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."

 

[Scribe]

Are they able to attempt to dodge dragonfire twice?

No, I suppose you can disregard any kind of logic, but that's a choice for you, at your table.

I'll make my own choice for mine.

 

[Scribe]

Like we all understand that I'm not trying to convince any of you to think how I do right?

You get that?

 

[Faolyn]

Because Halflings are not strong.

So it is literally impossible that there is a single halfling who was blessed by the gods with great strength, even though gods regularly bless people with all sorts of benefits in D&D-land? It is literally impossible that there is a single halfling who, due to training, managed to become a weight-lifter?

Sounds like it's a pretty boring world.

You keep saying halflings, as if we want all halflings to be super-buff. But nobody is saying all halflings. We're saying "that one PC, you know, the one who is unlike every other halfling."

 

[Mind of tempest]

I am a fan of caps, and even negative modifiers.

But those don't exist in this edition.

They are however in the 3.5 SRD, I'll have to think about if it's worth pulling them forward.

why are you a fan of such things? I do not see your reasoning?

 

[Scribe]

So it is literally impossible that there is a single halfling who was blessed by the gods with great strength, even though gods regularly bless people with all sorts of benefits in D&D-land? It is literally impossible that there is a single halfling who, due to training, managed to become a weight-lifter?

Sounds like it's a pretty boring world.

You keep saying halflings, as if we want all halflings to be super-buff. But nobody is saying all halflings. We're saying "that one PC, you know, the one who is unlike every other halfling."

No, maybe they are blessed by the gods...on their journey of leveling up.

And yeah, even one is simply stupid, and under the pre-Tasha's, thankfully wouldn't be done here. You call it boring, I call it internally consistent world building.

Good thing you can do whatever you want.

why are you I do not see your reasoning

Because I will not like a system in which Tasha's is the only option, and I find it likely Wizards will make more choices that I don't like.

So I'll make my own.

 

[Mind of tempest]

No, maybe they are blessed by the gods...on their journey of leveling up.

And yeah, even one is simply stupid, and under the pre-Tasha's, thankfully wouldn't be done here. You call it boring, I call it internally consistent world building.

Good thing you can do whatever you want.


Because I will not like a system in which Tasha's is the only option, and I find it likely Wizards will make more choices that I don't like.

So I'll make my own.

so you're going to what right your own d&D setting or something?

 

[Scribe]

so you're going to what right your own d&D setting or something?

Or systems to handle what I don't like them doing, yeah.

That's the thing. It's not like it's even an issue for people who want Floating ASI. Just do it at your table.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Or systems to handle what I don't like them doing, yeah.

That's the thing. It's not like it's even an issue for people who want Floating ASI. Just do it at your table.

but the reverse would also be true you could just have set asi at your table, so why do you care which way it goes?

 

[Scribe]

but the reverse would also be true you could just have set asi at your table, so why do you care which way it goes?

Because I.

1. Didn't want to do the work.
2. See no fault in the pre-Tasha's system.
3. Have no issue with both systems coexistence.
4. See it as a poor design choice to only have Floating.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Because I.

1. Didn't want to do the work.
2. See no fault in the pre-Tasha's system.
3. Have no issue with both systems coexistence.
4. See it as a poor design choice to only have Floating.

okay, but why is it a poor design choice?