D&D General Race Has No Mechanics. What do you play?

[deadman1204]

I feel like this gets into the core issue of 5th ed. Simplify everything and remove any mechanics so that its all "clean" and "easy". However if races are functionally identicle, then why do they exist?
You can write a char background to be a prince of some group of magic nature people without using the word "elf". Or miners that make wonderful items (dwarfs).
If there are no real differences between the races, then there is no reason for them to exist. The 5th ed design philosophy wuold say to remove them, because they are "unnecessary" and that its cleaner if you don't have to worry about it.

 

[Reynard]

Given the opposition to changelings, it seems that the answer is no.

There isn't any opposition to changelings on my part, but if the rule is "no mechanical benefit" then the ability of the changeling to shapeshift does not enhance the character's ability to disguise oneself. That must be built into the character otherwise.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Given the opposition to changelings, it seems that the answer is no.

Also I was assuming the options were the normal playable races, not any species the player can think of. So frost giants and dragons would probably be out.

yeah but the opposition to changelings is rooted in their ability to change their appearance providing tangible benefits, mr blobbly grey humanoid doesn't have that ability.

 

[Aldarc]

yeah but the opposition to changelings is rooted in their ability to change their appearance providing tangible benefits, mr blobbly grey humanoid doesn't have that ability.

Tangible benefits like someone who is gender-fluid can be gender-fluid in a way that reflects their identity. But you know, that's apparently considered "cheating."

 

[CreamCloud0]

Tangible benefits like someone who is gender-fluid can be gender-fluid in a way that reflects their identity. But you know, that's apparently considered "cheating."

you know that's isn't why it's being considered a cheat to get around 'species with no tangible benefits', you're basically asking for the ability to use unlimited Disguse Self and writing it off as 'just narrative, well maybe it's 'just narrative' that my dragonborn resists fire but if i can walk into a burning building unharmed that's more than a narrative ability.

 

[Aldarc]

you know that's isn't why it's being considered a cheat to get around 'species with no tangible benefits', you're basically asking for the ability to at will use Disguse Self.

No, I wasn't, but I find it telling that people are viewing my innocuous choice with some sort of "play to win" or "cheating" angle.

 

[Reynard]

No, I wasn't, but I find it telling that people are viewing my innocuous choice with some sort of "play to win" or "cheating" angle.

That was my assumption and I apologize if that was not your intent. I misread it as such.

 

[CreamCloud0]

No, I wasn't, but I find it telling that people are viewing my innocuous choice with some sort of "play to win" or "cheating" angle.

so you're saying if you had the inheret ability to change the appearance of your character up to and including their apparent species you would never ever consider using that capability to provide tangible benefits in play, even in circumstances where it would definitely be applicable? because otherwise, that's still your species providing mechanical benefits.

 

[Aldarc]

so you're saying if you had the inheret ability to change the appearance of your character up to and including their apparent species you would never ever consider using that capability to provide tangible benefits in play, even in circumstances where it would definitely be applicable? because otherwise, that's still your species providing mechanical benefits.

Are you going to interrogate everyone's choice along similar lines of tangible benefits that could potentially exist for each race under certain circumstances or just mine? Could being a short halfling not also provide tangible benefits in some circumstances? Or how about being an elf? Or how about being a dwarf? I stated that my reason was simply because if you are bored that you could change your appearance. I understand that you view this as a tangible benefit. It is a tangible benefit, but IMHO there is a difference between a tangible benefit and a mechanical one. When my partner got top surgery, I doubt anyone would claim there is a "mechanical benefit" to their choice; however, there was clearly a tangible benefit.

 

[jmartkdr2]

One interesting choice here would be centaur, as there's a built-in workaround for some dms having extreme difficulty with the concept of characters who can't climb ladders, despite never using a ladder in the actual game.