D&D 5E Balance in Races

[Mephista]

To expand on what I've said before, I think the best solution is to feed all gnomes to the dragonborn, then have all the dragonborn battle all the tieflings to the death, the execute the victors! Then we can get back to playing D&D

They tried the dragonborn-tiefling deathmatch before. First in Eberron, then in Nentir Vale. It only made them both more angsty and more popular.

Its clear its not working. There has to be another way. Purging the world with fire won't work (cursed fire resistance on both!) I'm open to suggestions!

 

[Paraxis]

Well maybe the angels can get busy with the mortal races more often and flood the world with Aasimar to counter balance the Tieflings, and make a new race of titan blooded people(aka Titanborn) to battle against the dragonborn. Now we get a new round of deathmatches.

Damn gnomes are still sneaking under the radar, better start teaching goblins tech school tradeskills so they can counter balance them like in World of Warcraft.

 

[Kikuras]

World of Warcraft.

I think you meant 4e?

 

[Mephista]

Well maybe the angels can get busy with the mortal races more often and flood the world with Aasimar to counter balance the Tieflings,

Have you seen the aasimar racial benefits? The tiefling would eat them alive. Metaphorically, that is. Most tieflings aren't cannibalistic.

I think.


Oh gods, what is that between their teeth?

 

[The Grand User]

Dragonborn and Aasimar vs. Tiefling and Titanborn? I could get behind that campaign

 

[steeldragons]

I think you're missing the issue here, Steel Dragon. First, dragon breath was a minor action in 4e, so people are kinda wishing for the equivalent in 5e. Because, to be honest, the damage doesn't make it worthwhile to use as a full round action.

And that's really the entire crux of the matter. 2d6, DC based on Con (generally an underdeveloped attribute) save for half. You don't even get an attribute boost for it, unlike every other race with a magical ability. By level 6, the chances are you have far better options to use than your breath weapon. A paladin, barbarian, skald, or fighter will have better damage from just regular attacks. A sorcerer could be doing better damage with a level 1 spell.

In short, the breath weapon is THE signature aspect of the dragonborn, and it falls short in a lot of cases. Making it a minor action, increasing the damage, something to make it worthwhile to use would be lovely.

I can't be entirely sure, but I think you just proved my case. So, thanks for that.

I guess all I'd have to say to this is, since it seems to be your defining criteria, "worthwhile" to whom? What does that mean?

Seems to me if, as you say, it is "THE signature aspect of the dragonborn" does that not, in and of itself, make its use "worthwhile"?

 

[The Grand User]

I can't be entirely sure, but I think you just proved my case. So, thanks for that.

I guess all I'd have to say to this is, since it seems to be your defining criteria, "worthwhile" to whom? What does that mean?

Seems to me if, as you say, it is "THE signature aspect of the dragonborn" does that not, in and of itself, make its use "worthwhile"?

you're leaving out the last part of Mephista's statement "...and it falls short in a lot of cases."

There's a difference between a signature aspect that works well, and a signature aspect that doesn't work well.

I'm absolutely certain that you didn't mean it this way, but by the logic of the word choice you used, even a breath weapon that did 1d3 damage in a 10ft line usable once per day would qualify for the same signatureness as you stated.

I.e. to be a good signature ability, it's not just enough to posses it (as your assessment would imply), it should be something usable often and to good effect. The breath weapon currently is almost there, just not quite there.


Anyone care/have time to compare the breath weapon that has recharge 5-6 to the various attack cantrips?

 

[EzekielRaiden]

To expand on what I've said before, I think the best solution is to feed all gnomes to the dragonborn, then have all the dragonborn battle all the tieflings to the death, the execute the victors! Then we can get back to playing D&D

It's hard to appreciate the joke--and I know you're joking, just so we're clear--when I've heard people, in all seriousness, claim that the existence of dragonborn in the books means that we've stopped "playing D&D."

 

[Sunseeker]

It's hard to appreciate the joke--and I know you're joking, just so we're clear--when I've heard people, in all seriousness, claim that the existence of dragonborn in the books means that we've stopped "playing D&D."

Because apparently lizardmen somehow don't fit in a fantasy setting with fey, dragons, monsters from beyond the stars and annoying midgets.

 

[Kikuras]

It's hard to appreciate the joke--and I know you're joking, just so we're clear--when I've heard people, in all seriousness, claim that the existence of dragonborn in the books means that we've stopped "playing D&D."

When I get cranky or have low blood-sugar, yeah, I get that way, but that's just cranky-old-fart talking. D&D is about creating heroes, of whatever race, and having fun in a fantasy setting, where very little is impossible. I may feel deep in my bones that one race or another is silly, but I would never tell a player they couldn't play one, even in a world of my creation. There's always room for badassery... even from gnomes.