D&D 5E Everyone Should Play Custom Lineage by Default

[Weiley31]

If I select custom lineage (Halfling) and am Small, was born to halfling parents, and raised in halfling society, but aren't particularly lucky and instead am a great Cook (Gourmand feat) and crafty (+2 Int instead of the standard Dex bonus), I'm a halfling.

But your dad was a Gnome and your mom was a Hobgoblin?

 

[Istbor]

Hiya!

Nope.

Again, nope.

In 1e, for example, PC's had these things called "Classes" that the VAST majority of NPC's didn't have, were incapable of having, and would never have no matter how much they 'tried to train or what they did'. In 1e at least, the very fact that a PC was a 1st level WhateverClass instantly made them better than the majority of people in the world. Remember, in 1e your typical NPC has about 2 or 3 hp. Period.
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However, PC's were not "exceptional" in that they magical super powers like they do in 5e, at least not for a while. A 1e Fighter fights better than others, but that's it. No mutilple attacks or, really, anything other than the best Attack Roll, highest HD in the PHB, and any weapon/armour/shield is available to them. This contrasts SIGNIFICANTLY with those 'commoners', who would be running around with 3hp, MAYBE able to wear leather armour properly and use a shield, and MAYBE be skilled enough to use a sword or bow. If they weren't part of the militia (many were, however), then they were running into battle with 2hp and AC 10, they were attacking with that mace or club at -2 to -5.
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So...yeah...the "power level expectation" has changed is all. Everything's been 'turned up to 11' in 3e or later editions, with PC' "needing" to get some kind of special PC cookie to make the Player feel special. Nothing wrong with it...but it is definitely not the same "vibe" you get from playing earlier editions. Oh, and for the record, I like 1e and 5e; prefer 1e, but I quite enjoy 5e, overall (but I almost never use any optional books and most optional rules like Feats and Multiclassing, so there is that...)

When coming at it from a "modern RPG'er" expectation, yes, I can see that. I am not a "modern RPG'er" in terms of expectation of play. To me, PC's are POTENTIAL heroes...not guaranteed to be, and not starting off as...at least not in the modern sense of the word "hero" (with all the flashy whizz-bang special abilities and whatnot). To my Old School, Old Dog, Old DM ears, I hear "PC's are supposed to be special" and think "Ahhh...younin's...", with a sly wink and wistful smile as I think back to my youth, full of hopeful exuberance.
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In short...a 1st level PC is 'superior' to commoners in three significant ways; First, they have a Class. Second, they can gain experience/levels in that Class. Third, they start off 'tougher' than a commoner, but not any more special other than what their 1st level class gives them (which, in 1e, isn't usually much!). A farmer will have maybe 4hp if he's a tough old guy. The 1st level Fighter will have maybe two or even three times that. The farmer will suck at fighting, the fighter will only be slightly better at level 1. But, the Fighter will keep getting more HP's and MUCH better at fighting. The farmer won't.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

So you are brining 1e expectations into a 5e game. Understood.

 

[CleverNickName]

I don't have a problem with the Custom Lineage stuff as an optional rule. I think it is a great tool for seasoned players who are trying to play a very specific type of character (perhaps one based on a character in a novel or movie), and they are having trouble getting everything to line up. This might give the player and the DM the tools they need to work together and bring that character into the setting and story.

But unfortunately, it's also a great tool for players who enjoy min/maxing and cherry-picking their character options until they completely unbalance the game. And players who enjoy this style of play already have too many avenues for it IMO. So while I like the Custom Lineage stuff, I agree with others upthread: it shouldn't be the default character creation option.

 

[Flamestrike]

Ah, if you think having light or a torch is equivalent to having darkvision, then we most definitely come from very different D&D styles.

In my campaigns (and frankly, in any serious campaign I have ever played) adventuring in the underdark, in a dungeon, or outside at night using light or torches is tantamount to carrying a big neon sign saying "the heroes are here". Best case scenario, you get ambushed. Worst case scenario, the 6-8 moderately difficult encounters the DM planned for today suddenly become one massive and deadly recipe for a TPK.

Yeah we play different games.

Humans have always been a common race in my games (and I can't see that ever changing) so using light to see has always been a factor in most games I run and play.

