D&D 5E D&D's Inclusivity Language Alterations In Core Rules

In recent months, WotC has altered some of the text found in the original 5th Edition core rulebooks to accommodate D&D's ongoing move towards inclusivity. Many of these changes are reflected on D&D Beyond already--mainly small terminology alterations in descriptive text, rather than rules changes.

Teos Abadia (also known as Alphastream) has compiled a list of these changes. I've posted a very abbreviated, paraphrased version below, but please do check out his site for the full list and context.

• Savage foes changed to brutal, merciless, or ruthless.
• Barbarian hordes changed to invading hordes.
• References to civilized people and places removed.
• Madness or insanity removed or changed to other words like chaos.
• Usage of orcs as evil foes changed to other words like raiders.
• Terms like dim-witted and other synonyms of low intelligence raced with words like incurious.
• Language alterations surrounding gender.
• Fat removed or changed to big.
• Use of terms referring to slavery reduced or altered.
• Use of dark when referring to evil changed to words like vile or dangerous.

This is by no means the full list, and much more context can be found on Alphastream's blog post.

 

[Blue Orange]

It’s kind of getting off topic to get into it too deeply, but basically, due in part to having the more progressive fanbase, this sort of critical analysis and attendant growing pains D&D is currently going through happened about a decade earlier on that side of the hobby. Then CCP sold the IP and the name White Wolf to Paradox, and the new owners tried to lean hard into the edginess that White Wolf was also known for, and… Well, there was a ton of drama both internally and with the fans, and I jumped ship. Maybe it has worked itself out since then, maybe it hasn’t, but they lost me as a fan when they lost Olivia Hill as a designer.

Ah, I get it. 'Edgy' and 'progressive' used to go together in the 90s, when the IP was sold in the 2010s they no longer did and the company picked the wrong one. I thought the decline of the goth subculture in the 2000s was the reason. Well, there can be more than one.

Well, thank you anyway for explaining.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I feel like people think the goal is to make it "not okay" to kill orcs, or whatever. I don't think that is the goal at all. I think the goal is to make "orcs" into people, along with eliminating leftover tropes that are harmful and/or steeped in real world stereotypes. You can still kill orcs -- not because orcs are bad, but because THESE orcs are bad, because they are bandits or because they are evil cultists or whatever.

That would be a great thing for those making these changes to say outright, because I think you're right about what people think.

 

[Morrus]

Haha, nope, all-American. Just very practiced at tactful understatement

Are you British? Because that's on par with someone who just lost their arm to a bear attack exclaiming, "By George, Lionel, I dare say this ursine behemoth has inconvenienced me by removing my favorite arm. Would you be lamb and prepare the tea for both of us? And do hurry, old chap. I fear I shall not remain conscious for much longer."

Of course, that is not how we speak. But I guess you’ve unwittingly provided an example. Just swap “British” for some other demographic.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I

Personally I like my band groups to be mixed. Like, not just a few "monstrous humanoids" but some "demi-huamns" too and maybe some intellegent monsters that don't walk on 2 legs. First, this enhances the fantastical nature of the game. And second, it means I get to use varied opponents with cool different abilities.

Suppose on how fantastical you want everyday life in your setting to be. I'm usually looking for something more grounded than the recent film, for example.

 

[Blue Orange]

Of course, that is not how we speak. But I guess you’ve unwittingly provided an example. Just swap “British” for some other demographic.

It's the way Americans tend to think of the British, particularly those of us who have never seen, say, Little Britain or Trainspotting or read about tourists on holiday in Spain.

Even now a British accent (more specifically the RP, which is now passe from what I understand) in an American program conveys a higher class status. And sometimes a powerful bad guy, because we had a tax revolt...er, revolution.

 

[Hussar]

Exactly what I'm wondering.

One of my favorite aspects of reading D&D as a kid was how it acted like a portal to our archaic, ancient past; so kind of sad to see any instance of "fixing" established folklore.

That said, since joining ENWorld, I do see why others push to change D&D into an ideal fantasy world that shares our current ideas and morals rather than one that calls back to our ancestor's outdated ones. In a world where the strong survive and the weak are crushed though, I get a bit confused at where the lines are drawn. As long as you're reward XP and gold for killing, make violence the bulk of the mechanics and primary solution to every encounter, and have clearing out "hostile" areas the main objective of every adventure, you kind of have a "problematic" game at its core, right?

And if you remove or change that, is is still D&D?

The thing is, people want to obfuscate issues by myopically examining things out of context.

Like the unicorn myth. What do you think they are really talking about when they say that only a virgin can catch and tame this magnificent stallion with a honking big pe… horn?

As soon as we start digging a bit into these myths beyond the surface literal readings, it gets pretty obvious why a lot of this could do with a bit of freshening up.

 

[Charlaquin]

Of course, that is not how we speak. But I guess you’ve unwittingly provided an example. Just swap “British” for some other demographic.

I think people of all nationalities are capable of tactful understatement.

 

[bedir than]

That would be a great thing for those making these changes to say outright, because I think you're right about what people think.

It's clearly assumed in the core books and WotC products.
A group of orcs doing bad things is valid for combat. The orc that works the farm is not.

 

[Hussar]

@Charlaquin and @Crimson Longinus too!
Okay, I guess being more specific would be helpful, I'll try and be careful.

A typical scenario would be a local orc tribe isn't happy a new human settlement appears and begins poking at the defenses and raiding caravans. You're tasked with wiping them out.

Would you still break out the miniatures and battle-mats and play the dungeon crawl as intended or would the fact they could be misunderstood, misrepresented by the humans, or capable of change turn your game into one of diplomacy? If you decide to talk to them and approach the lair and are attacked by archers, do you feel bad about attacking back? You are on their land after all...

Since in my games orcs are inherently evil, these things are non-issues. Eat Cheetos and hack away! So curious where this isn't the case, how others handle it.

I’ve certainly played both. Depends on the group.

 

[AstroCat]

Could you be a bit more concrete on what's bothering you about these changes or other previous changes?

I don't see how the stances portrayed by others in this thread, or my own, are unimaginative, unchallenging or uninteresting. I for one, as a trans person, am glad a lot of previous baggage from the game around gender and trans people is gone.

I'm glad all the changes over the last 2-3 years and the new game of wotc neo-5e d&d is awesome for you, enjoy of course, that's legit great. Not all changes are negative, that would be a silly position to take.

I've personally felt the art has taken a severe nose dive, the lore and flavor pretty much eliminated, and the quality of mechanical changes and adventures reaching an all time low, but that's just my take of course. I loved the 2013/2014 test and release version of 5e, but now it's just a not a game I find much to get inspired by.

But hey I got a 5e D&D game tonight to finish setting up with my kid, which is still just so awesome to play in person with friends and family, even got my 9 year old son full on enjoying it with his friends. D&D will persist even if the wotc neo-5e version is not for me and just perhaps ends up fading away.