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."

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Exactly. PCs are exceptional. They are allowed (encouraged, in my games) to break the rules.

But they are only exceptional if there is a default that they break from.

 

[Hurin70]

An ability that, for example, let orcs suffer fewer penalties to being encumbered would also ensure the statement 'Orcs are strong' remains true, regardless of what their actual Str score is, without putting such a heavy thumb on the scale of race/class choice. It might even be of more benefit to low Strength characters. "I only have an 8 Str, but I can still hump a pack like a marine. Cause I'm an orc!"

For the record, I am in favor of racial abilities.

But giving the Orc fewer encumbrance penalties just makes him 'better able to carry stuff' than generally strong. He's no stronger in most activities, from a wrestling match to hitting with an axe. The game does have a general measure of strength though: we call it the 'Strength' stat.

Whereas +2 to Strength means that an orc wizard who put their 8 into Strength is till only Strength 10. Which does NOT support the thesis that "Orcs are strong".

It actually does mean 'Orcs are [a] strong [race on average]', because even their Wizards are stronger than Elvish Wizards. This is what the claim 'Orcs are strong' was always intended to mean. It was never meant to be an absolute statement about every individual.

EDIT 2:

If the arguments of the pro-racial-ASI crowd can be taken at face value, then I would expect them to actually PREFER abilities over ASIs. A halfling will always catch up to the goliath (if it wants to) on raw Strength score, but the halfling will never get the goliath's special abilities. So if, in fact, what you really care about is "being stronger than the strongest halfling", what you should want is special abilities, not ASIs.

Again, the abilities are great. But they fufill only niche functions rather than the general measures that are stat scores. Carrying capacity is just one component of strength, and applies only in a small number of cases. It doesn't help with wrestling or athletic checks or, most importantly, melee attacks. It is not a general measure of strength.

And note, I would prefer a system (and currently play one with Rolemaster) where the Orc's maximum is above a Halflings. This ensures the statement 'Orcs are strong' remains true consistently.

 

[Remathilis]

Also, didn’t ODND not even have racial stat mods? I’m not retro or old enough to know first hand, but that what I remember reading.

OD&D is tricky, it doesn't have racial mods, but to be fair it barely has STAT mods, depending how many supplements you're using.
Basic doesn't have racial mods, but that's because races were represented by a single class(!) and had certain ability score minimums you needed to meet to play it. Ironically, elves didn't need dex, but Str and Int.
AD&D (1e and 2e) had racial mods along with racial mins and maxs. An elf had +1 dex, -1 con. They also couldn't have less than an 8 Int, 7 Dex, 6 Con, and 8 Cha. Other races had maximums as well, like half-orcs capping at a 14 Wis.

 

[Kannik]

I simply want to see race continue to matter, either through fully realized race mechanics (more of that Dwarven Resilience, or Savage Attacks, or more rules impact in Size) or an expanded official Racial feats system.

Totally. The canard of 'wiping out all differences' that gets trotted out is mostly a straw man tactic/ploy. A Dragonborn's breath weapon is something that is decidedly special to a Dragonborn and opens up interesting avenues of play, tactics, and great RP, much more so than "They get +2 STR (just like Half Orcs)." Plus, cultural aspects (especially when avoiding the monoculture often ascribed to non-humans) provide an even richer source for great RP and different feels at the table.

 

[Don Durito]

One small thing that could be done with Strong races is to give them proficiency with "Feats of Strength". Basically those Strength based rolls that are supposed to not be covered by Athletics (Or even give expertise - it's not like they are game changing rolls normally).

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Right, and as 3 or 4 people have been continuously stating, what the primary issue is, paraphrased.

"It is not logical that a level 1 X has the same stats as a level 1 Y, given the framework of the fluff since forever."

"It is not logical within the fluff/view of the setting, that a level 1 Halfling, is just as strong as a level 1 Goliath, when both are focusing on Strength primarily."


The REMOVAL of the pre-Tasha's system, the REMOVAL of that option going forward for any new Race/Lineage, and indeed with the new edition (whenever it comes), is and will be, the issue.

First: Thank you for taking the time to lay all this out, its a very good synopsis of the "keep it the way it is" viewpoint.
Second: I am editing out some of the quote to save space, not to edit it to make a point.

