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

[TaranTheWanderer]

If I changed myself into an elf but didn’t know anything about elf culture….does the spell offer any benefits to that scenario? Looking like an elf doesn’t grant me any of the mechanical benefits of being an elf.

Which is exactly what disguise self is. It is a spell that affects the narrative. The only mechanics is if you get frisked. Then they get a chance to resist the spell. Before that point, though, you just rp the disguise. All game assumptions are based on the new look.

 

[Lanefan]

If I changed myself into an elf but didn’t know anything about elf culture….does the spell offer any benefits to that scenario? Looking like an elf doesn’t grant me any of the mechanical benefits of being an elf.

It grants you the mechanical benefit of being far better able to get past their lookouts.

 

[Lanefan]

Narratively whether they have that or not is invisible. Dragonborn breath weapons are narratively visible.

Doesn't matter - a mechanic is a mechanic either way.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

It grants you the mechanical benefit of being far better able to get past their lookouts.

That’s narrative. That’s concerning the story.

 

[Lanefan]

You can choose to impose mechanical benefits or penalties if you want but it’s not mandatory. You could just say that an NPc starts with a positive attitude. You don’t have to give advantage. That’s totally up to the DM and it’s already in the game.

You are getting narrative and mechanics mixed up.

Not quite.

What I'm saying is that narrative and mechanics are joined at the hip and that, for things to make any overall sense, one has to reflect and-or riff off of the other (preferably mechanics reflecting the narrative but there's examples of systems where the reverse tries to be true).

Put another way, a narrative benefit is a mechanical benefit.

 

[Lanefan]

That’s narrative. That’s concerning the story.

The +10 bonus I get on passing unchallenged by the lookouts is pure narrative?

Sorry, not buying that.

 

[Lanefan]

I think for purposes of this discussion being an elf with no mechanical bonuses or penalties compared to a human would still allow people to like or dislike elves.

Being an elf could impact interactions and roleplay, but not combat stuff or powers or special abilities.

And in a game that has mechanics to (help) resolve social situations, if there's no mechanical reflection of such impacts then those impacts don't in fact exist.

If the game didn't have any social mechanics whatsoever then I'd be more inclined to agree with you.

 

[KYRON45]

And in a game that has mechanics to (help) resolve social situations, if there's no mechanical reflection of such impacts then those impacts don't in fact exist.

If the game didn't have any social mechanics whatsoever then I'd be more inclined to agree with you.

But isn’t the premise that sure there are mechanics; but not from racial traits?

It would seem like the intent of the OP is….what race do you pick knowing it won’t give you any mechanical benefits?

I guess I don’t understand your argument.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Voadam]

Doesn't matter - a mechanic is a mechanic either way.

You seem to really have lost the point of what I was saying

If race has no specific mechanics, just narrative lore and distinctions then in-world narratively the 5e PH PC races look the same for the most part with or without mechanics. Most mechanics are a modifier here or there and are narratively invisible while a few like a breath weapon attack are narratively visible.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

The +10 bonus I get on passing unchallenged by the lookouts is pure narrative?

Sorry, not buying that.

+10? You’re making up numbers in your head.

Narrative: getting an audience with the elven King because you are an elf and he refuses to give audiences with humans

Mechanic: getting an advantage. Or, even, a +10 bonus to persuasion checks when interacting with the elven king because of your race.