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."

 

[Guest 6801328]

The common argument about races and ability scores in this thread is word-for-word the exact same argument as those who used to want women to have strength penalties in D&D, just with the word 'women' and 'men' replaced with 'halflings' and 'minotaurs'. I suspect it's also the same people, but I can't tell for sure.

Funny, I don't hear ANYBODY arguing that the absence of gender modifiers to physical attributes destroys their sense of immersion and suspension of disbelief. And, yet, if we want to model the real world....

 

[TwoSix]

I though what was most important was enabling character choice?

I want to play my unique character concept of a T-Rex right now. And my friend wants to play a human 'stronger than any T-Rex' at level 1. Why are you oppressing us by not allowing us to play ridiculous character concepts?

Enabling character choice is primus inter pares among factors, but there are certainly other considerations. Wanting to play a 3rd party race in my game is a point for discussion, legitimately wanting to play a Klingon Jedi is an indication that the player is probably not a great fit for the table.

 

[Sacrosanct]

The common argument about races and ability scores in this thread is word-for-word the exact same argument as those who used to want women to have strength penalties in D&D, just with the word 'women' and 'men' replaced with 'halflings' and 'minotaurs'. I suspect it's also the same people, but I can't tell for sure.

Indeed. We know in the "real world" the strongest man is stronger than the strongest woman, and is larger. So by the logic I'm seeing, women should be capped less than men. it is in fact the same argument (and one that should die in fire IMO)

 

[Scribe]

Funny, I don't hear ANYBODY arguing that the absence of gender modifiers to physical attributes destroys their sense of immersion and suspension of disbelief. And, yet, if we want to model the real world....

LOL I mean to quote Bruce Wayne 'you want to get nuts? Come on! Let's get nuts!'

Considering there is nobody bring this up at all, I don't see why we need to, but hey...

 

[Scribe]

There is zero indication that they are moving away from racial abilities ("Relentless Endurance", "Fey Ancestry", "Dwarven Resilience", "Halfling Luck", etc. etc. etc.)

So how on earth can you claim that's happening?

Sorry add 'I want more, if they are dropping ASI racial mods'.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I want to play my unique character concept of a T-Rex right now. And my friend wants to play a human 'stronger than any T-Rex' at level 1. Why are you oppressing us by not allowing us to play ridiculous character concepts?

You will have to find a sprite and ask nicely.

As for your Friend, how strong can a T-rex even be under Bounded Accuracy? like 20? Take the floating ASI, and I dunno, you'll get some STR-boosting item in the next dungeon. Or not. I mean, he'll have arms, which means he'll actually be able to use his STR unlike any other T-rex ever.

 

[TwoSix]

Funny, I don't hear ANYBODY arguing that the absence of gender modifiers to physical attributes destroys their sense of immersion and suspension of disbelief. And, yet, if we want to model the real world....

Don't hear it ANYMORE. 21 years ago....

 

[Crimson Longinus]

You will have to find a sprite and ask nicely.

As for your Friend, how strong can a T-rex even be under Bounded Accuracy? like 20? Take the floating ASI, and I dunno, you'll get some STR-boosting item in the next dungeon. Or not. I mean, he'll have arms, which means he'll actually be able to use his STR unlike any other T-rex ever.

Tyrannosaurus has strength 25.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

See, I like to encourage teamwork. Part of the reason adventurers band together in parties is so they can collectively have a diverse set of skills, while each being specialized in their own field. Granted, it isn’t always perfect. As you point out, sometimes you need to get something done immediately and the party member who specializes in that thing is busy doing something else equally important. But these are the moments that make the game exciting.

So do I, but those moments come up often enough that players know to just make a competent person, and not think “I don’t need good dex because Mike is playing a rogue”.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

It's a nice way of doing Witch Species as a concept.

I think it’s more a Fey tiefling, if that helps. Hags are the most common creature to influence a hexblood, but any Fey could.