D&D 5E (2024) WotC Should Make 5.5E Specific Setting

100%, popularity determines if a feature enters or exits core. If Halfling and Gnome do exit core, they still stay in the D&D game because certain settings will feature them. Forgotten Realms will continue to have Gnomes and Dark Sun will continue to omit them.

By the way, I am a fan of Gnome. I feel they can as easily be a variant of Dwarf with an Illusionist culture. While I would like an option for Tiny Gnome a young Small is this.
I don't know - I'm looking at the D&D Beyond survey, and based on that and if that's the right survey you're referencing, if you're saying Halflings and Gnomes drop out, so do Half-Orcs, Genasi, Goliaths, Aasimar, Aarockra and custom lineages. It's hard to see the numbers but Halflings are just behind Dwarves, who seem like they're just behind Half-Elves.


I don't see any kind of smoking gun that says Halflings and Gnomes are so unpopular that they would be dropped.
 

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There might be a bit too much focus on Forgotten Realms or Eberrons here, and not enough what would make a 5E setting different and how to present the core races of the game in that setting differently from FR (or Eberron).

One way would definitely be to actually establish home countries or major settlements and organizations where each core species is relevant. They should probably be also situated in the "main adventuring" area of the setting, not just on the fringes (which doesn't mean that there might not be at the fringes, too. But there should be a few spaces more centrally, as well.)

For example:

Central Area of Interest might be a large valley situated between the Easter and Northern Mountains and the South Sea and the Western Forests. A large Empire existed once in this area, but it broke apart in the great succession wars, leaving behind several smaller kingdoms and fiefdoms, many still controlled by the remnants of the houses originally fighting each other. Most of the houses were humans, from the original smaller kingdoms that eventually were united into the Emipre, but as the Empire started trading with the neigboring cities and nations, people of these nations joined, and some founded their own house.

The Goliaths main country is from the Eastern Mountains, but along the rivers to the south sea, they have many settlements, some of them mixed strongly with humans and halflings, the humans having formed communties to the fruitful central lands and the halflings having used the rivers for trade and transportation for centuries. They originally came from the South Sea from another continent, and the place of their original landing still holds one of the largest Goliath settlements - even though it formally isn't part of the Goliath nation.

The Dwarves hail from the Northern Mountains. They were once enslaved by the Giants, but as a new Empire was forming in the Central Valley, it offered them help in exchange for supporting the empire's defense. This lead to the erection of Dwarven fortresses inside the valley, and several dwarven dominated settlements also exist along the rivers from the Northern Mountains to the South Sea.
The Dwarves share the Souther Mountains with a Dragonborn nation which is siutuated in area that is dominated by volcanic area. The Dragonborn nation is only a shadow of its former self after one of the volcanos erupted and destroyed its capitcal city, many Dragonborns living in diaspora now. The largest dragonborn city is now one of the Dwarfen Fortresses, given to allow the displaced Dragonborn a place, in exchange for military service and gold from the dragonborn nation's hoard. Not everyone is favorable with this deal, some Dwarves think the fortresses need to go back in Dwarven hands, and some Dragonborn think the price they paid was too high.

The Elves hail from the Western Forests. They didn't have much interest in the central valley, but when the Succession War started, they feared it spilling over, and a lot of people tried to flee the war into the forest. The Elves expanded into the valley when they saw the succcession war consume the country, and to fight the influx of the people fleeing the wars into their forests. They built cities at the edges of the remaining central valleys forests as safe haven for those fleeing from the war. When the Elves build cities, they discovered and inadvertantly activated several fey crossings, leading to an influx of Goblins and Gnomes. The latter easily adapted to the place, and formed settlements in the valley, or joined existing ones. Building those cities however wasn't welcomed by the houses, and it forced the Elves to fight against some of them, which ultimately lead to the current unstable peace. Some are still angry at the Elves, because they are sure their house would have won the succession war, but many also think of them as peacekeepers, a position the Elves do not always feel comfortable with, but has also provided them many opportunities.

It is unclear whether the Orc or the Humans or both are native to the central valley, but they coexisted for a long time until the human started to focus on agriculture and city-building. This lead to many violent conflicts, and the Orc adopting a more martial attitude, as the wilderness they once roamed had turned into cultivated land, forcing them to raid. One Orc chieftain decided to change all this, and united the Orc tribes in a war - intiailly conquering and destroying several settlements before offering threatened settlements a new deal - allowing the Orc to trade freely and join the settlements, and demanding some lands back. Cities that disagreed were razed, cities that agreed now had

The Houses from the former Empire are still important blocks - they were aristrocats based either on former Kingdoms or from influential traders and guilds. One of the houses is composed mostly of Tieflings, as the Kingdom they were part pacted with devils to gain more power and influence, but the kingdom fell when the Devils were demanding a price even the corrupted leadership was not willing to pay. Not just the noble family, but also its citizens, were turned to Tieflings as punishment, and most of the wealth and power was lost. Generations after, the original Capital City had recovered considerably, not as powerful and influential as before, but large enough to be an important member in the founding of the Empire.

A small Aasimar settlement in the Eastern Mountains exists, predating even the Goliaths. It is said that in ancient times, a holy battle was fought their, against a primordial evil. It is said the Holy Forces were victorious, but a God was slain, leaving behind the White Scar. The place is unusual in that it's relatively temperate, but the only form of precipation is snow, so it never quite melts. It is said if the snow melts, large evil will befall the world - the last time this happened when the Last Empress fell. The place is popular for pilgrimage among all faiths.


Ooops, that was a bit more than I intended, and nothing I am really likely to follow up for myself... Anyway, don't want to throw it away either. ;)
 

That's not true. Otherwise the PC would also have all of the characteristics of a human. The spark is in the soul, but the spark affects the characteristics as well.
I dont see the Awsimar soul spark affecting biology, especially the Human biology that is essentially - moar culture!