And its never led to the entire dungeon suddenly swamping us.

 

[Mistwell]

I wouldn't be surprised if there is some sage advice or errata on it. The only reason the feats from Xanathar's say "race from phb" is because the book is old and wasn't future proofed for this situation. Pretty much just need to remove the mention of phb so that the people who are needlessly strict on this matter can't point to it.

I don't think it's "needlessly strict". Because I don't think a custom lineage IS that underlying race. I think they are VARIANT on that underlying race, and only the base race qualifies for a racial feat. The entire theme of the racial feats is to be "more" of the base race's theme, and by definition the custom lineage is drifting away from the theme of the base race by removing key traits that made them the base race to begin with.

 

[Ace]

The new Tasha's custom lineage is one of the strongest PC options published--pick a feat, potentially choose an Ability to start at 18, have darkvision.

Why not have it be conventional practice that players always build a custom lineage, regardless of the 'race' they want to play i.e.:

wanna play a dwarf? --> custom lineage: +2 Str, Sentinel​

wanna play an elf? --> custom lineage: +2 Dex, Elven Accuracy​

wanna play a purple eight-eyed anthropomorphic psychic badger? --> custom lineage: +2 Int, Telekinetic​

and so on​

The upside is that DMs wouldn't have to be picky about allowing other options for players who want more thematically unified mechanics. Since custom lineage is almost always gonna be mechanically better, nothing else is likely to unbalance the game.

I think this convention would ultimately allow players to play what they want without feeling like they're straightjacketed by the rules AND--because total freedom undermines creativity more than constraints do--mean that a lot of players will flavor their PC as generically human or demihuman. The freedom to go gonzo is there but most of the players most of the time won't want to.

Finally, it'd be less oppressive to worldbuilding, since there's no default assumption that the PHB races need to exist in the setting. So, say, in my setting I decide everyone is dragonborn. Players can decide to look like dragonborn, and be locals, or look like elves, and be inter-dimensional party crashers--mechanically it doesn't matter, roleplay what you want.

What do you guys think?

Nothing wrong with you doing this if it works for you but no thanks.

Its my job as DM to decide what lineages are in my game and how they fit into the world.

 

[Weiley31]

Duhallan Custom Lineage STAT!

 

[Flamestrike]

I don't think it's "needlessly strict". Because I don't think a custom lineage IS that underlying race. I think they are VARIANT on that underlying race, and only the base race qualifies for a racial feat. The entire theme of the racial feats is to be "more" of the base race's theme, and by definition the custom lineage is drifting away from the theme of the base race by removing key traits that made them the base race to begin with.

That's a reasonable argument to make to keep racial feats, only for those races.

Personally I would prefer it if they clarified the racial requirements to include custom lineages (if daddy was a Tiefling, then you can select the Flames of Phlegethos feat) or even go one step further and open them up to people with any connection to the race if the DM agrees and it makes sense.

Elven accuracy (for example) can be taken by Half Elves, so presumably any lineage that features Elves to some degree could develop that Feat.

I agree that strictly RAW you cant use custom lineage (Elf) to take Elven accuracy (despite - in game - being an Elf, being raised by Elves, considering yourself an Elf and being accepted as an Elf). But I see absolutely nothing wrong, broken or OP with allowing a Custom Lineage Elf to take the feat as their bonus feat, and fully intend (in games I run) to allow players to use the Custom Lineage 'race' to emulate other races, while also taking a feat at 1st level like Vumans do (including racial feats - if those feats are tied to their stated lineage, make sense and they otherwise meet the requirements).

The benefit is more diversity in characters, and PCs wont feel shoehorned into certain races or options, and those things (increased player choice, more concepts being available, greater diversity) are all goals worth pursuing.

 

[TwoSix]

But unfortunately, it's also a great tool for players who enjoy min/maxing and cherry-picking their character options until they completely unbalance the game. And players who enjoy this style of play already have too many avenues for it IMO. So while I like the Custom Lineage stuff, I agree with others upthread: it shouldn't be the default character creation option.

Hey, we deserve a few new options too!

 

[CleverNickName]

Hey, we deserve a few new options too!

Exactly! They should be optional.