D&D 5E What Makes an Orc an Orc?

[Charlaquin]

It might be easier to see with the Drow. I wouldn't want to be the one who has to explain to a black player wanting to try D&D that the elves with black skin are the evil ones. (I literally can't believe that this is still a thing.)

Bu... but it’s onyx black, not melanin black!

 

[Maxperson]

yeah, I'm not sure I believe that playing D&D doesn't make people more racist.

You could poll all the worst racist groups out there to see if they play D&D. I mean, correlation doesn't equal causation, but at this point you don't even have correlation.

 

[Guest 6801328]

What I care about is that people who belong to marginalized groups say that pretending to slay orcs makes them uncomfortable, and to me their comfort is more important than my own desire to pretend to slay orcs.

For real. How the #$%@ is this complicated?

And how unbelievably selfish is it to kick and scream and look for any excuse not to change the freakin' lore in a game of make-believe?

 

[Guest 6801328]

You could poll all the worst racist groups out there to see if they play D&D. I mean, correlation doesn't equal causation, but at this point you don't even have correlation.

But I do. In this very thread.

 

[Sadras]

We are trying to avoid using RW stereotypes and derogatory language in describing fantasy races so that nobody coming to the hobby feels insulted while trying to play a game.

I feel insulted when someone implies I'm a bigot because I do not mind my evil monsters being described using derogatory language.
I do not see how someone now coming into the hobby can feel insulted unless they identify with these monsters.

if you think of this as “sanitizing” as opposed to “human decency “, well...

If people here expect gamers (newbies) to be familiar with 19th century racist writings then I expect these gamers (newbies) to be a little proficient with human history where we (all colours) were all savage and primitive - and in some cases are still savage to each other sadly.

 

[FrogReaver]

For real. How the #$%@ is this complicated?

And how unbelievably selfish is it to kick and scream and look for any excuse not to change the freakin' lore in a game of make-believe?

It’s a much better discussion without that kind of rhetoric. I’m quite tired of getting called a 2 year old, a bigot, etc. But hey as long as it’s implied then you are good to keep on using that language. Have fun with that. You keep that up and neither I nor anyone else has to engage with you.

 

[Charlaquin]

There’s not a vast difference in arguing someone’s position is bigoted and arguing that they themselves are a bigot. IMO

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh

That’s another source of disconnect. To you, racist is a noun. To me, it’s an adjective. I can’t get into anyone else’s head and determine whether they are truly a bigot, and I don’t think it’s productive to speculate about. It is more useful to focus on the effects of their actions than to pass judgment on their character.

 

[FrogReaver]

That’s another source of disconnect. To you, racist is a noun. To me, it’s an adjective. I can’t get into anyone else’s head and determine whether they are truly a bigot, and I don’t think it’s productive to speculate about. It is more useful to focus on the effects of their actions than to pass judgment on their character.

Then stop suggesting their position is bigoted?

 

[Charlaquin]

Half dozen of 1, 6 of the other?

Not at all.

 

[FrogReaver]

Not at all.

Is to me.