D&D (2024) How to import "race" flavor into D&D 2024 inclusively

[Deset Gled]

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[Yaarel]

even if it 'makes sense' giving small species penalties with heavy weapons, carrying capacity and suchlike i think it is a very unfun piece of realism to implement into this fantasy game especially considering it also contains things like giants and dragons that violate the square-cube law without so much as a glance at their impossiblity, if they have the requisite STR i don't see why a halfling or a goblin couldn't swing around a greatsword bigger than they are with ease, it fits perfectly into the kind of fantasy DnD is.

I am sympathetic.

I have zero concerns about game balance when a Halfling wields a Heavy weapon. This is purely about flavor. Therefore.

Whether Halflings can use Heavy weapons or not, is something that only Halfling fans should decide. One way or an other, it is fans determining what the flavor of the Halfling should be.

In any case, the (yomi-style) longbow and the heavy crossbow shouldnt have the "Heavy" property. It is easy to imagine how a Halfling can use these weapons effectively.

The Heavy weapon property should probably instead be a Strength prereq.


It helps for everyone to visualize the use of an oversize weapon, when deciding on the intended flavor.

The reallife zweihaender has a bladelength over 4 feet, and is often around 5 feet. This blade is on top of a hilt that is about 2 feet. For a total of around 7 feet.

Typically, the D&D greatsword is more than twice as tall as the Halfling. The hilt itself is about two thirds the Halflings height.

Imagine a Human wielding a sword that is over twice the Human height, say over 11 feet. This is something like a glaive or a naginata but with the unusually long pole and blade.

Such a weapon seems on the cusp between plausible and implausible, in terms of effectiveness.


The decision to use a Heavy weapon is more about how magical the Halfling species feels, which it already is to some degree because of luck.

 

[Deset Gled]

I'm a strong believer in the mechanics reflecting the flavour, and vise versa. It usually leads to a strong sense of verisimilitude.

...

If the mechanics and the flavour don't match then it just feels jarring, and can take you out of the game.

I agree with this, but for me it's more about the the inherent strength of interweaving of mechanics and story. I'm a big fan of crunch on RPGs, and I believe that the math (and especially limitations) should be a big part of what drives the story. Saying "half-orcs are rarely sorcerers" is a very bland description that is overwritten the first time you see a half-orc sorcerer. Just saying it is meaningless. But if half-orcs have a -2 Cha, it means that half-orc sorcerer who is throwing dangerous fireballs really is a rarity. That's interesting to both the math and the story.

Or, to phrase it differently, when the gamist and narrativist layers overlap, the whole RPG is stronger.

Maybe that's the same as what you meant, but i wouldn't normally phrase it as "versimilitude" or immersion. I don't have a great single word for it. Maybe there's term in German that works better?

There is no such thing as a "tradition" without a cultural institution.

A family tradition might prioritize mutual support and spending quality time together,...

This is going to be very pedantic, but surely you are showing here that there are traditions that are limited to the scope of a family, a couple, a friendship, or even an individual that do not rise to the level of "cultural". Which means it is possible that traditions can originate, and, ostensibly, continue without an established institution.

I'm not sure if this is relevant to anything.

 

[Yaarel]

This is going to be very pedantic, but surely you are showing here that there are traditions that are limited to the scope of a family, a couple, a friendship, or even an individual that do not rise to the level of "cultural". Which means it is possible that traditions can originate at a small scale before an institution is established.

I'm not sure if this is relevant to anything.

The main point is, the effort to transmit a value to future generations involves some kind of cultural institution.

I agree with this, but for me it's less more about the the inherent strength of interweaving of mechanics and story. I'm a big fan of crunch on RPGs, and I believe that the math (and especially limitations) should be a big part of what drives the story. Saying "half-orcs are rarely sorcerers" is a very bland description that is overwritten the first time you see a half-orc sorcerer. Just saying it is meaningless. But if half-orcs have a -2 Cha, it means that half-orc sorcerer who is throwing dangerous fireballs really is a rarity. That's interesting to both the math and the story.

The species flavor can be more about how an Orc tends to express high Charisma.

Obviously this depends on culture.

In the context of "biology", the Orc experiences frequent and intense surges of "adrenaline". If comparable to human health, this means the Orc must be frequently physically active. Otherwise, the stress would be unhealthy and literally kill the Orc. The activity can be anything from leisurely hikes to strenuous sports. There is a need to "burn off" this adrenaline, so to speak. A tradition of calmness and meditation can also make sense as part of an Orc culture.

There are probably traditions where the Orc is both charismatic and physically active. Athlete celebrities, daredevils, intimidators, artistic dancers, are some ideas that come to mind.

An Orc Sorcerer might focus on physical and mobility magic.

 

[Deset Gled]

The species flavor can be more about how an Orc tends to express high Charisma.

Obviously this depends on culture.

