D&D (2024) D&D species article

[Micah Sweet]

To be fair, in the text they quoted you said: "...I hope the new PH includes info about..." It certainly looked like you were talking about the Player's Handbook.

Fair enough. I apologize.

 

[Chaosmancer]

Not what I said. I hope that the new PH includes info about adding species mechanics to NPC statblocks, preferably with statistics, or very few people will bother doing it on their own.

Okay, so let me see if I can follow this conversation.

I said that there is a physical difference between an orc and a gnome, because the Orc as a commoner would be able to effectively double their hp and survive a deadly blow.

Your response is that you hope the PHB includes information on adding species traits to NPC statblocks, which are likely not in the PHB and will actually be in the Monster Manual where they were announced to be. Preferably with some type of statistics of some flavor.

Because if they don't do that, which I will note they did include information on this with them in the MM before, then people won't bother doing it.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Okay, so let me see if I can follow this conversation.

I said that there is a physical difference between an orc and a gnome, because the Orc as a commoner would be able to effectively double their hp and survive a deadly blow.

Your response is that you hope the PHB includes information on adding species traits to NPC statblocks, which are likely not in the PHB and will actually be in the Monster Manual where they were announced to be. Preferably with some type of statistics of some flavor.

Because if they don't do that, which I will note they did include information on this with them in the MM before, then people won't bother doing it.

I misspoke about the PH and apologized above.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I would appreciate if whatever instruction for applying Monster stats to NPCs also makes it clear to a DM that they can also work as PC Specjes options.

I mean... that is exactly what they did in 2014 with those same statblocks. I don't see any reason for them to reverse course on that.

 

[Parmandur]

I mean... that is exactly what they did in 2014 with those same statblocks. I don't see any reason for them to reverse course on that.

It would just be cool to be able to pull, say, a Rogue Modroj for play using just the 3 Cire books.

 

[Zuranthium]

on a philosophical level, I hated that we took ability scores and tied them so emphatically to "race."

Ability scores should absolutely be racially modified. Halflings and Gnomes clearly have a lower ceiling for muscle strength than most other races. Ogres clearly have a MUCH higher ceiling. Humans are clearly more intelligent than Dogs, and other races can certainly be more intelligent than Humans. Let's not pretend otherwise.

It sucks how homogenous they've made things now, not just in this instance but also with things like: forcing all spell preparation to be the same, pushing most every class into being a caster of some sort, all spellcasting working regardless of armor, "cantrips are unlimited and everything else is a spell slot" as the only way for magic to exist (and with generally the same durations/mechanics across spell types), insisting every class has to follow the exact same structure of picking a subclass at Level 3, with exactly 4 options each. The game design keeps moving more towards "wannabe World of Warcraft" and away from "imaginative fantasy novel".

 

[Remathilis]

Ability scores should absolutely be racially modified. Halflings and Gnomes clearly have a lower ceiling for muscle strength than most other races. Ogres clearly have a MUCH higher ceiling. Humans are clearly more intelligent than Dogs, and other races can certainly be more intelligent than Humans. Let's not pretend otherwise.
.

In honestly, the only way that can work is if each ability score is generated using a specific method. A halfling rolls 3d4 for strength while an ogre rolls 2d6 + 10. A halfling rolls 2d8+4 for Dex while the ogre 2d4. Etc. A +2/-2 doesn't cut it.

And yes, that absolutely pigeonholes races into specific classes, and no I absolutely do not think they should do this, but the idea that an ogres size and strength is exactly 10% more than a human's is about as absurd as no modifier whatsoever.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Ability scores should absolutely be racially modified. Halflings and Gnomes clearly have a lower ceiling for muscle strength than most other races.

I'll just point out that a Halfling having Str 18, 16, 14 or 12 is just as unbelievable as them having 20. This isn't something that a modifier would help with, when anything past Str 6 is crazy.

I think such hard limits could be really interesting (yes, also when it comes to mental stats and you limit elves to, like, Wis 8)... but in things as they stand, it would just pigeon-hole things weirdly (that Halfling would still be just as much of a threat in melee if you gave them a rapier, so what's really gained by limiting them away from more interesting options?).

 

[Minigiant]

Ability scores should absolutely be racially modified. Halflings and Gnomes clearly have a lower ceiling for muscle strength than most other races. Ogres clearly have a MUCH higher ceiling. Humans are clearly more intelligent than Dogs, and other races can certainly be more intelligent than Humans. Let's not pretend otherwise.

Ability score adjustments for species aren't good. Ability scores don't enough unless they are vastly different.

A 18 Str Orc and a 14 Str Halfling don't really have that much of a different in actual strength. It only affects classes IE fun.

Instead every race should have traits that modify their formula and stats.

• STRENGTH
  • Powerful Build
• DEXTERITY
  • Naturally Stealthy
  • Nimble
  • Nimble Escape
• CONSTITUTION
  • Relentless
  • Resilience
  • Toughness
• INTELLIGENCE
  • Cunning
  • Extra Skill
• WISDOM
  • Keen Senses
• CHARISMA
  • ????

 

[Micah Sweet]

I'll just point out that a Halfling having Str 18, 16, 14 or 12 is just as unbelievable as them having 20. This isn't something that a modifier would help with, when anything past Str 6 is crazy.

I think such hard limits could be really interesting (yes, also when it comes to mental stats and you limit elves to, like, Wis 8)... but in things as they stand, it would just pigeon-hole things weirdly (that Halfling would still be just as much of a threat in melee if you gave them a rapier, so what's really gained by limiting them away from more interesting options?).

Verisimilitude.