet reaction (sometimes on this very forum) shows that this is a problem, and many people on both sides dont treat it as complicated at all.

 

[HammerMan]

1) In some cases, enjoying them would be supporting them. There's a reason I don't buy DvDs of that woman's original show--I would literally be giving her money that pays for the internet and electricity that lets her hurt people on twitter.

I mean Okay, if you want to deny her the dime or Nickle that she wont notice, more power to you. I fully support you in your choice. However when my fiancé and niece want to go see the new Harry Potter movie, I'm not going to suggest they not because the writer is a jerk (even if I think it comes out in her writing)

2) For some people, the work is tainted. You can't see the character without seeing the scumbag underneath and you can't enjoy it anymore. People usually just infer the 'you are tainted' part because they've internalized their fandom.

sorry but I have literally seen people say the "your tainted by it" out loud but they say it as "only (Insert bigot type) would like (insert media)" most resent it was with a comeidian I don't even think is that funny, but I am sure with the new Potter movie that will start again.

I am well documented for not cutting off arms.

good

Except some things really were and they should have known better. Like you don't just accidentally an all-black evil matriarchy and they certainly didn't just happen to make Volo a MASSIVE racist in the 2010's in the midst of the discussion on 'evil' races.

I will not defend Volo's (mostly cause to do so I would have to read Volo's) but over all the drow are a great example... by the time I saw the art they were as often purple as black... to the point that I thought that they had multi skin tones (and even imagined a redish purple for my own first drow PC). The fact that for 3e+ they went back to just black will always boggle my mind.

I might ask why they changed it, but I wouldn't assume they were against them.

okay, so why do YOU think they changed Brothels' to music hall?

 

[Plaguescarred]

While at first i was not down with the changes to drow lore, alignment etc i've come to a point where in reality, it won't change how i envison and portray them in my own campaign. To me drows, orcs and other goblinoids and monstrous humanoids will usually be evil despite what future books will say.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I mean, he probably should be downplayed a fair bit because his actual personal importance has been overstated and he was a monster, and "Columbus day" definitely shouldn't be a thing (and it isn't in many places now) - it's easy to keep the holiday and just make it be about something else.

The main push to keep Columbus Day a thing comes from Italian-American communities, because it's been Italian-American Day for a quite a while. Equivalent to St. Patrick's Day or Cinco De Mayo, but for their specific community.

Saying we shouldn't have Columbus Day can therefore read as "we shouldn't celebrate Italian-American culture" which isn't what anyone's actually saying, but the internet abhors a nuance and all that. (My proposed solution: pick a better Italian American, there's a lot of options. Sacco and Venzetti?)

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Not really. Because the target audience of 5th Ed was “D&D players.” It embraced and encouraged everyone to play. I remember a good mix of ages playing organized play. It was generational.

Now WotC is telling us “Hey, thanks for saving the game and keeping it alive. We appreciate your service. Goodbye.” They only care about the 20yo. To them, we’re just Thaco the grumpy clown.

This is just nonsense.

You've decided this is the case. WotC haven't said anything of the sort. You, @FormerLurker, have personally decided that, because you don't like the changes, you're attributing them to malice against you, and that you are somehow "no longer allowed to play" and being told to piss off.

That's not real. That's in your head. You can't claim that as fact. You can't claim "5E was aimed at everyone and now it isn't", because your only evidence is "I don't personally like these changes", which just self-regard nonsense of the silliest kind.

There’s quite a few “dad games” for AAA video games. God of War and Last of Us really have a different level when you’re a father.

Uh-huh, but they're not actually particularly aiming at a 35+ audience, they just have some extra story resonance for them, and the vast majority of AAA games are aiming even lower than 16-30, more like 14-24.

By the same token there are RPGs which aren't D&D, or which are earlier editions of D&D, which are aimed more at older audiences.

And there’s a difference because those are single player. RPGs are communal, and it’s awkward being that 40yo in a group of 20yos.

This is completely irrational.

