D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: Gothic Lineages & New Race/Culture Distinction

The latest Unearthed Arcana contains the Dhampir, Reborn, and Hexblood races. The Dhampir is a half-vampire; the Hexblood is a character which has made a pact with a hag; and the Reborn is somebody brought back to life.

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Perhaps the bigger news is this declaration on how race is to be handled in future D&D books as it joins other games by stating that:

"...the race options in this article and in future D&D books lack the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, the Alignment trait, and any other trait that is purely cultural. Racial traits henceforth reflect only the physical or magical realities of being a player character who’s a member of a particular lineage. Such traits include things like darkvision, a breath weapon (as in the dragonborn), or innate magical ability (as in the forest gnome). Such traits don’t include cultural characteristics, like language or training with a weapon or a tool, and the traits also don’t include an alignment suggestion, since alignment is a choice for each individual, not a characteristic shared by a lineage."
 
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Weiley31

Legend
Look, if they wanna do Innistrad, that's great and all, but please WoTC, do that AFTER the cough please Throne of Eldraine setting book. cough pretty please.
 
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Weiley31

Legend
I see a lot of us are thinking Ravenloft, though it's pretty well represented in this edition so far, and recently. Maybe a Van Richten's Guide to [Synonym for Supernatural]? I think I might side with those thinking these are for Innistrad--do these archetypes fit the lore of that world at all? (I don't play Magic--I know Innistrad is cut from the same cloth as Barovia, but that's it).
I mean possibility. However, IIRC, Innistrade is coming back after three or two of the upcoming Card Blocks. So make that what you may on the possibility of the next possible MtG/DND crossover setting book.
 

Wasn't it announced that a setting book or two would be coming this year?

Perhaps Ravenloft will have a new guide by December. Not necessarily a hardcover - they might go the waters-testing route of pdf like they did for Eberron.
 


Weiley31

Legend
As an attempt to steer the topic back on course

Honestly: this Lineage system reminds me of a bit smoother route of doing the 3E/3.5 Templates in 5E. I honestly wouldn't see no probs or issues house ruling that these Lineages would be a add-on layer on top of your currently played race.
 


Charlaquin

Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
Well... This has done a great deal to both win me over on the argument that it’s time for a new edition, and to convince me that one won’t be coming any time soon. They clearly recognize that 5e has some major built-in structural things that they want to change, but they’re also clearly trying to go about that by layering on more and more special exceptions rather that building a new foundation that suits what they want to do.
 

Weiley31

Legend
Well... This has done a great deal to both win me over on the argument that it’s time for a new edition, and to convince me that one won’t be coming any time soon. They clearly recognize that 5e has some major built-in structural things that they want to change, but they’re also clearly trying to go about that by layering on more and more special exceptions rather that building a new foundation that suits what they want to do.
I mean, at least one can say that they have come up with a number of systems that players can choose and use if they feel like it.

You want to do Racial Scores, you can. You want to Tasha it, you can do that too. You can(according to this UA) Lineage it, if the system goes well, etc etc.

Pick your poison and tell anybody that doesn't agree or want that to get lost at your table.
 

TwoSix

Dirty, realism-hating munchkin powergamer
Honestly: this Lineage system reminds me of a bit smoother route of doing the 3E/3.5 Templates in 5E. I honestly wouldn't see no probs or issues house ruling that these Lineages would be a add-on layer on top of your currently played race.
Considering the strictly racial benefits (no ASI, langauge, etc) of the 3 new lineages are roughly worth about one strong feat, this makes a lot of sense.
 

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