Level Up (A5E) Do Player Characters Have Average Population Stat Distributions?

[Crimson Longinus]

Then (as I've said before), don't put in specific human cultures. One of the supplement books adds geographic and planar cultures, if you don't like the generic human "culture" presented.

So all humans across the entire setting have the same 'culture'? That's not what culture means.

 

[Phoebasss]

They are fantasy creatures. Sure, if they are portrayed as resembling racist caricatures like the orcs occasionally have, that is still a problem. But that is about the presentation not whether the have different capabilities. No one thinks that wookiees being stronger than ewoks is racist, they're literally different (made up) species with drastic physical difference. Human cultures are not.

That won't work. It's impossible to create a human culture that knowingly or unknowingly doesn't reflect aspects of some real-world culture.

Snarf has said it rather well, just replace culture with race.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Snarf has said it rather well, just replace culture with race.

Replace race with species and it is not an issue if presentation is't offensive. Like did you read my example? Does anyone think that it is racist that wookiees are stronger than ewoks? No they don't (Ok, I'm sure someone somewhere does, but that is not a even a known fringe position let alone a common position.)

 

[Micah Sweet]

So all humans across the entire setting have the same 'culture'? That's not what culture means.

All humans have the same racial write up now, which includes culture just like all the other races do.

 

[Phoebasss]

Replace race with species and it is not an issue if presentation is't offensive. Like did you read my example? Does anyone think that it is racist that wookiees are stronger than ewoks? No they don't (Ok, I'm sure someone somewhere does, but that is not a even a known fringe position let alone a common position.)

Sure, but now we have to go about without all the usual DnD races. There isn't a not racist way to present "orcs are just dumber than elves". These races have histories derived from their uses in tolkien. If I described dwarves or goblins as a gold-loving race fond of treasure in all its forms. That's different from me saying that about ewoks, because ewoks have never been used as a racist caricature.

EDIT: A potential solution to the racism problem in race ASIs would be to only have physical stats be affected by it, but that's currently not the case.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

All humans have the same racial write up now, which includes culture just like all the other races do.

No. They have varied cultures now, which do not have mechanical effects.

 

[Cadence]

EDIT: A potential solution to the racism problem in race ASIs would be to only have physical stats be affected by it, but that's currently not the case.

I was won over to this as an idea several threads ago.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Lots of people have suggested the 32 point point buy, which I'm fine with also.

Yeah, the following works well if you remove ASIs (racial or otherwise) completely:

4d6-L seven times, keep best 6
16, 15, 14, 12, 11, 10 standard array
32 point-buy, max 16 costs 11

Or, like me, you can just remove ASIs and accept lower scores happily.

 

[DND_Reborn]

EDIT: A potential solution to the racism problem in race ASIs would be to only have physical stats be affected by it, but that's currently not the case.

Why? Certain creatures are just not as smart as others because of biology.

In other games, races are smarter than others and no one bats an eye at it. Why is it an issue with D&D.

Personally, I have no problem with saying orcs are stronger and more hardy (STR +2, CON +1) than elves, who are more agile and smarter (DEX +2, INT +1). You can easily justify all racial ASIs because of biology/genetics. It isn't racist because one group is superior to another in one way, if the other group is superior to the first in a different way

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Sure, but now we have to go about without all the usual DnD races. There isn't a not racist way to present "orcs are just dumber than elves". These races have histories derived from their uses in tolkien. If I described dwarves or goblins as a gold-loving race fond of treasure in all its forms. That's different from me saying that about ewoks, because ewoks have never been used as a racist caricature.

Orc int penalty has already been removed in Eberron. But the issue with orcs really isn't the stats, it is the language used to describe them just like with your goblin and dwarf examples.

EDIT: A potential solution to the racism problem in race ASIs would be to only have physical stats be affected by it, but that's currently not the case.

The reason for having physical ASIs certainly is more obviously apparent. But I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with having 'smart species' like the Vulcans in Star Trek. Granted, having 'dumb species' probably is something that would be best to be avoided.