D&D (2024) How did I miss this about the Half races/ancestries

[John R Davis]

To add further

In the FR orcs and elves hold a particularly unique position in that they can get jiggy* with humans and produce viable offspring.
Technically termed Orcanari** and Elfanari, but shortened to Orcan and Elfan, they uniquely display species features*** that reflect neither of their ancestries.
*insert better term
**borrowing from 2nd edition panic
***insert the cool stuff here.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I did like the idea of versatile heritages in Pathfinder 2e. But they were de-feat-ed by all of the feats they wanted the players to use for their characters. It's why Pathfinder 2e went by the nickname of Featfinder. Ancestry feats, Skill feats, Class feats, Archetype feats, Lineage Feats, Etc.

Yeah overall I don't like pathfinder 2e as a system. A bit like I don't like dnd 4e as a system.

But both pathfinder 2e and dnd 4e have some good ideas which could actually improve dnd 5e.

 

[Eubani]

Once this ground is ceded what are they going after next? How about we stop calling various creatures "monsters" this is racist, nor should mechanics differentiate between them because some real world non connection.

 

[Blue Orange]

I'm of sort-of mixed ancestry (depends where you draw the lines between races) and enjoyed the various mixed-ancestry ancestries like half-elf and tiefling. This is actually somewhat common in the USA, with its long history of waves of immigration (and the various ethnicities now subsumed under 'white' were considered different 'races' a long time ago, too), and likely to become more so, so I can see this being an issue PR-wise.

I always liked the old bit through 3rd ed where there were no mechanical differences between human varieties, but you could do ASIs and the rest for things like elves and orcs that were actually different species. You even have the whole bit where humans are interfertile with orcs and elves but orcs and elves aren't with each other in some species of birds, I think.

But...eh, the game's moving away from that obviously and I'm not the chairman of the board of Hasbro (which is quite fortunate for Hasbro, though I know you all would have enjoyed the D&D stats for Starscream). So it's probably the best way to deal with it. Sure, we'll have dwarf-goliath hybrid barbarians stalking around, but we've always had powergamers and people playing loony characters (we all know why one of the most popular choices for tortle is monk...pass the pizza). If anything I think trying to min-max the rules is a lot of the fun for a lot of people, just like trying to figure out a realistic backstory for a thri-kreen bard is a lot of fun for a lot of different people.

Also, no reason you couldn't have multiple ancestries, though it's going to get a little silly if a thri-kreen, an aarakocra, and a tortle have a baby. No reason D&D has to follow real-life biology, though. The fireball spell already contravenes thermodynamics.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

They are. All 2014 content is still playable. They have reiterated this many times, including at the D&DDirect just this week. So you're in luck!

But the 2014 books won't remain available forever. The content that aren't in the 2024 books will gradually fade out of the game.

The half-orc race from 1st ed. AD&D was playable in 2nd ed., but I couldn't play one since I only had the 2nd ed. PHB.

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Halfling here relates to size, rather than being a half and half species.

But I kind of wish halflings would get a different species name. As to halflings they're not half sized. They're regular sized. Everyone else is just big.

"Halfling" is what humans call them. Their own word for themselves is apparently another word starting with "H"

 

[mellored]

Mix and match racial mechanics would be ripe for abuse, and really annoying to balance. Especially since some have one big feature (wings) and others have several smaller features.

Though nothing says your DM couldn't allow it.

 

[Horwath]

Mix and match racial mechanics would be ripe for abuse, and really annoying to balance. Especially since some have one big feature (wings) and others have several smaller features.

Though nothing says your DM couldn't allow it.

If you keep "racials" somewhat mundane, it should not be a problem.

And flight is not a problem if the cost is adjusted correctly.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

aasimar, tiefling, genasi, shifter and warforged should be 1st level feats in 1D&D, with a 4th level feat to expand the traits if preferred.

Making it feats is dangerous, as you make all a bit more samey. However if the default is human, then you still have a feat to spare.

Edit: on the other hand, the classical half elf would perfectly work as a human only 1st level feat.

 

[Corinnguard]

And flight is not a problem if the cost is adjusted correctly.

What if Flight required a proficiency in a Fly Skill? Fly (Dex; Armor Check Penalty) – d20PFSRD