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

[CreamCloud0]

I think the difference is that class IS what you do, while race is who you are. The latter is easier to do on "vibes."

in an TTRPG like DnD, i find that to be a meaningless difference, i wouldn't want to play either species nor class if they had no mechanical reinforcement of their themes and abilities.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I think the difference is that class IS what you do, while race is who you are. The latter is easier to do on "vibes."

Is the assumption here that doing things on "vibes" is preferable?

 

[Reynard]

in an TTRPG like DnD, i find that to be a meaningless difference, i wouldn't want to play either species nor class if they had no mechanical reinforcement of their themes and abilities.

I don't think any edition of D&D has ever made race as informative as class, except when they were the same thing of course.

 

[Reynard]

Is the assumption here that doing things on "vibes" is preferable?

Why do you regularly ascribe intent and motivation that aren't there? I was answering a claim that was totally legible in the post you responded to and there was nothing in any of it about "preferable."

 

[CreamCloud0]

I don't think any edition of D&D has ever made race as informative as class, except when they were the same thing of course.

i never claimed species was as informative as class, just that i wouldn't care to use either if they existed only in the game as lore constructs, that what you claimed about species isn't exclusive to them:

I could be misreading some folks, but this thread sure makes it seem like most posters do not care about their characters beyond the mechanics. they aren't interested in the lore surrounding their choice of race, or how it impacts play beyond when they get bonuses or penalties. I am legitimately surprised.

do you think in the next game you played you would be satisfied playing your class if you couldn't use any of it's mechanical boons? no skills, no spells, no proficiencies, no special abilities, would it be true then us saying you don't care for lore of the classes then? that you only care about the impact of it's bonuses or penalties? i think not, but they still mattered to playing your character didn't they?

 

[Reynard]

do you think in the next game you played you would be satisfied playing your class if you couldn't use any of it's mechanical boons? no skills, no spells, no proficiencies, no special abilities, would it be true then us saying you don't care for lore of the classes then? that you only care about the impact of it's bonuses or penalties? i think not, but they still mattered to playing your character didn't they?

Because I don't see them as equivalent. I already said, class is what you DO in the game, and race is who you ARE. You don't need mechanics for the latter (IMO of course). You obviously see them as equally important, if not equivalent.

 

[Scribe]

I think the difference is that class IS what you do, while race is who you are. The latter is easier to do on "vibes."

It can be. You could totally just get by on the vibe of being a Minotaur.

Background, Culture, Species, all of it could be window dressing, and its totally valid.

However, if we are coming into this with any kind of history of what Fantasy is, we go.. 'Wait, I'm a Minotaur? Dont I have massive Horns? Am I not a jacked bull man?!? Why is it little Timmy the Halfling can headbutt someone for the same damage as me??'

Vibes can get you pretty far, but even in something as stripped down as Shadowdark, I want a nod to the fact that 'hey, you got massive horns dude, go ram something'.

 

[Reynard]

It can be. You could totally just get by on the vibe of being a Minotaur.

Background, Culture, Species, all of it could be window dressing, and its totally valid.

However, if we are coming into this with any kind of history of what Fantasy is, we go.. 'Wait, I'm a Minotaur? Dont I have massive Horns? Am I not a jacked bull man?!? Why is it little Timmy the Halfling can headbutt someone for the same damage as me??'

Vibes can get you pretty far, but even in something as stripped down as Shadowdark, I want a nod to the fact that 'hey, you got massive horns dude, go ram something'.

Sure, and as I said multiple times upthread, the races as the edge of whether "cosmetic only" actually works is where the discussion gets interesting.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Why do you regularly ascribe intent and motivation that aren't there? I was answering a claim that was totally legible in the post you responded to and there was nothing in any of it about "preferable."

My thought was simply why even talk about vibes unless that's what you want?

 

[Scribe]

Sure, and as I said multiple times upthread, the races as the edge of whether "cosmetic only" actually works is where the discussion gets interesting.

Apologies if you have had to repeat yourself on my behalf, I'm selectively skimming pages to try and maintain my sanity.