D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: Gothic Lineages & New Race/Culture Distinction

The latest Unearthed Arcana contains the Dhampir, Reborn, and Hexblood races. The Dhampir is a half-vampire; the Hexblood is a character which has made a pact with a hag; and the Reborn is somebody brought back to life.

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Perhaps the bigger news is this declaration on how race is to be handled in future D&D books as it joins other games by stating that:

"...the race options in this article and in future D&D books lack the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, the Alignment trait, and any other trait that is purely cultural. Racial traits henceforth reflect only the physical or magical realities of being a player character who’s a member of a particular lineage. Such traits include things like darkvision, a breath weapon (as in the dragonborn), or innate magical ability (as in the forest gnome). Such traits don’t include cultural characteristics, like language or training with a weapon or a tool, and the traits also don’t include an alignment suggestion, since alignment is a choice for each individual, not a characteristic shared by a lineage."

 

[Alzrius]

Yet Zidi, the Halfling Titan remains, and beats goliath bodybuilders in arm-wrestles on a daily basis.

Yeah, but I pulled Zidi's stats, and she has Strength 23, with an effective +15 Strength for the purposes of lifting and carrying, and can wield weapons as if she were a Huge creature. Plus she has a barbarian rage ability (+4 Str), gets another +6 bonus on Strength-based checks, and another +12 bonus to Strength for the purpose of lifting and carrying.

Of course, that's how she was written up back in Four-Color to Fantasy (Revised) (affiliate link), which I have to admit was a pretty awesome supplement. I imagine her 5E stats are a bit different.

 

[Morrus]

My halfing is Zodi, and they are actually stronger than Zidi. They're also smarter than the gods and can run faster than a cheetah.

The slippery slope argument is a logical fallacy.

 

[Remathilis]

What I'm not sure I like is that by stripping out the cultural elements of new races, they remove bonus ways to get additional proficiencies.

First, that means older races have an advantage over these lineages because they can get a bonus skill or tool or two. None of these races get a bonus like that, be it a fixed option or a floating one.

Second, some racial proficiencies weren't cultural, but supposed to be biological. Elves don't have a culture of being good perceivers, they have heightened biological senses that give them keen eyesight and hearing. Tabaxi don't have a culture of stealth, they are biologically light-footed like other cats are. I feel if those races were redone, you'd see those free proficiencies removed in favor of specific bonuses (like wood elf mask of the wild) rather than flat free proficiency.

I just feel the old system and the new aren't going to feel compatible but like two different systems doing the same thing.

That said, I love the races. Ravenloft here we come.

(As an aside, I can totally see Vistani as a lineage, considering how it looks like they are adopting the 4e vision of adopting wanderers into the clan rather than a distinct human subgroup.)

 

[Alzrius]

The slippery slope argument is a logical fallacy.

Actually, it's commonly acknowledged that there are non-fallacious uses of the slippery slope argument.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Well Con is your health. The healthier you are, the harder your teeth.. The harder your teeth the easier they penetrate skin and steel.

When I DM, attacks "off the top turnbuckle" are Con attacks. That's just weight and toughness. Yeah.

I wasn't arguing with the reasoning, I think CON fits well here. I was just pointing out that this is new, mechanically speaking (which is something I like to see in 5e).

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Not really. IMO, it's a major benefit to just detach race and culture. Who you are genetically doesn't determine if you can use swords with proficiency.

But D&D race has never ever been just “genetic”, so that is irrelevant. Further, and more importantly, it is simpler to include stuff like proficiencies where it fits the iconic vision of the race, and allow players to swap it as they see fit.

And, it's not two more character generation options. It's one more. Background/Occupation would stay almost exactly the same. There'd just be a Culture option as well.

Background in 5e isn’t always occupation.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Probably, but that mattes to me. As a DM I like things to make sense to me, and the possibility doesn't make sense (to me). FYI, the idea that dwarfs can be stronger/as strong as the strongest humans really bugs me too.

Wait why shouldn’t dwarves be just as strong as humans? That totally fits thier lore.

 

[Minigiant]

I wasn't arguing with the reasoning, I think CON fits well here. I was just pointing out that this is new, mechanically speaking (which is something I like to see in 5e).

I wasn't saying you were arguing the reasoning.
I'm just happy to see Con attacks return from 4e

Spoiler

and subtly trying to convince people to do flying elbow drops in their game.

 

[dave2008]

Well, again, I enjoy the discussion and appreciate you taking the time to keep it going.

In my view a better (to me) system exists, than what we have, and what (Tasha's) we will have, and it would revolve around your Race, Background (Culture/Upbringing/Professions) and Class.

I do not believe it is the only way, only the way I would prefer things to be, and I disagree that the even existence of an option is unfair. If people dont like it, they can use Tasha's, or Homebrew, or simply have no modifiers, as you seem to be leaning towards.

For me, these are simply mechanical systems to represent the physiological reality of the different species within a fantasy world, and I do not believe it unfair to expect that to continue, even if only as an option.

What if the fantasy physiology dictates there is no difference. I know - mind blown man!

I'm just getting cheeky. I don't really have any more to say on the subject. I know what I like is not the norm and I am fine if the books don't cater to what I like. I will make the changes when needed.

FYI, when you make changes you don't need to do it to all 43 races, just the few in your group. So it really isn't that much work, IMO. But then I'm used to it since I have to do it every edition.

 

[MGibster]

Just because in your world and your game that can't happen, why can't I be allowed to have it happen in mine?

I find it odd that you're using this argument. Going forward, I no longer have a choice because the new races will not be modeled in the same format as found in the PHB. I have to go out of my way to give them a +2/+1 if I want to continue using races as the rules were originally written.

I find the idea of the strongest halfling being the equal of the strongest goliath to be silly. I know it's a fantasy game, and there are plenty of things that are incredulous that I can accept, but in the name of verisimilitude I just can't accept this. At the end of the day, this just comes down to preference. You're not wrong to want your halfling to be the equal of the strongest goliath.