D&D 5E Custom races and tasha’s

[Remathilis]

From a practical standpoint, there isn't much reason balance-reasons to not allow those feats. I could see (for example) Infernal Constitution or Dragon Hide as clever ways to get several racial traits that could represent unique races.

HOWEVER

I'm also leery of saying "custom lineage = normal race" at this point, mostly because I still prefer the races still stand for something. Your custom lineage might look like an elf, but they're not mechanically an elf, they are unique entity and doesn't count as an elf for purposes of being immune to ghoul paralysis, making boot of elvenkind, or taking elven feats.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

From a practical standpoint, there isn't much reason balance-reasons to not allow those feats. I could see (for example) Infernal Constitution or Dragon Hide as clever ways to get several racial traits that could represent unique races.

HOWEVER

I'm also leery of saying "custom lineage = normal race" at this point, mostly because I still prefer the races still stand for something. Your custom lineage might look like an elf, but they're not mechanically an elf, they are unique entity and doesn't count as an elf for purposes of being immune to ghoul paralysis, making boot of elvenkind, or taking elven feats.

Yes. I am leery of that as well.

I think this is not good for lore honestly (generic dnd lore).

 

[Leatherhead]

For Racial Feats:
A Custom Origin Elf would still qualify for the feat, because they are still an Elf even with the proficiencies and stats swapped around.
A Custom Lineage Humanoid (I guess we should call them CLH, because I have a feeling we are going to need something like that) requires DM approval, especially considering there are more than a few racial feats that modify an existing racial feature that the CLH won't actually have access too.

That said, a lot of the racial feats would would great for giving that "I'm half-X, half-something else" feeling.

 

[D1Tremere]

I would say the whole point of the custom lineage is that you need not be an X to have X ability. You were raised with X, you have some X blood in you, you were touched by the gods of X, etc. This way you may look like a dark elf, but have grown up with Kenku you use their mimic ability to communicate and dream of flying, Etc.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I think we need an Unearthed Arcana article about paragon racial classes.

My wish is to allow more flexibility because gnomes are good for (almost only) illusory magic and stealth classes (rogues & cía).

 

[Horwath]

I would add that skill and armor should be interchangeable.

Also for custom lineage, I would say that you pick a race(or two) that you are based of. Human, Dwarf, Elf, Orc, Gnome, etc...

 

[DEFCON 1]

As a DM, my technique on any of this stuff would be to wait for a player to produce a character with its backstory set up prior to being mechanically built. If I then read it and saw that their story would make having an alternate racial feature sensible and possible... I might then mention to that player that if they wanted to make a custom racial swap for said feature, I'd allow it.

But if the person came to me with a mechanically pre-built character that already had a custom racial feature swap built in and then said they would create a "backstory" to justify it... that's when I'd be hard-pressed to let them. Because their actions told me they didn't actually care that much about who their PC was... they just wanted to beef up their combat ability as much as possible. And I don't have much time for players like that.

Thankfully, my players know that I tend to be generous with a lot of mechanical back-end stuff as well as magical equipment and items and the like... so coming to me beforehand trying to OP their character is unnecessary. They will get their PCs buffed very well over the course of the game, there's no need to try and jerry-rig a bonus baby beforehand.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I am on the fence about using custom races as other than a dm tool frankly. Though going back to AD&D we have often played with weird heritages and bloodlines which this might be useful for.

generally though my desire for it is simply a back door way to get a feat in a nonhuman at level 1.

I find feats to be very fun. While I often take suboptimal subclasses etc., I like feats to help round things out or cover up bigger self gimps.

usually I like to be in melee and like str characters so this helps with warlocks or even clerics. I am not trying to dominate the game but like to melee with my comrades.

 

[Weiley31]

Everybody: How can humans have Dark Vision?
Me: Magitech Contacts/Eye Implants.

 

[D1Tremere]

Everybody: How can humans have Dark Vision?
Me: Magitech Contacts/Eye Implants.

A Durgar Priest used an ancient technique to shine my retinas so I could survive in the fighting pits of the underdark.
A nature spirit gifted me the eyes of a fox when I freed it from a hunters trap.
Magic did it.