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."

 

[JEB]

They can always just... use the default system.

Sure, some races aren't going to be options, but that was already the case with races like Humans, half-elves, changelings and Warforged. Is it really all that terrible if we add another few races to that list? They still have plenty of options for forcing themselves to play an unoptimized combo, but just picking any other currently published races.

Like Halflings.

Or Wizards could support both styles of play going forward instead of just one, and everyone gets what they want. Is there a reason you think they shouldn't?

 

[JEB]

Oh, also, one important clarification:

They still have plenty of options for forcing themselves to play an unoptimized combo

The player in question is choosing to play an unoptimized combo. Because it's fun for them to work against type and overcome disadvantages. But most importantly, it was just the character he wanted to create.

 

[Aldarc]

Or Wizards could support both styles of play going forward instead of just one, and everyone gets what they want. Is there a reason you think they shouldn't?

If they don't want to.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Or Wizards could support both styles of play going forward instead of just one, and everyone gets what they want. Is there a reason you think they shouldn't?

cold probability says that only one way will get to live.

 

[Faolyn]

They can always just... use the default system.

Sure, some races aren't going to be options, but that was already the case with races like Humans, half-elves, changelings and Warforged. Is it really all that terrible if we add another few races to that list? They still have plenty of options for forcing themselves to play an unoptimized combo, but just picking any other currently published races.

Like Halflings.

Well, it is kind of terrible to add more races if they're not going to actually flesh out those races. On major complaint I see about 3x is the lack of depth provided for each race or monster, or even the lack of mechanical support. If they keep adding new races, then it just gets worse and worse. Xanathar's had a list of racial feats--which supported only the PH races. Mordenkainen's had a chapter of culture and history for a handful of the available races. Are they going to provide racial feats and cultural depth for all the dozens of other races they've put out so far? Doesn't see like it. I'm not against producing new PC races if they fill a niche, but I am against unnecessary bloat.

Also, if I really, really want to play, say, an elf or a tiefling, and I have a whole background for it, but in order to be properly "optimized" or "suboptimized" I have to play a halfling, then it just kind of screws me over. I can either play a race I want but can't play it the way I want, or I can play a race I don't want to play the class the way I like. Seems pretty unfair.

 

[TwoSix]

This whole post is excellent. Thank you for breaking down your thoughts on this.

This is why, in my own system, the ability scores are pools of points you can draw upon, rather than the foundation of the math. Your attack or check to climb or avoid taking a fireball is just skill ranks. If you need to juice a roll up a step on the success ladder (fail-mixed result-success-great success), you can draw upon you Strength, Agility, Fortitude, Wits, Will, or Charisma, spending a point from the chosen attribute, and bump the check up one step.

To me, it means that the stats feel like those moments in life when you draw upon what you’ve got inside to overcome a challenge, rather than limiting a character.

More like Numenera, then? (That's the closest analogue that comes to mind.)

I've come to pretty much the same conclusion. The best way to allow stats to represent in-game fiction but still maintain maximum flexibility in character building is to divorce stats from combat math. Have them function as prereqs for other character building choices, and/or use the classic numbers to drive a point currency for alternative effects.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

More like Numenera, then? (That's the closest analogue that comes to mind.)

I've come to pretty much the same conclusion. The best way to allow stats to represent in-game fiction but still maintain maximum flexibility in character building is to divorce stats from combat math. Have them function as prereqs for other character building choices, and/or use the classic numbers to drive a point currency for alternative effects.

I haven't played Numenera because its the only kind of sci-fantasy I don't like, so I don't know, but yeah I think it works much better to use stats as a resource, in a way that never limits character concept.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

I haven't played Numenera because its the only kind of sci-fantasy I don't like, so I don't know, but yeah I think it works much better to use stats as a resource, in a way that never limits character concept.

How is the result meaningfully differnt? For example if you have a static bonus to attack rolls, you hit a bit more often. If you have some resource you can spent for rerolls/bonuses you also hit a bit more often. In either case the character with bonus/resource hits more often than one without it.

 

[Faolyn]

I haven't played Numenera because its the only kind of sci-fantasy I don't like, so I don't know, but yeah I think it works much better to use stats as a resource, in a way that never limits character concept.

The Cypher System is pretty interesting, although I can definitely see where you come from re: Numenera. They recently put out "Godforsaken," their version of D&D. It's a much smaller pdf, though, more a guide to running D&D-style fantasy using the system.

Mind you, in Cypher, your Might, Speed, and Intellect will start at different levels depending on what Type (class) you pick--but you have some free points to distribute however you wish, and many of the Descriptors give you bonuses to your stat pools.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Or Wizards could support both styles of play going forward instead of just one, and everyone gets what they want. Is there a reason you think they shouldn't?

They absolutely might support the other style, by adding a "recommended static ASI" box. But they might not. Humans don't have recommended ASIs after all, and if you are looking for unoptimized combos there are currently around 30 different options that could be chosen. Having a few more where there is no recommended isn't going to suddenly make those 30 options disappear.

Oh, also, one important clarification:

The player in question is choosing to play an unoptimized combo. Because it's fun for them to work against type and overcome disadvantages. But most importantly, it was just the character he wanted to create.

See, but they don't want to choose to play an unoptimized combo. If that were the case they would have no problem choosing to put their ASIs in unoptimized places. They want the game devs to box them into a single choice, that forces them to put the ASIs in an assigned place, then play it as an unoptimized combo.

You want to overcome disadvantage by playing a wizard with no INT boost? Then play a wizard, and don't boost your INT. Boost Strength and Wisdom instead. You don't want to do that and you want to have the devs that you have to put your boosts into Strength and Wisdom? Okay. They might give you those limits going forward as an option, but if they don't then just like playing a human, you are going to have to figure it out on your own.