D&D 5E why has none of the wisdom races caught on?

[Minigiant]

I admit, I am still a little confused by the premise. There actually aren't any wisdom races anymore from WotC, and it sounds like there'll never be again. Is this just theoretical?

The OP is wondering why there is not +2Wisdom race in the PHB and why WOTC hasn't elevate one of the +2 Wisdom races to the spotlight.

The answer is WOTC is or at least was too afraid of the traditionalist wing of the fandom to push any new races to the core books.

 

[Micah Sweet]

The OP is wondering why there is not +2Wisdom race in the PHB and why WOTC hasn't elevate one of the +2 Wisdom races to the spotlight.

The answer is WOTC is or at least was too afraid of the traditionalist wing of the fandom to push any new races to the core books.

Except they did add dragonborn and tiefling 13 years ago in 4e, and kept them into 5e. Granted, neither were ever +2 wisdom, but none of those really have that magic combination of coolness factors that generates lasting popularity.

 

[Minigiant]

Except they did add dragonborn and tiefling 13 years ago in 4e, and kept them into 5e. Granted, neither were ever +2 wisdom, but none of those really have that magic combination of coolness factors that generates lasting popularity.

My point is D&D has added only 2 new races to its core in 44 years. And those two where chosen for look and classical theme.

The first hurdle to getting a Wisdom race in the PHB is getting any new races in the PHB.

 

[Scars Unseen]

The first hurdle to getting a Wisdom race in the PHB is getting any new races in the PHB.

I'd vote for the kenku (they've been in D&D for over 40 years, so I think they're traditional enough), but that would probably face resistance from a different direction since they're basically a stand-in for the Japanese tengu. Personally, I think they're just kind of cool, and I like them better than most of the post-WotC races.

 

[Neonchameleon]

in one of my other threads, the topic of primarily wisdom races came up and it honestly bugs me as we do not even have one of them in the players handbook?
by wisdom races, I mean at least in 5e a plus two to the wisdom attribute so these guys:

• Githzerai
• Firbolg
• Wildhunt Shifters
• Kalashtar

I am not counting hill dwarves as no one has been able to explain to me how they differ from mountain dwarves.
Has anyone got any thoughts, knowledge of past wisdom races or theories as to why none of them has quite caught on?

The main thing that makes a race catch on is their hooks unrelated to the setting. It's people looking at them and saying "I want to play one of those". Variously there we have:

• Creepy half-mummies
• Non-goliath and not especially tough giantkin
• The Least Feral Shifters
• Weird not quite human psychics

Although there are things there nothing's front line inspiring or the obvious choice for a common concept.

There is, however, to me an obvious and missing concept that would work well with wisdom - the treekin/treeman/mini-ent.

 

[Mind of tempest]

The main thing that makes a race catch on is their hooks unrelated to the setting. It's people looking at them and saying "I want to play one of those". Variously there we have:

• Creepy half-mummies
• Non-goliath and not especially tough giantkin
• The Least Feral Shifters
• Weird not quite human psychics

Although there are things there nothing's front line inspiring or the obvious choice for a common concept.

There is, however, to me an obvious and missing concept that would work well with wisdom - the treekin/treeman/mini-ent.

why plant people?

I'd vote for the kenku (they've been in D&D for over 40 years, so I think they're traditional enough), but that would probably face resistance from a different direction since they're basically a stand-in for the Japanese tengu. Personally, I think they're just kind of cool, and I like them better than most of the post-WotC races.

honestly, kenku would work better if we had tengu for them to be cursed variants of.

 

[CreamCloud0]

why plant people?

Well for one thing plants are near universal in any given setting unlike other races which may not fit a theme or a setting,
Nature is already a WIS skill so it makes sense a plant person would be naturally inclined to be good at the stat for Nature checks,
It’s a versatile theme, plants come in many shapes and sizes, this is good for both character concepts and sub-race design.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Well for one thing plants are near universal in any given setting unlike other races which may not fit a theme of a setting,
Nature is already a WIS skill so it makes sense a plant person would be naturally inclined to be good at the stat for Nature checks,
It’s a versatile theme, plants come in many shapes and sizes, this is good for both character concepts and sub-race design.

but how would they be made interesting?

 

[Micah Sweet]

but how would they be made interesting?

You don't think sapient trees are interesting?

Also, it would be a great opportunity for WotC to actually take some chances and make a Large race.

 

[Vaalingrade]

The large race issue isn't an issue of taking chances, but one of design.

A large characters represents a whole new suite of rules considerations beyond just applying Enlarge. How do you interact with concealment or lighting, movement--all sorts of things. I'd love to see a Large race, but not the rules spaghettis that would come with it.