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Bonus languages in One D&D backgrounds goes contrary to their other goals
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<blockquote data-quote="Thommy H-H" data-source="post: 8740360" data-attributes="member: 6797019"><p>I mean, it <em>is</em> worth reading the descriptions of the Backgrounds in the context of the "[X]s of Many Worlds" sections, since Backgrounds are obviously meant to be, to some extent, setting specific. Not all gnomes have to be artificers, and not all orcs have to be gladiators, but in some of the worlds of D&D, those are things they're associated with. All along with these attempts to divorce 'race' from certain archetypes, they've had to thread the needle and say that, in the past, these traits have been used to encourage the kinds of characters that appeared in the game's fiction: nimble elves, burly orcs, chonky dwarves. Those archetypes <em>still exist</em>, you just don't have to play one. The choice is the point, and Backgrounds <em>are</em> entirely custom now, with these just serving as examples of what's possible.</p><p></p><p>Admittedly, it's perhaps a bit unfortunate that they chose to lean into the very things they were trying to discourage with certain examples, but I believe the idea was to demonstrate how a Background can inform a language choice and be used to imply certain worldbuilding elements. Halflings are great farmers in <em>some</em> D&D worlds so naturally they write the almanacs in those worlds. Hobgoblins are great generals in <em>some</em> D&D worlds, and soldiers from the same worlds might conceivably learn strategy from their works. They just need to be clearer about how including these elements is completely optional.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Thommy H-H, post: 8740360, member: 6797019"] I mean, it [I]is[/I] worth reading the descriptions of the Backgrounds in the context of the "[X]s of Many Worlds" sections, since Backgrounds are obviously meant to be, to some extent, setting specific. Not all gnomes have to be artificers, and not all orcs have to be gladiators, but in some of the worlds of D&D, those are things they're associated with. All along with these attempts to divorce 'race' from certain archetypes, they've had to thread the needle and say that, in the past, these traits have been used to encourage the kinds of characters that appeared in the game's fiction: nimble elves, burly orcs, chonky dwarves. Those archetypes [I]still exist[/I], you just don't have to play one. The choice is the point, and Backgrounds [I]are[/I] entirely custom now, with these just serving as examples of what's possible. Admittedly, it's perhaps a bit unfortunate that they chose to lean into the very things they were trying to discourage with certain examples, but I believe the idea was to demonstrate how a Background can inform a language choice and be used to imply certain worldbuilding elements. Halflings are great farmers in [I]some[/I] D&D worlds so naturally they write the almanacs in those worlds. Hobgoblins are great generals in [I]some[/I] D&D worlds, and soldiers from the same worlds might conceivably learn strategy from their works. They just need to be clearer about how including these elements is completely optional. [/QUOTE]
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Bonus languages in One D&D backgrounds goes contrary to their other goals
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