Races & Classes spotted?

[redmagerush]

What stopped you from reviewing the book early?

Legality issues stemming from official street dates perhaps?

 

[Mad Mac]

Hmmm. The idea of adding a template race to the core lineup is pretty bizarre. I don't like the flavor of it much either, at least from what I've been able to dig up. Granted, the flavor may well have changed--look at what they did with Tieflings after all. And if this is the same mystery race that one designer had running a not-so popular sea-faring empire in his house-ruled setting...

I'm just not that fond of first generation half-breeds and templated creatures. I'd rather see them made into a true breeding race like the "descendents of humans whose corrupt empire forged pacts with devils" style Tieflings. That way, they could actually have history and culture instead of being a bunch of disparate dragon emulating munchkins.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Hmmm. The idea of adding a template race to the core lineup is pretty bizarre.

Cause everyone knows how rigorously the 4e team follows 3e fluff.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Granted, the flavor may well have changed--look at what they did with Tieflings after all. And if this is the same mystery race that one designer had running a not-so popular sea-faring empire in his house-ruled setting...

Indeed, I think this is a vital point that most people aren't considering.

 

[Driddle]

Sounds like they dipped into M.C.'s Arcana Unearthed/Evolved concepts, especially if the dragon dudes can grow wings via racial prestige class levels.

 

[Driddle]

... and were half-elves omitted in the book itself, or just in the overview notes?

 

[Bishmon]

Cause everyone knows how rigorously the 4e team follows 3e fluff.

With so many other draconic options, why would they call it 'dragonborn' is they weren't going to roughly follow the dragonborn fluff?

I suppose it's possible someone just loved the 'dragonborn' name, but I'm not exactly all that hopeful.

 

[redmagerush]

Indeed, I think this is a vital point that most people aren't considering.

Yeah, the news didn't seem to tell us anything about the race other than the name.

 

[MasterGarrow05]

Now the question becomes how similar they will be to the old dragonborn. I find it unlikely that they will muddy up the races section of the core PHB with "halfling/dragonborn" and "eladrin/dragonborn;" and I also find it unlikely that the race will be consigned to be good-aligned and followers of bahamut (but probably will have a natural tendency toward good to balance out the tiefling natural tendency toward evil--supposedly). So I bet the dragonborn will be more like half-dragons that breed true than the classic dragonborn. Also, they might be focused on Strength rather than Constitution based on "the gap" in strong player races.

Along my way of thinking, I suppose color will be an issue. We know from playtest reports that dragonspawn exist in 4e. If they continue to be tiamat-aligned, chromatic type beasts, it might well be that the dragonborn will be more bahamut-aligned, metallic humanoids. They will still not be constrained by good-alignment, because 4e dragons are not as constrained (evidenced by the comments on the new "capricious copper dragon" of the mini set). We all know the exciting possibilities of feats or talent trees that might make a dragonborn "more dragon" like breath weapons, wings, etc. I'm thrilled at the semi-newness of it. Hope that some of other people's mystery race theories like orcs, hobgoblins, kobolds, and minotaurs are definitely made PC-friendly in the Monster Manual though.

(I posted part of this over at the WotC boards, but this message board is usually more stimulating).

 

[WarlockLord]

Dragonborn. Ecch.

Are you SURE we couldn't have had drow? Dragon stuff makes me think Dragonball Z. Blecch. Our group has a hatred of too much dragon crap.