Culture in DND

[Hand of Evil]

I think the core books are non-culture leaning more to fantasy generic and that the reader applies culture as they see fit.

I think to sell you have to appeal to the greatest common denominator, which is the fantasy, allowing your campaign to be a melting pot of cultures.

Now FR, KoK and other campaign settings do add to culture but still keep to the fantasy. This is the place for it.

 

[MerakSpielman]

Ask those same people what a Shatria is, I'm guessing that most will skake their head in negative.

I take it you mean Ksatriya, the hindu warrior-caste?

Okay, I admit, if I hadn't studied Eastern Civ and Comparitive Religions in college I would know a lot less about them than I do, so you probably have a point there.

 

[Belen]

I am not saying that the core books should be anything other than Fantasy Generic. However, I think that either the DMG or a separate book detailing how to change classes and races to fit a different culture than presented by WOTC would be beneficial.

And in my world, I do not force the races to take be part of a human culture. However, everyoe adheres to the dominant culture. In some places humans do not outnumber the other races. Therefore, humans are part of the culture dominated by another "race."

I think it a horrible premise that all Elves on a world have one cultural stereotype just because they are elves while humanity has dozens of different cultures.

Of course, I do not adhere to humans always outnumbering the other races either.

Too many stereotypes lead to a boring game, IMO.

Dave

 

[MerakSpielman]

I'd argue that elven culture would be far slower to change and evolve than human culture, though, becuase of their long lives.

 

[Nightfall]

I prefer to keep culture out of player's handbooks since that's a DM's job, not the PHB.

 

[Belen]

You'd be right except that other influences change culture such as war, famine, plague......

And the 3e elves get....350 years? That is a lot, yes, but not enough that every elf on the entire world is the same. And I am not using FR as a measuring stick, since all those elves did not originate there.

Of course, I redid all the races for my newest world and elves only get 150 now.

<chuckles> Then again, their new favored class is rogue and the halfing are the greatest mages of the land.

 

[Belen]

Nightfall,

I agree. That's why I said the DMG should cover it.

Dave

 

[Nightfall]

Nightfall,

I agree. That's why I said the DMG should cover it.

Dave

Oops! My bad Dave!

 

[kirinke]

*mouth twitches.
i thought elves were virtually immortal. (IE lotr)
i'd peg the 350-900 years for a half-elf.

 

[Emiricol]

Actually, Europe is very badly covered. Indeed, in some ways it's worse than having no information, at all.

I didn't say it was accurately represented. Just covered.