D&D (2024) One D&D Permanently Removes The Term 'Race'

In line with many other tabletop roleplaying games, such as Pathfinder or Level Up, One D&D is removing the term 'race'. Where Pathfinder uses 'Ancestry' and Level Up uses 'Heritage', One D&D will be using 'Species'.

Moving On From 'Race' in the 2024 Core Rulebooks

We understand "race" is a problematic term that has had prejudiced links between real world people and the fantasy peoples of D&D worlds.

www.dndbeyond.com

In a blog post, WotC announced that "We have made the decision to move on from using the term "race" everywhere in One D&D, and we do not intend to return to that term."

 

[Weiley31]

Eh, less prime, and more Primal…

 

[jasper]

how about Breed. Elf Breed Dwarf Breed Etc. And I have no problems with subclass as a word for a Rogue Thief.
Or the sub class like Seawolf. Or Sub Class $5 foot long.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Some closely related species can interbreed. That’s a far cry from all intelligent “species” being able to interbreed, as they can in D&D.

Magic. Dragons are obviously a different species from humans, but Half-Dragons exist because of magic.

And, the other hominid species that we know were pretty similar in intelligence level to Homo Sapiens interbred with us. You're probably descended from some Neanderthals and Denisovans.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

how about Breed. Elf Breed Dwarf Breed Etc. And I have no problems with subclass as a word for a Rogue Thief.
Or the sub class like Seawolf. Or Sub Class $5 foot long.

No. That is 10 times worse than "race".

 

[FireLance]

That said, I suspect some people are uncomfortable with D&D having species at all and are looking for a term that downplays the concept. I don't agree with that opinion, but I do empathize with it and recognize that my arguments won't convince them.

Been a gamer since ‘77, and black since ‘67.

Played in over 100 different RPG systems in 5 cities across 3 states. Been on this board for a while and have Modded here for a hot second.

And I have never seen someone express that position.

Why Race Is Still A Problem In Dungeons & Dragons

From the article:
"Decoupling all skills from all races may seem like an extreme solution, but it’s how designers can begin to remove the bioessentialism from character creation. It will also open up possibilities for the fantasy of D&D to truly become fantastic. Why shouldn’t a dragonborn trance? Why can’t some orcs be naturally stealthy? Why don’t we have tieflings fly as a bonus action?"

 

[Weiley31]

No. That is 10 times worse than "race".

"What's your breed?"

Me: French Bulldog.

 

[Umbran]

Magic. Dragons are obviously a different species from humans, but Half-Dragons exist because of magic.

Heck, folks keep returning to real-world biology for how these things should work, but really, it doesn't have to. It is a fantasy world, after all. It can be that breeding is achieved via combination of spiritual essence, and all birth is basically a natural magic.

That gives us the ability to make the rules of interbreeding as arbitrary as any of the other rules of magic.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Heck, folks keep returning to real-world biology for how these things should work, but really, it doesn't have to. It can be that breeding is achieved via combination of spiritual essence, and all birth is basically a natural magic.

That gives us the ability to make the rules of interbreeding as arbitrary as any of the other rules of magic.

And the scientific definition of species isn't as nice and accurate as people sometimes act like they are. Ring species exist and prove that the "organisms that are capable of producing fertile offspring are of the same species" definition of a species isn't perfect.

 

[FireLance]

As a completely neutral, purely descriptive term that acknowledges that your character may have traits that are biologically inherited, magically changed, or artificially constructed, I propose "Physical Vessel".

 

[Incenjucar]

Both babies and crispy pickles come from stork-headed ardlings, and they do not explain the secrets to either.