D&D 5E Are humanoid mono-cultures being replaced with the Rule of Three?

[Reynard]

No problem. Humans and orcs can ally for comparable reasons that humans and humans ally. Humans and orcs can fight for comparable reasons that humans and humans can fight.

Just like the Lolth cult is dysfunctional, the Gruumsh cult is dysfunctional.

In any case, the ethical problem arises because the traditional D&D lore about orcs is far too human. To kill one is to kill a person.

It's weird we don't have this argument about bandits and cultists.

 

[Yaarel]

It's weird we don't have this argument about bandits and cultists.

Sadly, humans are accustomed to killing humans.

 

[Vaalingrade]

It's weird we don't have this argument about bandits and cultists.

'Bandit' and 'cultist' aren't races. They're people who (at least in D&D world) have made the choice to hurt others for personal gain. If a given orc is a bandit, have at it, because you're not going after them for being born some way.

More importantly, this argument doesn't happen because no one runs into threads scream BANDITS AREN'T PEOPLE or claiming people invented the idea that bandits are people so they could be upset.

 

[Yaarel]

It is easy to run a nonlethal D&D campaign. When creatures become "bloodied", they make a morale check. At that point, they might surrender or flee. It works great for urban settings. It especially works well, if one counts successful encounters, or milestones, rather than experience points.

 

[Mercurius]

Well, until very recently the core books had this tidbit with the Drow player race:

So, there is probably still some cleaning up to do.

I don't see the problem. If anything, it adds to the mystique of the drow. What is wrong with that quote?

 

[Mercurius]

No problem. Humans and orcs can ally for comparable reasons that humans and humans ally. Humans and orcs can fight for comparable reasons that humans and humans can fight.

Just like the Lolth cult is dysfunctional, the Gruumsh cult is dysfunctional.

In any case, the ethical problem arises because the traditional D&D lore about orcs is far too human. To kill one is to kill a person.

Try saying that to a vegetarian! It really depends upon what you mean by "person," how you define it. It also depends upon how orcs are in your world, that is, what you do with the basic form that the rules present.

But I'm not sure why you want to apply real world ethics to a fantasy world. In real life I'm a pacifist and would avoid physical conflict at almost any cost, but if I'm playing make-believe, that I live in a hostile world and am a warrior or wizard, I'm going to kill things.

 

[Reynard]

More importantly, this argument doesn't happen because no one runs into threads scream BANDITS AREN'T PEOPLE or claiming people invented the idea that bandits are people so they could be upset.

To be clear I wasn't saying that the motivation was so people could be upset. I was saying that the natural consequence of turning orcs into people was that it would be upsetting, and the solution is simple: un-people them.

 

[Yaarel]

I don't see the problem. If anything, it adds to the mystique of the drow. What is wrong with that quote?

I took "drow adventurers are rare" to mean "good drow are rare".

 

[Yaarel]

Try saying that to a vegetarian! It really depends upon what you mean by "person," how you define it. It also depends upon how orcs are in your world, that is, what you do with the basic form that the rules present.

But I'm not sure why you want to apply real world ethics to a fantasy world. In real life I'm a pacifist and would avoid physical conflict at almost any cost, but if I'm playing make-believe, that I live in a hostile world and am a warrior or wizard, I'm going to kill things.

I get that D&D is a safe playspace.

But for that reason too, there is no problem if your character is Evil, because the character goes around murdering innocent orcs.

 

[Mercurius]

I took "drow adventurers are rare" to mean "good drow are rare".

Right, so what's the problem with that? Again, we're talking about a fantasy race in a fantasy game. And "rare" just means not common; it doesn't specify a certain amount. Given the nature of D&D lore, it makes sense that drow adventurers (of whatever alignment) are rare.

That said, it would be interesting to see a WotC adventure that was basically, "PCs are drow who wake up from the evil of their culture and work to free others of their kind from Lolth's influence." Or some such.