D&D (2024) D&D species article

[Micah Sweet]

Well they’re a weather vane I wouldn’t trust to inform me of the weather if these are their readings.

My point. They turn where they think the most people want them to turn, and especially away from any direction they believe people see as controversial.

Cue the response telling me how great it is that they do this.

 

[Minigiant]

Because that's not what WotC thinks people want, and they are a weather vane of public opinion.

I don't think WOTC has a correct perception of people want.

They might know what people don't want.

But what people want? Eeh? At least YouTube HATES these species.

 

[occam]

My argument is there's too many blatant and over the top fantasy species with supernatural coding.

I get you, and there are certain settings in which this is an issue for me as well, but... this isn't a new thing. (And maybe you're not saying it is, but are just using the 2024 revision as an opportunity to discuss something that already bothered you.)

Of the 9 races in the 2014 PHB, only 3 (dwarf, human, half-orc) don't have features that seem explicitly supernatural. And to me, the ability to see in complete darkness is obviously supernatural, which leaves human as the only mundane race in the 2014 PHB.

Of the 7 races in the 3.5e PHB, only 2 (human and half-orc) don't have explicitly supernatural traits, and excluding darkvision again leaves only humans as plausibly mundane.

Of the 6 races in the 2e PHB (which didn't include half-orcs), only humans are mundane.

And of the 7 races in the 1e PHB, only 2 (humans and half-orcs) lack magical resistances. Half-orcs possess infravision, which is at least plausibly mundane.

So going all the way back to 1e, only humans have remained consistently mundane, with half-orcs being close; all the other races typically include some intersection with the supernatural. In fact, the version of D&D with the least supernatural races was 4e; despite being viewed by many as a bit gonzo due to things like including dragonborn and tiefling as part of the initial race selection, out of the 8 races in the 4e PHB, 4 of them (dwarf, elf, half-elf, human) are completely mundane. The non-human races don't even possess darkvision; they have low-light vision, which doesn't allow vision in complete darkness!

 

[Chaosmancer]

My argument is there's too many blatant and over the top fantasy species with supernatural coding.

You can't have a species that is fantastically strong or fantastically smart or fantastically swift or have fantastic eyes.

Nope. They gotta shapeshift, cast spells, or grow magic wings.

Can't a species just be super strong so everything in their society is super heavy?


Why can't orcs just be mini Hulks like EVERY other fantasy (except Tolkien).

Is this about ASIs? Is that what this is about? Because "why can't a race have fantastic eyes"? A lot of them have darkvision, that's fantastic, and elves STILL get perception, it is just a choice now.

But smart? Strong? That makes it sound like you are actually wanting ASIs, not complaining that everyone got magical abilities, which, to remind you was your initial claim that you responded to my post about everyone getting spells about.

If you want all your orcs super strong, then make all your Orc NPCs have a base strength of 16 or 18, that's super strong compared to the human baseline of 10. It just isn't going to be a thing in the PHB, because instead they made orcs incredibly tough and resilient.

Seriously, I don't know if people have mathed this out yet. Let us assume your average level 1 Fighter has 13 hp, they get second wind and let's say they get two short rests for a total of four uses giving them an effective 39 hp . An Orc Fighter? Assuming the same two short rests takes that to an effective 51 hp. And then when they would drop to 0 hp, they don't. Sure, your Orc PC or NPC isn't going to be tossing horses over their shoulders, but they WILL NOT GO DOWN. There is no "make the first hit count" because Orcs will never go down on the first hit regardless of anything.

And that is a viable and fun fantasy.

 

[Chaosmancer]

These new 3 only replace the base 2014 Tiefling in the rules, not the rest, although the SCAG Variants might mix different with the new Tiefling.

Sure, but then all the 2024 options are only options and don't replace all the rest, so again the argument that "Everything is magical and spells and nothing else" is still false. Tabaxi and Harengon lean into their biological functions, so do Shifters. No magic on any of them.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I don't think WOTC has a correct perception of people want.

They might know what people don't want.

But what people want? Eeh? At least YouTube HATES these species.

Who? I just did a quick search and there is one channel that I've never heard of that did a response to this drop. No one else seems to care, let alone hate them.

Edit: And before you give me a list of people, quick question, are these the same youtubers who HATE literally everything WoTC does all the time?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I don't think WOTC has a correct perception of people want.

They might know what people don't want.

But what people want? Eeh? At least YouTube HATES these species.

That is an argument for them, not against them.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Is this about ASIs? Is that what this is about? Because "why can't a race have fantastic eyes"? A lot of them have darkvision, that's fantastic, and elves STILL get perception, it is just a choice now.

But smart? Strong? That makes it sound like you are actually wanting ASIs, not complaining that everyone got magical abilities, which, to remind you was your initial claim that you responded to my post about everyone getting spells about.

If you want all your orcs super strong, then make all your Orc NPCs have a base strength of 16 or 18, that's super strong compared to the human baseline of 10. It just isn't going to be a thing in the PHB, because instead they made orcs incredibly tough and resilient.

Seriously, I don't know if people have mathed this out yet. Let us assume your average level 1 Fighter has 13 hp, they get second wind and let's say they get two short rests for a total of four uses giving them an effective 39 hp . An Orc Fighter? Assuming the same two short rests takes that to an effective 51 hp. And then when they would drop to 0 hp, they don't. Sure, your Orc PC or NPC isn't going to be tossing horses over their shoulders, but they WILL NOT GO DOWN. There is no "make the first hit count" because Orcs will never go down on the first hit regardless of anything.

And that is a viable and fun fantasy.

it's not about ASI, it's about too many species features being converted into some form of spell or magical effect rather than just let them be innate passive natural capabilites, how say, wood elf doesn't get inherent movement bump or stealth capabilities but rather longstrider and pass without trace, how mask of the wild is now druidcraft, the magic energy dragonborn wings, the size shifting goliaths, activating dwarven tremmorsense.

 

[Minigiant]

Is this about ASIs? Is that what this is about? Because "why can't a race have fantastic eyes"? A lot of them have darkvision, that's fantastic, and elves STILL get perception, it is just a choice now.

More about features like Powerful Build and Half Elf Versatility.

What about a fast species that just has a base speed of 40ft? Or a species with eyes so fine, their ranged attacks increase by 20 ft.

Or give species skills. Not from culture but biology. Maybe gnomes could be so naturally smart they all get proficiency with a lore skill. Or Halfling fingers being delicate to the point that they all are proficient in Sleight of Hand?

Why did orcs lose Powerful Build?
Why did goliaths lose Athletics?
Who is the diplomat species?

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Who is the diplomat species?

Do we need one? Someone being a diplomat is more on the person.