Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad
Does the concept of subspecies of Elves come across as racist to you?
This question comes from the Half-Race Apperception Thread
This question comes from the Half-Race Apperception Thread
D&D (2024) Does the concept of subspecies of Elves come across as racist to you
- Thread starter Mistwell
- Start date
No but I am not sure that this question has any meaning out of context.
In my opinion, the issue with race in D&D has been that all races have been defined by a couple of characteristics that universally apply.
Some of these characteristics could be, of the type "in the nature of the beast" like Darkvision.
There is nothing racially problematic about a race having darkvision or pointy ears.
On the other hand, the entire race being of a single alignment and/or being a blacksmith or some other feature that is most likely an outcome of culture rather than breeding is problematic.
In my opinion, the issue with race in D&D has been that all races have been defined by a couple of characteristics that universally apply.
Some of these characteristics could be, of the type "in the nature of the beast" like Darkvision.
There is nothing racially problematic about a race having darkvision or pointy ears.
On the other hand, the entire race being of a single alignment and/or being a blacksmith or some other feature that is most likely an outcome of culture rather than breeding is problematic.
Corinnguard
Hero
I don't see the concept of subspecies of Elves as being racist thanks to the sidebar in Monsters of the Multiverse that explains how they came to be. I also don't see them as being racist thanks to how Level Up turned subspecies into Cultures.
Yaarel
🇮🇱 🇺🇦 He-Mage
The problem of separate mechanics for separate subspecies is, it mechanically enforces racial segregation.
For example, what are stats for an Elf whose parents are a Drow Elf and an Eladrin Elf? The lack of mechanics means that this doesnt exist. The mechanics imply that intermarriage between different ethnicities is forbidden. The elven ethnicities are segregated from each other.
Having subspecies within any humanlike species comes across as racist.
For example, what are stats for an Elf whose parents are a Drow Elf and an Eladrin Elf? The lack of mechanics means that this doesnt exist. The mechanics imply that intermarriage between different ethnicities is forbidden. The elven ethnicities are segregated from each other.
Having subspecies within any humanlike species comes across as racist.
Scribe
Legend
Nothing says this at all, and I dare you to find 1 official 5e piece of text which forbids marriage between different species.
Corinnguard
Hero
All elves share the same traits for age, size, speed, Darkvision, Trance and Fey Ancestry. The only traits that do differ are cultural traits.
aco175
Legend
I'm guessing the OP is asking about half-elves over high elves or wood elves? I have no problem with all of them. I can see some races being able to mix with other races to make a half something. Half-elf or half-orc is fine with me.
The new 5e coming out with picking your parent and getting one feature is fine as well. It might lead to less than more but might solve some of the problems being brought up.
The new 5e coming out with picking your parent and getting one feature is fine as well. It might lead to less than more but might solve some of the problems being brought up.
Yaarel
🇮🇱 🇺🇦 He-Mage
If Eladrin traits and Drow traits are cultural, then the child of an intermarriage between them would learn features from both cultures.
BookTenTiger
He / Him
I don't myself, but I as a white guy in modern America I haven't had much experience in being othered due to my perceived race. So I'm open to other perspectives.
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