D&D General How do you like your ASIs?

[Maxperson]

Please stop using the word "race".

Please stop using the word "race". There is no way a Flying Kobold is of the same "race" aka sub-species as a Goliath, or Tiefling, or according to the new UA, Plasmoid. They are distinctly different species.

You're fighting a lost fight. Race = species in D&D from day one and it's not going to change any time soon.

 

[Yaarel]

a lot of people who say want pure floating ASIs will be okay with one fixed and one floating ASI.

I want floating ability increases without any reference to race.

I am ok with no increases of any kind.

If I want my elf character concept to have exceptionally high Charisma, I will do that, and make it a Bard or an Ancients Paladin. Perhaps I will have it dump Dex to 8 out of spite!

 

[Maxperson]

No.

Yes.

I want floating ability increases without any reference to race.

Cool. I didn't say everyone. I said a lot of people, and that's true.

 

[Yaarel]

Yes.

Cool. I didn't say everyone. I said a lot of people, and that's true.

Obviously the methodology is faulty, if the people it is supposed to represent soundly reject it.

 

[Vince_Snetterton]

If the gaming world wants to get away from using the word race in the way we have been using it for the last 50 years in gaming I'm fine with it.

But you aren't going to be able to police the people who have grown up using the term that they have been using for 50 years quickly. There is a lot of inertia to overcome to change language use.

I am one of those people that have indeed grown up with "race" being used inside the D&D world, and was very comfortable with it, because everyone understand what was meant. I want to be very careful here.

I would be still totally comfortable with "race" still used inside D&D with the understanding of it means within the construct of D&D. But I have been slapped by moderators on other sites who claim I am on the wrong side of socio-political changes when I claim that Half-Orcs in a fantasy game are NOT some stand-in for a particular race of humanity in the real world.

Hence, why I am now on a mission to push any conversation away from that subject by redefining it as "species", which is also more scientifically accurate.

 

[Maxperson]

Obviously the methodology is faulty, if the people it is supposed to represent soundly reject it.

You are not people. You personally soundly rejecting it doesn't in any way show what I said to be wrong. Many are open to compromise.

 

[Yaarel]

You are not people. You personally soundly rejecting it doesn't in any way show what I said to be wrong. Many are open to compromise.

The reason for the ability fluidity in the first place is to avoid the appearance of racism. Also it allows each reallife culture to define the character concept in a way that feels "correct" to its heritage. Also it empowers the player to play the character concept that one wants.

To then destroy these goals, is the opposite of compromise.

For example, even a single fixed +1 creates the appearance of racism among humanlike Humanoid characters. It is like saying, this race has an average IQ that is 10 points lower. While this superior race has an IQ that is 10 points higher.

In some ways, a fixed +1 or +2 is more racist than a fixed +10 or +20. Because a feature that clearly beyond any human, like wings, is also outside the purview of reallife racist thinking.

 

[Maxperson]

The reason for the ability fluidity in the first place is to avoid the appearance of racism.

There is no appearance of racism due to racial bonuses, so it's a non-issue.

To then destroy these goals, is the opposite of compromise.

No. To force your personal views on others over a non-issue is the opposite of compromise.

For example, even a single fixed +1 creates the appearance of racism among humanlike Humanoid characters. It is like saying, this race has an average IQ that is 10 points lower. While this superior race has an IQ that is 10 points higher.

That's wrong. The race with the +10 IQ is not superior to the race with the better social skills, which is not superior to the stronger race, which is not superior to the more agile race... You're inventing problems were there are none. If you(general you) are personally viewing one race as superior to the other races who also have own advantages, due to that one race being smarter, the racism isn't with the race.

Giving Race A +2 int, Race B +2 dex, Race C +2 con, Race D +2 cha, Race E +2 str, and Race F +2 wisdom does not create any superiority in any particular race. They all have their separate advantages and are equal.

 

[Scribe]

But I have been slapped by moderators on other sites who claim I am on the wrong side of socio-political changes when I claim that Half-Orcs in a fantasy game are NOT some stand-in for a particular race of humanity in the real world.

There's an easy solution here, understanding that Fantastical beings, are not representative of humans.

Regardless, this threads on a path to lock, if you all keep going on about this topic.

 

[Yaarel]

There's an easy solution here, understanding that Fantastical beings, are not representative of humans.

Regardless, this threads on a path to lock, if you all keep going on about this topic.

And yet these imaginary beings, have reallife tribes and shamans and speak languages, like reallife cultures.

And so on.