Imagine..
The adventuring party is in the meeting with the local government leader of a race: a human king, a dwarf queen, an elf lord, a halfling mayor,or something. After thanking the adventurers, the leader explains that the kingdom cannot simply rely on pure chance that a capable group of adventurers are available and willing to come to save the nation. But instead of making a stereotypical group of elite knights or warriors, the king instead needs the adventurers to gather materials to help create a group of "racial paragons". He or she wants the dwarfiest dwarf or the elfiest elf wants to use D&D magic and technology to do it.
More than one past editions had the idea of racial paragons. The idea is that the character could focus on the skills, magic, and fighting styles that their race holds as ideal. The Dwarf paragon is a heavily armored hammer warrior. The Elf paragon is a arcanist truly skilled bows and blades.
But what if you go a step further...
Is 5th edition the time to bring the idea of racially enhanced super soldiers to D&D?
Captain Dwarf?
Elfmarines?
Robognome?
Half Orc Clone Troopers?
5e has a clear class and subclass system with a clear clean way to gradual advancement. This allows 5e to advance race more than starting features and a few feats.
So would you buy into a subclass of fighter of a Stone Warrior for dwarves, goliaths, and races of earthen cultures that gives them rocky skin, extreme stability, and minor earth magics. Or an sorcerer bloodline that returns elves and gnomes to full fey. Or a subclass that grants Olympian actions to warriors of full mythic proportions. Or even crate a whole new class?
Could a human knight with a third lung, a exercise regiment, a clockwork arm, and a gland that automatically pumps potions in their blood when injured be one of 5th edition's additions into the Dungeon and Dragons mythos?
Should it?
The adventuring party is in the meeting with the local government leader of a race: a human king, a dwarf queen, an elf lord, a halfling mayor,or something. After thanking the adventurers, the leader explains that the kingdom cannot simply rely on pure chance that a capable group of adventurers are available and willing to come to save the nation. But instead of making a stereotypical group of elite knights or warriors, the king instead needs the adventurers to gather materials to help create a group of "racial paragons". He or she wants the dwarfiest dwarf or the elfiest elf wants to use D&D magic and technology to do it.
More than one past editions had the idea of racial paragons. The idea is that the character could focus on the skills, magic, and fighting styles that their race holds as ideal. The Dwarf paragon is a heavily armored hammer warrior. The Elf paragon is a arcanist truly skilled bows and blades.
But what if you go a step further...
Is 5th edition the time to bring the idea of racially enhanced super soldiers to D&D?
Captain Dwarf?
Elfmarines?
Robognome?
Half Orc Clone Troopers?
5e has a clear class and subclass system with a clear clean way to gradual advancement. This allows 5e to advance race more than starting features and a few feats.
So would you buy into a subclass of fighter of a Stone Warrior for dwarves, goliaths, and races of earthen cultures that gives them rocky skin, extreme stability, and minor earth magics. Or an sorcerer bloodline that returns elves and gnomes to full fey. Or a subclass that grants Olympian actions to warriors of full mythic proportions. Or even crate a whole new class?
Could a human knight with a third lung, a exercise regiment, a clockwork arm, and a gland that automatically pumps potions in their blood when injured be one of 5th edition's additions into the Dungeon and Dragons mythos?
Should it?
