D&D General What it means for a race to end up in the PHB, its has huge significance

[EzekielRaiden]

Going to be a real issue if/when they revisit Eberron in earnest, if they keep to this approach...

Well, well, well. If it isn't the consequences of their own actions.

 

[Hussar]

What consequence?

Half elves still exist. They are right there in the rules. The only thing is, now, MECHANICALLY, they choose one or other for their mechanics package. This has zero impact within the game. It's not like a half elf with a human mechanics package is any different in the game world than a half elf who chooses the elf package. They are both still 100% half elves.

I really don't understand the issue here.

 

[Horwath]

What consequence?

Half elves still exist. They are right there in the rules. The only thing is, now, MECHANICALLY, they choose one or other for their mechanics package. This has zero impact within the game. It's not like a half elf with a human mechanics package is any different in the game world than a half elf who chooses the elf package. They are both still 100% half elves.

I really don't understand the issue here.

elves: proficiency+expertise in Perception
half elves: proficiency in Perception and one free skill
humans: proficiency in two skills

this can be once simple mechanical and lore difference between the three.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

elves: proficiency+expertise in Perception
half elves: proficiency in Perception and one free skill
humans: proficiency in two skills

this can be once simple mechanical and lore difference between the three.

That presupposes the other half is human. I had a half orc half eladrin in my last campaign. Choose which half best represents you mechanically is the fairest way to handle all potentialities.

 

[Horwath]

That presupposes the other half is human. I had a half orc half eladrin in my last campaign. Choose which half best represents you mechanically is the fairest way to handle all potentialities.

all half elves officially were half human in PHBs

 

[Paul Farquhar]

all half elves officially were half human in PHBs

Which is limiting in a way the new system is not. Want to play a half gnome half Goliath? The new rules cover that.

 

[Horwath]

Which is limiting in a way the new system is not. Want to play a half gnome half Goliath? The new rules cover that.

for that I would suggest a system similar to my homebrew custom lineage:

D&D (2024) - Custom lineage for 5.5E. Build your own race:

Inspired by custom lineage from Tasha's, but let's take it a bit further. PF1 style. Pick your racial traits; you have 6 trait points: skill proficiency, max 2 times combination of 3 tools, languages and/or weapons, max 2 times expertise in one racial tool or skill darkvision 60ft darkvision...

www.enworld.org

 

[teitan]

Tieflings were popular before they made it into the PHB.

Dragonborn remain rare even though they have been in the PHB for a couple of editions. I have never seen a PC Dragonborn and NPCs are few and far between.

I see lots of orcs and warforged PCs.

I expect we will see a lot of new players asking “where are the gith?”

Usually when I see a Dragonborn it is someone very new to the game and they will change characters pretty quickly because it isn't nearly as cool as it sounded.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

for that I would suggest a system similar to my homebrew custom lineage:

D&D (2024) - Custom lineage for 5.5E. Build your own race:

Inspired by custom lineage from Tasha's, but let's take it a bit further. PF1 style. Pick your racial traits; you have 6 trait points: skill proficiency, max 2 times combination of 3 tools, languages and/or weapons, max 2 times expertise in one racial tool or skill darkvision 60ft darkvision...

www.enworld.org

To complicated and takes up too much space for the PHB, and would need to be expandable to accommodate anything that might be added later.

The new system is simple and flexible. If players and DMs want to work together to house rule something they can do that too. The core rules are just a baseline.

 

[teitan]

IME, the most significant thing about races, classes or whatever being included in a D&D core 3 book is that it makes it less likely that a DM will completely excise it from their table/campaign.

I usually say no to Drow & Dragonborn myself. Drow especially. If a player gives me a strong argument for why that isn't stereotypical then I will relent. It's not that hard to convince me though. Mostly it's because I don't have drow in my homebrew of 30 years and I was not all that keen on the dragonborn and their shoe horning in 4e.