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

[Frozen_Heart]

Currently, both half-elf and half-orc will exist in 2024 5e. They both use unsatisfying rules that have blended lore, but the mechanics of only one parentage.
Half-elf likely gets the most attention because there are famous half-elves in literature and film. No half-orc is on that level.

Fjord definitely gave half-orcs some much needed love. Half the critical role fanbase had a crush on that character...

 

[Scribe]

What I fail to comprehend is how you've redefined the word nuance in such a way that black & white hard lines between good and evil are more nuanced than shades of grey with smaller variations possible within the same species. That's what I'm failing to understand.

OK, so we can at least move on from that other stuff but this is a misrepresentation of what I'm saying.

Its not me who is redefining the word nuance. Everyone is now good. Not 'everyone has the potential for good'. EVERYONE IS GOOD.

Before, yes there were species options that were 'bad' and some where 'good' and it was up to the player to either buck the trend, or go along with it. Post Tashas? You are good. Your friends are good. Bob the Orc is your neighbor. The Tiefling? Well his ancestors actually won the Blood War, on the Good side. Hes good too. Those Duergar? Not a problem, oh and we dont directly reference the fact they were enslaved, we dont talk about that anymore see.

This isnt a nuanced (subtle, the word means subtle) and I'm not the one changing the definition. Before, there was variation. Now, 'everyone is good'. Wizards is literally slamming us upside the head that their disnified view on their own lore and settings can ONLY be presented as 'You are good, heros, doing good heroic things.'

That isnt nuance my man.

The irony is, my BG3 Paladin was the most noble, most shining, most good, folk hero, savior of the weak he could possible be, from start to finish. Why? Because he contrasted with the actions and behaviors of the people around him. EDIT: And now that I think of it, so was my Tiefling Paladin with the -2 Cha penalty decades ago, because no recent edition of this game actually forced players into the straight jacket some STILL believe exists.

If everyone is shining rainbows of goodness? Well thats not a very nuanced setting.

 

[Cadence]

Its not me who is redefining the word nuance. Everyone is now good. Not 'everyone has the potential for good'. EVERYONE IS GOOD.

Could you point me to where in one of the books it says that? (Or are we not talking about the books).

 

[bedir than]

Its not me who is redefining the word nuance. Everyone is now good. Not 'everyone has the potential for good'. EVERYONE IS GOOD.

Before, yes there were species options that were 'bad' and some where 'good' and it was up to the player to either buck the trend, or go along with it. Post Tashas? You are good. Your friends are good. Bob the Orc is your neighbor. The Tiefling? Well his ancestors actually won the Blood War, on the Good side. Hes good too. Those Duergar? Not a problem, oh and we dont directly reference the fact they were enslaved, we dont talk about that anymore see.

This doesn't exist in the books.
It's your invention for post-Tasha's that is demonstrated in Wizards words or deeds.

 

[Yaarel]

Ideally I'd have preferred every species to get a single +1 and a single -1. And the starting stat expectation lowered to 14.

Now it is the Background that determines the +2 and +2 to an ability score. There is lots of design space here to flesh out a cultural concept, including default proficiencies, ideals and flaws, and feat capabilities.

There is lots of design space here for abusive ethnic stereotypes too. So caution remains necessary.

But at least not every member of a species needs to participate in the same stereotypical background.

 

[Scribe]

Could you point me to where in one of the books it says that? (Or are we not talking about the books).

Heres an example, and no I'm not going to get more, but one is free to look over the post MToF books to find others.

 

[Yaarel]

Its not me who is redefining the word nuance. Everyone is now good. Not 'everyone has the potential for good'. EVERYONE IS GOOD.

I dont see every Humanoid species being Good.

Mechanically, every Humanoid species is "any" alignment.

The narratives for each species seems to exemplify any possibility. There are "normal" elven Drow cultures and "criminal" human Baldurs Gates cultures.

It seems to me, every Humanoid species can be and is "any" alignment.



With regard to the Tiefling, most are living a normal life. But there are individuals and factions who maintain enthusiatic ties with their lineal Fiend, including being Evil.

 

[Scribe]

The narratives for each species seems to exemplify any possibility.

What is the tone of the Tiefling description I linked above. Its that simple.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Honestly I don't even mind a setting where every species lives in perfect harmony and has equal acceptance with no issues. And words like slavery don't exist because they might scare investors away.

I just don't like them retconning existing settings and adventures to do it. I'd rather a new setting was constructed for it and DnD then adopts that as their 'flagship' setting.

 

[Scribe]

With regard to the Tiefling, most are living a normal life. But there are individuals and factions who maintain enthusiatic ties with their lineal Fiend, including being Evil.

Says who?