How do you not see this? I'm not saying you're wrong re: awkward, but I am absolutely saying you're wrong to thing WotC is somehow "causing 40-somethings to leave RPGs" by primarily marketing to 16-30 (as they always have done, I would repeat). Literally the only reason you see more 20-somethings now is that D&D has gone from having like what, 10 million (or less) players to 50 million (or more), and most of that growth has been younger players (i.e. 16-30). Also a 40yo in a group of 30yos is a lot less awkward, and a 50yo in a group of 30yos is also still less awkward. It's really being past 30 or so that stops people being so awkward with older people.

And that's not on WotC. It's not on anyone. It's the world. There's no malice. You have no-one to complain to about it. So I guess you're unfairly blaming WotC.

Let's be real, if 5E didn't make any of these changes, would there be more 40-something D&D players in the next decade? I don't think so. You haven't explain why you think so. I don't buy that there will be some mass exodus of 40-something D&D players. Why would there be?

And enjoying something you’re too old for is fine if it’s you. Or you and some friends. But when you’re that old guy at a game store surrounded by people half your age it comes across a super creepy. And it’s even weirder in a homegame. Can you imagine being a 40yo and going to a game hosted in their parent’s basement? When you’re as old as their parents upstairs?

I mean, I've run D&D for people's kids... so.... /shrug. And as I noted before, you really just need to be looking for 30+ players. It's a bit like dating - age gaps can get very creepy if someone is below 30 but they stop mattering as much as both people involved get older. 30 dating 50 is not the same as 20 dating 40. Or if that's too creepy, guys you might hang out with at work or whatever. Yeah, if you're 40 and the 20-somethings want you to hang it can feel awkward (I know, I'm 43 but people assuming I'm 30-something and I find it awkward to hang out with 20-somethings when invited). But 30-somethings and you're 40 or 50 or even 60? No real problems.

If WotC don't make changes like these, I would say there will be a long-term impact. You know ageing happens to everyone right? 20-something D&D players will be 30-something in 10 years at most. 30-something will be 40-something. If you want D&D to have a bigger community for you to potentially play with as you age,

 

[Cadence]

And enjoying something you’re too old for is fine if it’s you. Or you and some friends. But when you’re that old guy at a game store surrounded by people half your age it comes across a super creepy. And it’s even weirder in a homegame. Can you imagine being a 40yo and going to a game hosted in their parent’s basement? When you’re as old as their parents upstairs?
shudder

One of the first games I played in at a local store back in 1981 had 6th graders (including me) up to folks in their 40s. The game stores around us have quite a few folks in the 30-60 range (I wonder how much of that is that they have a lot of MtG and 40k mini players).

I'm wondering if the 20-35 yo players I know who live with their folks would feel more awkward having other adult players over than the other adult players would.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

It is complicated, but I think the fact that people can't actually say the names of people or things in those categories sometimes for fear of internet reaction (sometimes on this very forum) shows that this is a problem, and many people on both sides dont treat it as complicated at all.

I'm avoiding examples solely because I don't to get into "OMG WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN TO TERRY GOODKIND!!!!" lol (also wow he died I see, I missed that). Plus there's always that poor idiot who had no idea and watching their illusions getting shattered is always painful.

 

[Vaalingrade]

okay, so why do YOU think they changed Brothels' to music hall?

Because as much as we try to deny it, this is a children's game and randomly rolling that the characters played by a bunch of 12 year olds see a brothel might be a bit of an issue?

 

[FormerLurker]

Well that’s not really a function of anyone’s age. Finding a ttrpg group and keeping it together has always been difficult; at least now we have the internet and some mainstream acceptability. Further, anyone who wants to play an indie game, including young people, will have a more difficult time due to the popularity of 5e. I mean, if you find the 5e base game to be ok, but just don’t like the books released in the last year, there’s a wealth of 3rd party material coming out that should suit you.

Finding a group or new players is always hard. But my point is it’s even harder when you’re not playing the current edition. When 6e comes out, finding a 5e group will be that much more challenging. Which makes the argument that one can just “find a game you do like” falls flat.
(I have lots. They‘re gathering dust on my shelves.)

That’s assuming I even want to keep playing D&D and supporting a company that is tripping over themselves trying to run away from their old fans. They flipped from nostalgia to dumping continuity so fast I’m surprised they didn’t get whiplash.