Darkvision is a physical characteristic.
Because the described Darkvision is impossible in reallife, I consider it magical, even if cats get it out of game design mechanical convenience. D&D cats can be assumed to have some magical nature in a magical multiverse.

In any case, Darkvision is useful as a cantrip, but subpar for a slot 2 spell. It works better as a cantrip than as a slot 2 spell. Because almost every species has Darkvision, there is zero concern about balance at level 1 Darkvision.

I would rather the Elf species lack Darkvision except for certain lineages.


Out of curiosity, here would be my preference for the core species.

Darkvision?
Human: no
Elf: sometimes
Dwarf: yes
Dragonborn: yes actually (snakes, unblinking)
Goliath: no
Awsimar: no
Tiefling: yes
Halfling: no
Gnome: no
Orc: yes (nocturnal, perhaps Shadow)

So remove Darkvision from Awsimar and Gnome, and partially from Elf. In any case, make Darkvision a cantrip for various level 1 character concepts that benefit from it.

Resistance to damage is a physical characteristic.
Damage resistance is often magical.

Age is a physical characteristic.
Age is biology but alterable. Hopefully reallife humans will figure out a method to significantly extend lifespan.

The Druid class magically extends lifespan.

Features like metallic freckles, luminous eyes, and the skin color of an angel are physical characteristics.
This is what I meant by "subtle tranfiguration". This special appearance is the ambient flavor that cantrips can do, like Thaumaturgy with glowing eyes, and I would allow other nonstat alterations as well. Also magic Thematics can optionally apply nonstat special appearance.

For Awsimar the "biology" of the parents continue despite magic enhancement.
 

I dont see the Awsimar soul spark affecting biology, especially the Human biology that is essentially - moar culture!
It literally says it affects biology.
Because the described Darkvision is impossible in reallife, I consider it magical, even if cats get it out of game design mechanical convenience. D&D cats can be assumed to have some magical nature in a magical multiverse.

In any case, Darkvision is useful as a cantrip, but subpar for a slot 2 spell. It works better as a cantrip than as a slot 2 spell. Because almost every species has Darkvision, there is zero concern about balance at level 1 Darkvision.

I would rather the Elf species lack Darkvision except for certain lineages.
Me, too. I much preferred low-light vision from 3e for Elves, but that was sacrificed on the alter of simplicity.
Darkvision?
Human: no
Elf: sometimes
Dwarf: yes
Dragonborn: yes actually (snakes, unblinking)
Goliath: no
Awsimar: no
Tiefling: yes
Halfling: no
Gnome: no
Orc: yes (nocturnal, perhaps Shadow)
Gnomes are an underground race, or at the very least the ones that live underground and Deep Gnomes should have it. I agree with you that Dragonborn should have it, but not for your reason. They have dragon blood in them, and dragon senses are legendary for how good they are.
 

I don't know - I'm looking at the D&D Beyond survey, and based on that and if that's the right survey you're referencing, if you're saying Halflings and Gnomes drop out, so do Half-Orcs, Genasi, Goliaths, Aasimar, Aarockra and custom lineages. It's hard to see the numbers but Halflings are just behind Dwarves, who seem like they're just behind Half-Elves.
I have in mind the unofficial Python "scrape" of DnDBeyond 2022 data. But the official reveals earlier are comparable.

Half Orc has already exited core by merging with Orc. Halfling, Gnome, Orc, and Awsimar are about equally popular. But they are near the threshold for exiting core. However Awsimar is the first time as a core species, and contra Tiefling might gain popularity.

Elemental Genasi are surprisingly popular, especially considering they were never core. They rank with Orc and Gnome. However rather than add Genasi to the Players Handbook, 2024 seems to merge them into the Goliath, thus create a more elemental Goliath. Because of this combined Genasi-Goliath merger, I expect the 2024 Goliath to already have achieved rank with popular Tiefling, Dwarf, and Dragonborn. As far as I can tell, 2024 Goliath has a buzz.

I don't see any kind of smoking gun that says Halflings and Gnomes are so unpopular that they would be dropped.
Human is 22% of characters and the Elf (combining full and half) is 26% of player characters. These are the frequencies of a D&D centric species.

The Aarakocra are about 3% of characters and failed to pass the popularity threshold into core.

Halfling and Orc (5%), and Gnome and Awsimar (4%), are all endangered species.

I suspect the merger of Genasi and Goliath (about 4% each) successfully produced a reasonably popular species (say almost 8%).
 

Gnomes are an underground race, or at the very least the ones that live underground and Deep Gnomes should have it.
In my minds eye, the Gnomes light lamps in their underground homes. As house sprites, they personify the land that a human house is on (and by extension human-made mills, boats, and mines). So they are at the surface.

The Deep Gnomes would be fine with a Darkvision cantrip culture.

I agree with you that Dragonborn should have it, but not for your reason. They have dragon blood in them, and dragon senses are legendary for how good they are.
For me, dragon equals monstrous snake. I agree the Dragon should have Darkvision because of folkbeliefs relating to them.
 

It literally says it affects biology.
I reread the Awsimar description. It is ambiguous. I read the following.

"They resemble their parents", especially their species biology. Except for incidental "hint" of Celestial magic, comparable to cantrip thematics. This subtle magic becomes more prominent as their Celestial magic advances with character level.

Hmmm. On reconsideration, the fact that Awsimar are a "species" means they can only reproduce with other Awsimar and can no longer reproduce with the species of their parents.

In this sense, the "biology" is altered after all. Albeit it isnt actually the biology that changes. It is the planar distortion by the Celestial aster that makes reproduction with other mortals incompatible.
 

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