DDAL 2014 Character Options Will be Playable in AL After the 2024 Release

[FarBeyondC]

Not unless they explicitly replace them in the new PHB, which I doubt they'll do. And no, generic "mixed ancestry characters" rules don't do that.

As far as AL is concerned, given how rule changes are typically handled there, generic "mixed ancestry characters" rules will almost assuredly replace things like half-elves and half-orcs.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Well, I mean there is no full write-up '24 replacement. Hopefully they get something s bit meatier in than the original UA, but honestly I hope it's just a ribbon sort of thing so that it doesn't become a field of.min-maxing either.

It's hard for me to imagine 70 percent of respondents loved the useless mixed ancestry rules that don't actually mix any ancestry, but yeah I hope they have a good idea to give some small mechanical weight without making it a minmax dream.

 

[Parmandur]

I don't know how @ersatzphil was using it, but I don't think anyone should be surprised that I interpreted "2014 Character Options" to mean the options actually printed in the year 2014.

Right, it was confusing, hence the correction.

 

[Parmandur]

It's hard for me to imagine 70 percent of respondents loved the useless mixed ancestry rules that don't actually mix any ancestry, but yeah I hope they have a good idea to give some small mechanical weight without making it a minmax dream.

The Planar adjustments for stat blocks in the Planescape set seem like a good model: not something that has a make or break effect, maybe a couple of options so not everyone is the same...

Just as long as there is no ancestry mixing tier list...

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The Planar adjustments for stat blocks in the Planescape set seem like a good model: not something that has a make or break effect, maybe a couple of options so not everyone is the same...

Just as long as there is no ancestry mixing tier list...

If there are mechanical distinctions of any kind there will be "best" options and "trap" options, but the solution to that is to not listen to CharOp about stuff like that.

Haven't gotten my hands on Planescape yet, can you describe what you mean?

 

[Parmandur]

If there are mechanical distinctions of any kind there will be "best" options and "trap" options, but the solution to that is to not listen to CharOp about stuff like that.

Haven't gotten my hands on Planescape yet, can you describe what you mean?

Each of the Outer Planes is given 3 minor abilities thar can be added to a Stat block to make a Monster or NPC "Abyssal" or "Ysgaddian" or what have you, without changing the CR.

 

[ersatzphil]

I don't know how @ersatzphil was using it, but I don't think anyone should be surprised that I interpreted "2014 Character Options" to mean the options actually printed in the year 2014.

Oh, I definitely read it and thought, "what on earth is a new player going to make of needing to choose between the 2014 ranger, the Tashas ranger, and the 2024 ranger?" Happy to have been mistaken, frankly.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Each of the Outer Planes is given 3 minor abilities thar can be added to a Stat block to make a Monster or NPC "Abyssal" or "Ysgaddian" or what have you, without changing the CR.

Ah, okay. So the idea would be to give each species a trait like that, along with the normal ASI freedom, maybe choose whichever size you want independent of the main species you choose to "take after", and split any difference in normal lifespan?

That still wouldn't solve the erasure of stable cultures of mixed ancestry folk being erased from the base game after at least 20 years of being part of the game in FR and Eberron, possibly in other settings, but it would at least make the "what these mechanics say to the player" part of it less bad. I don't know that it would fill me with the same discomfort as the UA did or bring Blood Quantum immediately to my mind like "choose how you want to look, and choose a species to just fully mechanically be in every way other than appearance" did.

I'd still prefer to also at least have some stuff like "these traits are worth the same power, so you can swap them around if your two ancestries have a mix of them" like if darkvision is considered worth the same as slight bonus speed, or if any skill proficiency is considered equal to any other. The Tasha's rules do give some of that, though, so maybe between Tasha's and the new PHB it will actually be satisfying to build someone with a gnome and a wood elf parent or whatever.

 

[Parmandur]

Oh, I definitely read it and thought, "what on earth is a new player going to make of needing to choose between the 2014 ranger, the Tashas ranger, and the 2024 ranger?" Happy to have been mistaken, frankly.

Ah, I see what you mean: thar would be to much for organized play, for sure.

 

[Scribe]

It's hard for me to imagine 70 percent of respondents loved the useless mixed ancestry rules that don't actually mix any ancestry, but yeah I hope they have a good idea to give some small mechanical weight without making it a minmax dream.

I can only hope that bombed out. Have they said otherwise?