Let's set a common ground on a couple things. Let's assume everyone is using the standard array to make characters for this discussion, that "stronger" refers to STR bonus, and that we are only talking about official books, and that we are ignoring pedantic exceptions to the general rule like barbarians at level 20)

Creating a goliath in 5e could give you a 17STR. By level 8 you could have that maxed at 20.
Creating a halfling in 5e could give you a 15STR. By level 12 you could have that maxed at 20.

So, the rules at 5e launch said that a goliath can always be stronger than a halfling for 12 levels, but at that time they will even out. This implies that it is physically possible, in the world you are playing, that a halfling and a goliath can have the same strength given enough time and dedication to maximizing the score.

So I am going to present to you two different character concepts that easily fit within the scope of "normal D&D character concepts" and I want you do decide with your own DMs hat as to the players logic of wanting more than a 15STR that the game limits them to so that they can play the character they are picturing.

1. I was always a super strong kid, so the military was a great option when I got tired of working on the farm. I joined the local army and after several campaigns, multiple promotions, and rigorous physical training I find myself booted due to some bad politics. I pick up my sword and shield and go find work as a mercenary. Stout halfling, soldier background, Fighter 1.

2. I was always a super strong kid. Growing up it seemed odd, and that oddness got progressively worse as I got older. Finally mom and dad sat me down and said "Son, on the night you came to us there was a comet of ill omen streaking through the sky. It crashed on our farm, and when we went out to see the carnage we found you, swaddled and crying as a newborn child, amongst the wreckage. We aren't sure where you are from, but we have raised you as our own and hope that someday you find your true origin. In the meantime here is an adventuring suit of leather painted blue with a red S for Samwise on the front so everyone remembers your name". Stout halfling, folk hero background, Fighter 1.

So, what is your GM verdict....can I play a halfling who having spent years in the military or by having a mysterious background allows me to be stronger than the book mandated "very strong halfling" limit of 15? Does it make logical sense that a half a year of adventuring as a "fighter" should add more STR to a body than years in the military or mystical background?

And that is the crux of the opposite side of the discussions argument is. My individual character should have no bearing on what is "normal" for my race choice, and similarly the "normal" for my race choice should have no bearing on my individual character because, as a PC, I am by definition an outlier to the average.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

You could just give races advantages on checks and saves. So a half-orc isn't any better at hitting someone with a great sword than a gnome is, but the half-orc is slightly better at carrying things and powering out of a grapple. Of course, that would be even better if there were more strength and con skills....

 

[Scribe]

And that is the crux of the opposite side of the discussions argument is. My individual character should have no bearing on what is "normal" for my race choice, and similarly the "normal" for my race choice should have no bearing on my individual character because, as a PC, I am by definition an outlier to the average

And I get you. Where it breaks down for me, and I assume a few others is that in your military vet scenario, there is no way that halfling should be as strong as a Goliath that went through the same experience.

I get what you are saying, you are an outlier. I'm on my phone so I can't check the default halfling, but is it 15 str? If it isn't, you are already an outlier.

You simply don't stack up on a biological level as a Goliath at the same point on the journey.

 

[Hurin70]

2. I was always a super strong kid. Growing up it seemed odd, and that oddness got progressively worse as I got older. Finally mom and dad sat me down and said "Son, on the night you came to us there was a comet of ill omen streaking through the sky. It crashed on our farm, and when we went out to see the carnage we found you, swaddled and crying as a newborn child, amongst the wreckage. We aren't sure where you are from, but we have raised you as our own and hope that someday you find your true origin. In the meantime here is an adventuring suit of leather painted blue with a red S for Samwise on the front so everyone remembers your name". Stout halfling, folk hero background, Fighter 1.

So, what is your GM verdict....can I play a halfling who having spent years in the military or by having a mysterious background allows me to be stronger than the book mandated "very strong halfling" limit of 15?

Only one of the two examples you give is a Halfling. Both were raised in a Halfling culture. One is a Halfling; you haven't told us what race the other one is.

This is why it is important to separate race from culture.

 

[Charlaquin]

Only one of the two examples you give is a Halfling. Both were raised in a Halfling culture. One is a Halfling; you haven't told us what race the other one is.

This is why it is important to separate race from culture.

Huh? They’re both halflings...