D&D (2024) All about Ardlings

[CrashFiend82]

I feel like like the ardlings maybe a stealth test of adding Aasimar to the PHB. It wouldn't be the first time WOTC used a term or name that changed upon publication and it might be a great way to test a new theme or ruleset without the baggage of lore and decrying of not my Aasimar. I think that might be similar to reprinting the old rules for Dragonborn to gather data over the Fizban's changes and see if people really prefer them or if the new rules went to far.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I feel like like the ardlings maybe a stealth test of adding Aasimar to the PHB. It wouldn't be the first time WOTC used a term or name that changed upon publication and it might be a great way to test a new theme or ruleset without the baggage of lore and decrying of not my Aasimar. I think that might be similar to reprinting the old rules for Dragonborn to gather data over the Fizban's changes and see if people really prefer them or if the new rules went to far.

That makes a lot of sense.

 

[TheSword]

FTFY

Well it was kind of a joke…

Though I don’t there’s a need to throw that kind of name calling about.

… anything could happen in the next half hour!

 

[Raith5]

I really prefer the idea that races have an ongoing cultural and historical presence in the world rather than a lineage. That is why I prefer the 4e style dragonborn, tieflings, and devas to the individual/isolated planetouched narrative. The 4e races least tried to have stories and animosities - especially between fallen dragonborn and cursed tieflings that could echo the old Dwarf - Elf axis and almost feel somewhat real rather than forced.

The forced symmetry of different tiefling and ardling sub races also feels so incurably fake.

Sure there must be the option for a specific story of creating a plane touched individual - I am currently playing with one - but I dont see how these isolated individuals are world building tool.

 

[glass]

How do you interpret this? A mostly human head with animal ears on top like an Anime catgirl? or a fully animal head from the neck up like an Egyptian god?

I cannot see any compelling reason why the answer to this should not be "yes". Ardlings in the world could run the full gamut, and the player could choose whichever they like for their character.

Would having a different mouth shape cause trouble when drinking from a cup, or give them an odd lisp when speaking?

No. That way would lies madness at the table (well maybe not madness, but it would be annoying and probably ableist).

Do we even need ardlings? or are they redundant when we already have Aasimar and Shifters?

"Need" is a strong word for a tabletop RPG (a luxury good). We do not "need" anything, but that does not mean they should not be included if a non-trivial people are likely to find them fun, which I believe is the case here.

As for the Devas, if they were so much more interesting than the Aasimar, why didn't WoTC bring them forward into 5e?

Because 4E was largely radioactive with the folks who bounced off it

Especially since Mike Mearls was one of them.

Indeed it's notable that 5E Aasimar revert to the terrible 3E-style lore for Aasimar, not the better 2E lore.

Is there a convenient summary of the 2e and 3e/5e versions of aasimar lore available anywhere?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Is there a convenient summary of the 2e and 3e/5e versions of aasimar lore available anywhere?

Not that I'm aware of. The Forgotten Realms wiki has the art from the editions, but I think everything else is fixed to the 5E take. It also incorrectly says Aasimar first appear in the Planescape Campaign Setting, when in fact they appear in The Planewalkers Handbook.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Not that I'm aware of. The Forgotten Realms wiki has the art from the editions, but I think everything else is fixed to the 5E take. It also incorrectly says Aasimar first appear in the Planescape Campaign Setting, when in fact they appear in The Planewalkers Handbook.

The Forgotten Realms wiki is eccentric, to put it mildly. (Everything being past tense is a pretty interesting editorial decision, for instance, as though this wiki is written many years after the events of the D&D game.)

 

[Lojaan]

Ardlings don't sit right with me, but aasimar also need something more. Maybe combine the two somehow?

 

[Corinnguard]

Ardlings don't sit right with me, but aasimar also need something more. Maybe combine the two somehow?

1D&D has three celestial legacies- Exalted, Heavenly and Idyllic for their new Ardling race. I would use these three legacies for the Aasimar instead. The Idyllic legacy should be for the those Aasimar who are the descendants of the Guardinals (In PF1, there's the Idyllkin Aasimar). The Heavenly legacy should be for those who are the descendants of the Archons (who are from the Seven Heavens ). And lastly, the Exalted legacy should be for those who are the descendants of the Angels.

The problem with the Aasimar in 5e is that they are too angel-centric. Which is strange because angels aren't the only kind of Celestial in 5e.

Would this count as something more?

 

[Argyle King]

I voted for "mostly human," but I think the idea of animal heads is winning me over.

That would give me a reason to mix some Egyptian mythology into my D&D.