D&D (2024) 2024 PHB Race discussion

[Neonchameleon]

Unfortunately, it seems the ODD designers want to delete psionics from the edition.

Except they don't. They just don't think that psionics are a one-mechanical-size-fits-all thing so have the Psi Warrior and Soulknife done one way, the Aberrant Mind a second, and the College of Whispers bard a third.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I understand what you are saying here, and concur to a certain extent. I agree that not every half-elf character's backstory needs to go into the "torn between two worlds" trope. But I think what I'm more getting to is this-- I've seen people thus far talk about how they don't like the removal of half-elves and half-orcs as set races because they now have to just take the mechanics of either human or elf (or human or orc) for their character while saying their character is a half-elf or half-orc. Seems to me that being a half-elf isn't important... the all-important half-elf game mechanics are what are important.

No they aren't. What's important is that the half-elf has its own identity (mechanical and otherwise) that is the offspring of its parents but not a carbon copy of either.

I forget where I saw the analogy, but the playtest version is as if Kermit and Miss Piggy had kids - and all of them are either pigs or frogs. But there are no kids that are visibly the offspring of boht parents.

I personally do not believe half-elves and half-orcs need their own independent racial write-up and mechanics while the mul (human/dwarf) and gnoblin (gnome/goblin) and any other parental pairing do not. The game either should go all-in for mechanical representation for every combination, or none at all.

Oh nonsense. The game can have some things without everything. I'd include half-elves as the most long standing without the baggage attached to half-orcs - and it covers most of the children of two worlds stories.

 

[TwoSix]

I forget where I saw the analogy, but the playtest version is as if Kermit and Miss Piggy had kids - and all of them are either pigs or frogs. But there are no kids that are visibly the offspring of boht parents.

Maybe that's for the best.

Spoiler

 

[Yaarel]

The mechanics of the human race are solid.

Resourceful is solid. Inspiration is an advantage that you can use whenever you want. There will be other ways to gain Inspiration according to the video, but the human has it more reliably. If the human gets it again, while still having it, the human can pass on the inspiration to an ally. The human flavor of being inspirational feels appropriate.

The Skilled feat is appalling, but the choice of feat is great.

Choice of skill is ok. But compared to other reallife animals, the human species is especially a tool user, so tool proficiency can work here too, or weapon proficiency. Skill is ok in the sense of cultural learning.

I like listing human first. The human race is a measure to help get a sense of nonhuman races.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I've been hoping for the removal of Half-Elf and Half-Orc for quite a while now, because quite frankly my experiences with them have been people taking these races purely for the game mechanics and the players couldn't give a rat's ass about the narrative and story about being a mixed race person.

So in my mind... these new rules are a good thing. Because it's going to show us pretty clearly how many people actually want to play with the narrative of being a mixed-heritage character when they won't be gaining any game rule bonuses for doing it. If it ends up that most people end up just playing Elves and Orcs and don't bother with narratively creating Half-Elves and Half-Orcs... then my beliefs would be proven correct.

That being said... I certainly hope most DMs remember when the time comes that this whole game is being set up to allow for the 2014 material to still be used, so there would be absolutely no reason to not allow a player to use the Half-Elf or Half-Orc race write-ups in a 2024 game.

I like that it also expands the options to say half Tieflings-half Orcs, or Half Dragonborn-Half humans to explain Dragonborn with boobs LMFAO.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I understand what you are saying here, and concur to a certain extent. I agree that not every half-elf character's backstory needs to go into the "torn between two worlds" trope. But I think what I'm more getting to is this-- I've seen people thus far talk about how they don't like the removal of half-elves and half-orcs as set races because they now have to just take the mechanics of either human or elf (or human or orc) for their character while saying their character is a half-elf or half-orc. Seems to me that being a half-elf isn't important... the all-important half-elf game mechanics are what are important.

If that's the case and the game mechanics of a race are what matters... then what's the point of having mixed race characters? You could just make more races if players simply want more game mechanic options. Or if you feel like the game needs mixed-race characters, then why are these two the only mixed-race character options in the game? Why are these two so special that they need to be called out when all the other mixed heritages are expected to just be represented by one or the other parent race (other than HE and HO being grandfathered in from editions past?) To me... you either mechanically represent every racial combination by coming up with Multirace rules where a player does indeed pick and choose bits from both parent classes... or you just remove the mechanical differentiation altogether and have players play multiracial characters in their story without needing to give them their own mechanics.

I personally do not believe half-elves and half-orcs need their own independent racial write-up and mechanics while the mul (human/dwarf) and gnoblin (gnome/goblin) and any other parental pairing do not. The game either should go all-in for mechanical representation for every combination, or none at all.

But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

The answer here is “Tradition!”

Which isn’t the worst reason to do something if it isn’t harmful.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Having seen Abyssal Tieflings and Killer Space Clowns, does anyone else want to play an Abyssal Tiefling descended from Killer Space Clowns, think a mix between Joker and Harliquin, from Clownspace? Fluff it's Poison spray cantrip as poison squirting flower gag.

 

[Corinnguard]

The answer here is “Tradition!”

Which isn’t the worst reason to do something if it isn’t harmful.

More like a form of game inertia. Half-Elves and Half-Orcs have been a part of D&D since the very beginning of D&D. So it's hard to imagine a D&D without them as they currently are.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Oh nonsense. The game can have some things without everything. I'd include half-elves as the most long standing without the baggage attached to half-orcs - and it covers most of the children of two worlds stories.

The answer here is “Tradition!”

Which isn’t the worst reason to do something if it isn’t harmful.

Folks who like Half-Elves and Half-Orcs have had their needs filled for decades now. Which is fine... I don't begrudge them for it. But I'm also quite happy to see things change a bit so that my way of thinking will have its time in the sun. And for those that still want the full race write-ups for the HE and HO... the game will allow the 2014 versions to still be played. So we both can have what we want to a certain extent.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I like that it also expands the options to say half Tieflings-half Orcs, or Half Dragonborn-Half humans to explain Dragonborn with boobs LMFAO.

I've always explained that by saying that Dragonborn women carry two eggs...