D&D (2024) D&D species article

[Chaosmancer]

100% agree, unfortunately I suspect it will be quite common. This is why I think it's much better when WotC empowers players to do stuff like that, like they did with 2014 and the UA.

My hope is that, at the very least, they mention that the custom option is in the DMG and is a valid option in the background section of the PHB. My biggest concern is players not asking to use it, because they don't know it exists.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Also shout out to Dwarves for literally losing half of their racial features in onednd. They're getting gutted.

Um... no? What are you talking about?

 

[Chaosmancer]

Tinker and Speak with Small beasts

Tinker still exists. It is more powerful and versatile than ever. They still build machines, those machines aren't magical, they just duplicate a magical effect.

Speak with Small Beasts still technically exists. It is more powerful and versatile than ever. Instead of just talking to squirrels and squirrels understanding them, the Forest gnome can now talk to any animal of any size, and in addition to the animal understanding them, they can understand the animal, which arguably they couldn't do before.

So... neither was replaced, they still exist, they are actually improved.

Yes.
And a Goliath litterally lifts twice as much with the same strength.

Okay, so you have decided that every orc and every goliath is highly muscular and has a high strength. Congrats. No one else needs to be beholden to that decision.

Also, weird you respond to "it is impossible for Goliaths to be better able to lift things than Orcs" with "yes, it is impossible, goliaths literally lift twice as much as orcs" Seems like you aren't sure what you wanted to say there.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I don't think a DM choosing not to use an optional rule in the DMG should be considered a red flag.

With custom backgrounds being moved to the DMG, they should no longer be the expected default from players, just like players shouldn't expect the DM will use flanking rules or the Honor Ability Score rules.

But I literally cannot think of a single reason not to allow it. I'm not sure I would call it a red flag, but it seems awfully controlling to me to tell someone that they cannot customize their background.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Adv on saves vs poison, poison resistance, (4) Weapon Proficiencies, Artisan Tool Proficiency, Stonecunning expertise, and the mountain dwarf subrace. In exchange they get tremorsense that only works in a niche situation.

Um, I think you are working with false information.

Per the playtest Dwarves got

Darkvision
Resistance to poison and advantage against poisoned condition
Increased hp (from hill dwarf)
an increased speed (30 ft instead of 25 ft)
Tool proficiencies
Tremorsense.

They did lose the weapon profs, but those were always incredibly niche and yeah, they lost mountain dwarf which only gave armor prof, which was equally niche. They didn't get gutted at all.

 

[Chaosmancer]

yes, that would be required, not quite the same as impossible to achieve though

Sure it is not literally impossible.

It would just be an insane amount of work, need an entire dedicated book (unless you want to leave out the other 50+ options in the game) and would make them completely incompatible with the existing materials.

There is no good reason to do something that drastic. Not when other, less drastic, options exist.

 

[Chaosmancer]

No what I am saying is the size range where PCs are allowed, bigger size would trump smaller size in climbing, jumping, and swimming.

PCs don't get to play the sizes where the smaller size of handholds would matter in rules.

Squirrels are tiny and have claws. Halflings don't.

Whereas the goliath or orcs big muscles and large hands that don't hinder the movement should also let them climb fast.

Goliath and orcs are 7-ft plus tall beings that are allowed to be as nimble as a cat and strong as a horse.

That's my main criticism with modern D&D species. It's adding all of these freaks of nature and then forgetting that these freaks of natur could do in place of blatant magic.

It's assumes humans in funny hats. Then forget that yeah technically this person is a like Jaguar or this person is 8 ft tall and muscular or this person has extreme eyesight or hearing.

Guess who is a better climber in terms of speed and energy expended, a 10 year old child, or a 7ft 300 lb man?

It's the child. Better muscle to size ratio. Children who go to rock climbing places will rocket up a wall, where a grown man will have a lot more difficulty. Now, not to say there are not advantages that grown men and women have over children over time and in different scenarios, but this idea that big people climb and swim better is incredibly bizarre and doesn't fit with what we see in reality.

 

[Parmandur]

I can only say:

View attachment 373968

I do deny it's balanced "around" rolls though. It's balanced "around" standard array. It works with rolled stats but not very well. Whereas it pretty tight with standard array (point buy is in-between).

On the contrary, it is clearly based around rolled stats, as rolled stats in practice are perfectly fine in play. Since the array is just a narrow sample.of that the designers expect from the possible range of characters, clearly the game which runs fine for a broader range will work fine if it is narrowed.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Um, I think you are working with false information.

Per the playtest Dwarves got

Darkvision
Resistance to poison and advantage against poisoned condition
Increased hp (from hill dwarf)
an increased speed (30 ft instead of 25 ft)
Tool proficiencies
Tremorsense.

They did lose the weapon profs, but those were always incredibly niche and yeah, they lost mountain dwarf which only gave armor prof, which was equally niche. They didn't get gutted at all.

I like how things that work against your argument are "niche".

 

[Chaosmancer]

I like how things that work against your argument are "niche".

Valor Bard, Dance Bard
Barbarians
Protector Clerics
Warden Druids
Fighters
Monks
Paladins
Rangers
Rogues
Blade Pact Warlocks