D&D 5E When lore and PC options collide…

[Ralif Redhammer]

Definitely. I bolded the one part, because I think it bears emphasis in these sorts of conversations. A game world doesn't come to life until the PCs step onto the stage. If I am running a game, it is just some ideas in my head, pages in a book (if it's a module), maybe a file on my computer, and the chickenscratch that counts for my handwriting on paper. It is not a game without players.

Yeah, my world is super malleable, and if you're doing me the kindness of playing there, the least I can do is listen to what you want earnestly.

But if we've already decided to use a historically established setting, well, we chose it for a reason, and generally my goal is to hew as close as enjoyable possible, no matter which side of the table I'm on.

The only sort of restrictions that I really chafe at the idea of are stuff like: no magic classes at all while still using D&D 5e.

In worlds as wild and fantastical as D&D's, there is room for just about anything as a unique occurrence. Most D&D worlds are elastic things with plenty of room around the edges.

I would also point out that, conceivably, one could count Minder from the old Forgotten Realms comic as a Warforged.

I will add that I had a player ask if he could use the warforged stats in a game that most likely shouldn't have had warforged in it... BUT his concept was "I'm not part of a race, I am a single golem made to be like a shield guardian... but I turned on the evil wizard killed him and found my own way in the world"

it worked so well that is the most memorable character from that 3.5 game.

 

[Umbran]

maybe, maybe not but I cant imagine how to go forward without doing so unless we remove all emotion

You don't have to remove emotion. You have to examine why you feel you have to judge people for their decisions on how to pretend to be elves, and work on it if your ultimate reasons for doing so aren't actually laudable.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

You don't have to remove emotion. You have to examine why you feel you have to judge people for their decisions on how to pretend to be elves, and work on it if your ultimate reasons for doing so aren't actually laudable.

I have examined my judgment, and found I don't want to spend what little free time I have playing with people I very much disagree with. I therefore judge every player and DM by that standard... "Do I want to play hours upon hours each year with this person"

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

And my theory is that this is judgmental hypertraditionalism which holds the hobby back from achieving its highest heights and best implementation. Derogatory dismissal does the hobby a disservice, and "ah, you don't actually want to play D&D, the things you like don't actually belong here" is absolutely derogatory dismissal.

Ouch, Ezekiel that kind of hurt.

 

[Umbran]

I have examined my judgment, and found I don't want to spend what little free time I have playing with people I very much disagree with. I therefore judge every player and DM by that standard... "Do I want to play hours upon hours each year with this person"

Yeah, but it isn't like they invited you.

There are literally BILLIONS of people on the planet with whom you will never play a game. There is no constructive use to prejudging them on whether you would want to.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Ouch, Ezekiel that kind of hurt.

My apologies. Regardless of my intent, if it hurt, I shouldn't have said it.

 

[Velderan]

I have examined my judgment, and found I don't want to spend what little free time I have playing with people I very much disagree with. I therefore judge every player and DM by that standard... "Do I want to play hours upon hours each year with this person"

Why does it matter how other DMs and players choose to play? There's really no wrong way to play other than playing with people you don't have fun with.

 

[Oofta]

The hobby is always held back when someone says "what you like doesn't belong in D&D."

I'm not the one saying that. You and @Lakesidefantasy explicitly have:

You have no justification to declare that my personal preferences are somehow holding back the game. Worlds with dozens of competing intelligent humanoids don't make sense to me from a world building perspective. Where do they all live, how do you have viable populations of all these species and how do you make them distinct enough to make them anything other than humans with rubber masks? The latter is one of the issues I have with Star Wars ... take away the makeup and everyone has exactly the same lifestyle, motivations, morality and outlook (although of course different political affiliations). Maybe that's inevitable but I like to at least make an effort to have my gnomish community feel different from an elven one. That doesn't happen in Star Wars, and not very often in FR.

But if I'm playing FR I just accept that's the way it is and I simply shrug and play the game. I have never said "what you like doesn't belong in D&D", I just stated a personal preference for my campaign.

 

[Maxperson]

the best reason they could give is so out dated it isn't even funny... "Um tolken had orcs be bad guy foot soldiers, but our bad guy foot soldiers are unquie to our setting" okay, and that stops them from being a race in the game how?

The best reason that they gave had nothing to do with Tolkien. It was that the lore of their world wouldn't result in any orcs. No reason needs to be given, though.

If they say no orcs without a reason, it's because they said so. If they say no orcs with a reason, it's because they said so. If you allow orcs without a reason, it's because you said so. If you allow orcs and come up with a reason, it's because you said so.

"Because you said so" is literally the only reason something in the game does or does not exist.

 

[iserith]

Why does it matter how other DMs and players choose to play? There's really no wrong way to play other than playing with people you don't have fun with.

And if you're not having fun with the people you're playing with, stream it so that everyone else can be entertained by it.