Incenjucar
Legend
What happens in the Demiplane of Duckburg....
D&D (2024) Thoughts on the revised Ardling?
Azzy
ᚳᚣᚾᛖᚹᚢᛚᚠ
If you want a celestial species in the PHB, just use the Aasimar (which is much cooler, and if they’re going to put Goliaths in the PHB, why not Aasimar?).
If you want an anthropomorphic animal species in the PHB (and one that doesn’t step on the toes of existing anthropomorphic animal species—such as tabaxi, loxodons, kenku, etc.), skip the celestial bit altogether and make an anthropomorphic animal species that's more interesting with a stronger, more coherent identity. Take the hengeyokai (from 4e and earlier), for instance. It's a shapeshifting anthropomorphic animal species that has can also assume an animal form or a human form. Bring that back (and even rename it something that’s not culturally-coded to make it setting- and culture-neutral).
If you want an anthropomorphic animal species in the PHB (and one that doesn’t step on the toes of existing anthropomorphic animal species—such as tabaxi, loxodons, kenku, etc.), skip the celestial bit altogether and make an anthropomorphic animal species that's more interesting with a stronger, more coherent identity. Take the hengeyokai (from 4e and earlier), for instance. It's a shapeshifting anthropomorphic animal species that has can also assume an animal form or a human form. Bring that back (and even rename it something that’s not culturally-coded to make it setting- and culture-neutral).
Incenjucar
Legend
It wouldn't be unreasonable to make gaurdinal-descended aasimar to close that gap.
Clint_L
Hero
They clarified with the release of the latest packet that Aasimar are not being replaced, though that doesn't mean they will be in the 2024 PHB. You would just use the existing rules for them.
Azzy
ᚳᚣᚾᛖᚹᚢᛚᚠ
Right. But if they're bringing Goliaths to the PHB, they could easily do the same with Aasimar.
MockingBird
Hero
I don't think the Ardling should be a core race. Like it was mentioned already its harder to restrict races in the PHB. I feel the Ardling would fit better in a source book. If we just have to have a celestial, opposite of Tiefling then just make the Aasmier a core race. If Ardling ends up in the PHB it will be banned since it doesn't gel with my world.
Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
Equally possible with similarly powerful non-divine entities. We should be comparing like to like; wizards to clerics, gods to Archfey.
Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
I don’t think they’re really supposed to be a celestial equivalent of tieflings. If they were, they probably would have used Aasimar, or else they wouldn’t have doubled-down on the “beastfolk” angle in the revision. I think they’re meant to be a catch-all furry race, which I do think would be a very valuable option to have in the PHB. I just think the insistence on giving Ardlings a divine origin is muddying the waters. Drop that angle entirely and make them Hengeyokai (by another name if need be) and/or make them fey instead of celestial, that would clear up the confusion around their relationship with Aasimar.
Incenjucar
Legend
The original description was specifically avoiding being a furry species and instead being an animal-headed species. The direction people are taking it is to shove them in the furry box, but that wasn't inherent to the design. It's honestly been kind of fascinating to watch the hard category instinct in real time
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