D&D General 5.5 PHB Species Options

[doctorbadwolf]

That's you throwing them at PCs every encounter.
I highly doubt that's representative.

Published adventures its not every fight or even 2 fights.

I don’t need to throw them at PCs every encounter. It’s not something I go out of my way to do, it’s just basic adventure design/game running to target all the defenses of the PCs multiples times per adventure, and a natural consequence of using varied threats and enemies.

It comes up at least as often as Halfling Luck, and more often than most elf species features. (Other than Wood Elf increased speed which comes up in like 3/4 of scenes with some kind of challenge)

Gnomes are one of the best species for playing a martial heavy hitter in 2024, make extremely good gishes, and are just as good at everything else as an elf or dwarf.

Vibes and aesthetic are the entirety of why there aren’t as popular. Power isn’t even a reason, much less the reason.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

In my experience wisdom saves are common and have serious consequences when failed.

However, it only makes a noticeable difference if the character can reliably make the save, hence needing to have both proficiency and advantage.

 

[Zardnaar]

In my experience wisdom saves are common and have serious consequences when failed.

However, it only makes a noticeable difference if the character can reliably make the save, hence needing to have both proficiency and advantage.

Wisdom saves are generally 1st or 2nd best to have. Constitution being the other one if you're a spellcaster.

 

[Zardnaar]

I don’t need to throw them at PCs every encounter. It’s not something I go out of my way to do, it’s just basic adventure design/game running to target all the defenses of the PCs multiples times per adventure, and a natural consequence of using varied threats and enemies.

It comes up at least as often as Halfling Luck, and more often than most elf species features. (Other than Wood Elf increased speed which comes up in like 3/4 of scenes with some kind of challenge)

Gnomes are one of the best species for playing a martial heavy hitter in 2024, make extremely good gishes, and are just as good at everything else as an elf or dwarf.

Vibes and aesthetic are the entirety of why there aren’t as popular. Power isn’t even a reason, much less the reason.

That effect on a race that's not a gnome would still be iffy.

 

[aco175]

I'm still trying to get away from the standard Lord of the Rings feel with regards to races. Monsters are still shunned and likely attacked if the villagers can gather enough pitchforks. There can be exceptions.

 

[Corinnguard]

Dragonborn sucked in 2014. Better in 2024 but not sure theyre better than say fizbans.

They were a bit underwhelming back then. Fixed ASIs, a breath weapon and a resistance associated with the damage type of your breath weapon. Breath weapon use was limited to one use/long rest.

The Fizban version of the Dragonborn was somewhat better than the 2014 version. Floating ASIs, a breath weapon whose usage was tied to your PB/long rest, a resistance that was tied to the damage type of your breath weapon and an extra trait that was dependent on whether or not you played a Chromatic, Metallic or Gem Dragonborn.

I think the 2024 version tied with the Fizban version. The Floating ASIs were moved to Background and once again became fixed. The addition of Darkvision to their list of traits didn't amount to much IMO as most D&D species already have it. Making the Breath Weapon's AoE more flexible was a nice touch, but it should have IMO included a Burst AoE. Red Dragonborn: "Want to see me spit out a Fireball?" As for the Spectral Wings, can they be affected by spells such as Dispel Magic?

Are the Gem Dragonborn going to be brought back in 5.5?

 

[jmartkdr2]

Gnomes are small regardless of mechanics theyre nit that popular.

Dragonborn sucked in 2014. Better in 2024 but not sure theyre better than say fizbans.

And yet dragonborn consistently held the number 4 spot on the “most popular race” surveys.

 

[Chaltab]

They were a bit underwhelming back then. Fixed ASIs, a breath weapon and a resistance associated with the damage type of your breath weapon. Breath weapon use was limited to one use/long rest.

To be fair, it was one use per short or long rest, which might end up being more uses than in 2024 based on how many short rests the party takes. The bigger problem with it was that it uses your whole action.

 

[Corinnguard]

To be fair, it was one use per short or long rest, which might end up being more uses than in 2024 based on how many short rests the party takes. The bigger problem with it was that it uses your whole action.

True. I think the only class that didn't have this problem for Dragonborn characters was the Fighter class because they could use Action Surge for their breath weapon.

 

[Chaltab]

True. I think the only class that didn't have this problem for Dragonborn characters was the Fighter class because they could use Action Surge for their breath weapon.

Even then a Fighter was almost always going to be better off using their Action Surge for more Attacks.... unless you had a crowd of 1-hit-point-wonders around you.