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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 8370553" data-attributes="member: 58172">I have mixed feelings about what I am about to explore, but want to hear what you guys think.Each race description lists "Prominent Abilities" to replace the "Ability Score Improvement".For example:Dark Elf (Drow)...Prominent Abilities. Many drow exhibit high Dexterity and Charisma.Superior Darkvision. ....A benefit of mentioning the Prominent Abilities is, they do avoid essentialism. Saying "many", makes it clear that it is not all, maybe not even the majority.An other benefit is, perhaps this makes a mid-5e transition away from Ability Score Improvements, more palatable for traditionalist gamers who expect race essentialism to undergird the flavor of the race.A cost of mentioning the Prominent Abilities is, they nevertheless perpetuate whatever racist memes the transition is trying to correct in the first place. For example, if high elves are intelligent, then wood elves are not. As if the members of one culture are more intelligent than the members of an other culture.Also, changing race score improvements into floating score improvements, is liberating for the player who wants to build their own character concept. Even pressuring certain choices unnecessarily can souring. For example, my favorite D&D elves (4e Cha-Int eladrin, 3e Int-only sun elf) and my favorite mythologically accurate elves, have nothing to do with Dexterity. I would rather not run into it, unless I am intentionally exploring an agility gish.So, which is the more helpful approach to remove unintentional racism?• It is the way it is now. Players Handbook says one thing, but Tashas says something.• The Players Handbook updates to clearly offer what Tashas says, but leaves the current race descriptions as is.• As this post examples, the Players Handbook updates to make Tashas clear, and softens the race descriptions.• The Players Handbook updates to make Tashas clear, and removes references to abilities from the race descriptions.</blockquote>

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