D&D (2024) Half Race Appreciation Society: Half Elf most popular race choice in BG3

[Micah Sweet]

Heh.

But I assume the 2024 Players Handbook will continue to default to the FR (Forgotten Realms) setting. If all of the setting-specific content is discrete in a section for examples of specific local cultures, then they can go into more flavorful detail. For example, the Elf species lists three FR elven communities. The Human-Elf multispecies lists three FR cultures and how they fit in or dont, or are the leading government families. The Paladin class might list an example of how the Paladin Oath forms a sacred faction in the Forgotten Realms. Bard will mention the Harpers as one of three cultural backgrounds. Three specific Druid communities. The Cleric class might list an example of two theistic communities and one nontheistic community. And so on.

The designers need to decide how much setting content is optimal in terms of sales, but any amount is possible if contained discretely in the context of a separate section for cultures and their backgrounds.

Do you think they're actually going to do that next year, or do you just want them to? You say, "WotC needs to do this" a lot. Why do they need to do what you suggest, and what happens if they don't?

 

[Yaarel]

Do you think they're actually going to do that next year, or do you just want them to? You say, "WotC needs to do this" a lot. Why do they need to do what you suggest, and what happens if they don't?

I urge the 2024 designers to completely eliminate the concept of a "subrace". Especially the players options in the core rules must lack it as part of an overall effort to remove racist theories and tropes from D&D.

At the same time, most of the D&D traditions can easily translate into "cultures". Saying "Everelsk culture" instead "High Elf subrace" can still mention tropes like gishy Eldritch Knights and Bladesigners, societal magical military training, griffon riders, elven chain armor, clothing styles with intricately embroidered borders, wizard towers, even complexion frequencies, and so on. Everelsk happens to be a local region where all these tropes are prominent. It doesnt matter if other elves elsewhere are nothing like this.

 

[Scribe]

I urge the 2024 designers to completely eliminate the concept of a "subrace". Especially the players options in the core rules must lack it as part of an overall effort to remove racist theories and tropes from D&D.

At the same time, most of the D&D traditions can easily translate into "cultures". Saying "Everelsk culture" instead "High Elf subrace" can still mention tropes like gishy Eldritch Knights and Bladesigners, griffon riders, elven chain armor, clothing styles with intricately embroidered borders, skin color frequencies, wizard towers, and so on. Everelsk happens to be a local region where all these tropes are prominent. It doesnt matter if other elves elsewhere are nothing like this.

This completely fails to address not only biological differences but "my elf was raised by dwarves" actual culture differences, with a net result of just confusing the presentation of what these fantastical species are.

 

[Yaarel]

This completely fails to address not only biological differences but "my elf was raised by dwarves" actual culture differences, with a net result of just confusing the presentation of what these fantastical species are.

There are no meaningful "biological differences" among Elves, just like there are no meaningful "biological differences" among Humans.

If the biological differences were "meaningful" it would be a separate species.

Just like there are Human ethnicities with superficial differences in complexions, the same can be true for Elf.

One difference between reallife humans and D&D Elves, is the abundant use of magic to alter the body.

Any species who grows up in a culture can take a background that is prominent in the culture. An Elf that was raised in a certain Dwarf-majority culture can be an exceptional miner or jeweler by selecting one of the backgrounds there. The Elf will probably choose Darkvision as an "Adaptation" and spells for innate casting that are useful there. A background can offer magical features as part of the cultural feat.

 

[Scribe]

There are no meaningful "biological differences" among Elves, just like there are no meaningful "biological differences" among Humans.

Acknowledge that as presented, you are wrong, or its just a pointless discussion.

Drow: See better.
Wood: Run better.
Sea: Breath underwater.

These are meaningful biological differences, you can re-fluff the lore. You can change the rules. You can mistakenly redefine words. You can do those things, its your table and your choice, but those are 'biological differences', and there is NOTHING like that within Humanity.

Objectively however, as presented, there are biological differences between 'Elves'.

 

[Yaarel]

Acknowledge that as presented, you are wrong, or its just a pointless discussion.

Drow: See better.
Wood: Run better.
Sea: Breath underwater.

These are meaningful biological differences, you can re-fluff the lore. You can change the rules. You can mistakenly redefine words. You can do those things, its your table and your choice, but those are 'biological differences', and there is NOTHING like that within Humanity.

Objectively however, as presented, there are biological differences between 'Elves'.

Run better = choice of spell.
See better = choice of spell (or possibly choice of Adaption).
Breathe underwater = choice of spell (or possibly choice of Adaption).

Note, a Dwarf character who grows up in a Sea Elf community might magically acquire waterbreathing as a background feature.

In any case, the Elves who breathe water are obscure and wont be in the 2024 core rules. They can even be a separate species or a Triton/Elf multispecies. The waterbreathing Elf might be irrelevant to the Elf species design.

 

[Scribe]

See better = choice of spell.
Run better = choice of spell.
Breathe underwater = choice of spell (or possibly choice of Adaption).

Show me in the Origins document, and MotM that these are provided by spells and I'll concede.

 

[Yaarel]

Show me in the Origins document, and MotM that these are provided by spells and I'll concede.

As you know, these are official spells that exist in several editions of D&D. In the effort to remove racism from 2024 D&D, the Elf differences can explicitly refer to these spells or updated versions of these spells.

 

[Scribe]

As you know, these are official spells that exist in several editions of D&D.

As you know, these are not cases where the ability is provided by a spell.

You may not like it, but as presented, these are biological attributes.

Correct?

 

[Yaarel]

It seems to me, the "Sea Elf" is more trouble than it is worth.

Make it an obscure unique Triton/Elf community and call it day.