In the context of "biology", the Orc experiences frequent and intense surges of "adrenaline". If comparable to human health, this means the Orc must be frequently physically active. Otherwise, the stress would be unhealthy and literally kill the Orc. The activity can be anything from leisurely hikes to strenuous sports. There is a need to "burn off" this adrenaline, so to speak. A tradition of calmness and meditation can also make sense as part of an Orc culture.

There are probably traditions where the Orc is both charismatic and physically active. Athlete celebrities, daredevils, intimidators, artistic dancers, are some ideas that come to mind.

An Orc Sorcerer might focus on physical and mobility magic.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but this sounds like a lot of ways to talk around the issue I was discussing rather than addressing it. Unless you back this stuff with game mechanics somehow, it's just meaningless fluff that is still unsupported by the math/crunch.

Also, it's worth noting that was attempting to look at this issue in a way that didn't bring the "biology" issue into play.

 

[Corinnguard]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but this sounds like a lot of ways to talk around the issue I was discussing rather than addressing it. Unless you back this stuff with game mechanics somehow, it's just meaningless fluff that is still unsupported by the math/crunch.

Also, it's worth noting that was attempting to look at this issue in a way that didn't bring the "biology" issue into play.

Here is an example of what a culture (in this case, the Eladrin culture) looks like in Level Up:

Eladrin Weapon Training. You have proficiency with longswords and rapiers.

Fey Sublimation. Your time in the Faerie Realm has suffused your being with its very energy. In addition to being humanoid, you also have the fey creature type.

Invocation of the Eladrin Lords. Hierarchies among the fey often deploy pact magic and a ripple of that power is available to all eladrin subjects. You know one cantrip from Table: Eladrin Invocations, based on the aspect of nature you wish to manifest or that of your liege.

Your selected aspect also imparts minor changes of your choice to your appearance, such as to your eye and hair color, skin tone, or even the color of your clothing. At the end of a long rest , you can change your selected aspect. Your spellcasting ability for this cantrip is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (whichever is highest).

Knowledge of the Faerie Courts. You are proficient in one of the following skills: Arcana, Culture, Deception, History, Insight, Persuasion, Survival.

Twilight Step. You have learned how to skip out of the Material Plane, fly through the Plane of Faerie, and land back in your native realm. You can forego your movement on your turn to teleport 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. Once you have used this trait, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Languages. You can speak, read, write, and sign in Common, Elvish, and Sylvan.

Eladrin Invocations

• Autumn: resistance
• Hiding: minor illusion
• Respite: mending
• Rot: chill touch
• Spring: druidcraft
• Stars: dancing lights
• Storm: shocking grasp
• Summer: produce flame
• Toxicity: pestilence
• Winter: ray of frost

Cultures such as this one aren't limited to one heritage. You could have a member of another heritage being raised in Eladrin culture, and have them gain the same benefits as an Eladrin.

 

[Yaarel]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but this sounds like a lot of ways to talk around the issue I was discussing rather than addressing it. Unless you back this stuff with game mechanics somehow, it's just meaningless fluff that is still unsupported by the math/crunch.

Also, it's worth noting that was attempting to look at this issue in a way that didn't bring the "biology" issue into play.

In 2024, Background is the meaningful mechanics.
• Score Improvement: +2 one, +1 other
• 3 Languages
• 2 Skills
• 1 Tool
• FEAT

Background is where the design space is to build a community concept.

 

[CreamCloud0]

In 2024, Background is the meaningful mechanics.
• Score Improvement: +2 one, +1 other
• 3 Languages
• 2 Skills
• 1 Tool
• FEAT

Background is where the design space is to build a community concept.

background might be where the design space for community traits currently is but i wouldn't say that's where community design space should be, as it's a fundamentally different concept to your background is.

give us character creation with:
species
class
culture
background
so i can make a dragonborn sorcerer, raised in halfling culture who has the skills of a merchant.

 

[Yaarel]

background might be where the design space for community traits currently is but i wouldn't say that's where community design space should be, as it's a fundamentally different concept to your background is.

give us character creation with:
species
class
culture
background

As you know, I view it impossible to separate culture from background.

That said. Culture includes the local influences from the institutions that one is not personally participating in.

So, creating a community is about building it out of the prominent background institutions, even if a particular character only intimately participates in some of these institutions.

That said. The only thing EVERY member of a community shares in common is the Language, and even then there are exceptions.

 

[Corinnguard]

background might be where the design space for community traits currently is but i wouldn't say that's where community design space should be, as it's a fundamentally different concept to your background is.

give us character creation with:
species
class
culture
background
so i can make a dragonborn sorcerer, raised in halfling culture who has the skills of a merchant.

1. Dragonborn- Chromatic, Essence, Gem or Metallic?
2. Halfling Culture- Kithbain, Mustbairn, Stout or Tunnel?
3. Background- the closest I can find is Trader. https://a5e.tools/rules/trader
4. Sorcerer- Annihilator, Draconist, Enigma, Traveler, Stoneheart, or Warder subclasses?