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

[Flamestrike]

I agree it's not OP

Great, now that we can put 'power-gaming' or 'OP' to one side as a non issue, what 'mechanically' is a custom lineage then?

If the 'kin' I resemble from my 'lineage' is 'Elf' (and my background is I was born to Elven parents, but raised by Dwarves) why 'mechanically' am I not an Elf?

 

[Flamestrike]

Also, my 18 Str plate-armored anthropomorphic octopoid forge cleric booming blades you with his +1 blessing of the forge'd greatsword

How are you getting an 18 Strength and Booming blade at 1st level?

18 Strength would require Custom lineage (+2 Str) and Strength half feat as your Feat choice, so you're not casting Booming blade at 1st level as a Cleric.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Great, now that we can put 'power-gaming' or 'OP' to one side as a non issue, what 'mechanically' is a custom lineage then?

If the 'kin' I resemble from my 'lineage' is 'Elf' (and my background is I was born to Elven parents, but raised by Dwarves) why 'mechanically' am I not an Elf?

For the same reason than my tome pact warlock that I've refluffed to be a short tempered wizard is not mechanically a wizard.

 

[DND_Reborn]

If the 'kin' I resemble from my 'lineage' is 'Elf' (and my background is I was born to Elven parents, but raised by Dwarves) why 'mechanically' am I not an Elf?

Resembling 'something' does not make you that 'something'. It is a pretty simple concept really.

Now, if custom lineage's options had been a feat OR darkvision plus 1 skill... that would be different. Others might agree with you it ins't OP, but others (myself included obviously), don't agree with that. As I stated before, the choices are unbalanced--who would take a skill over darkvision (other than you, obviously, ).

 

[Flamestrike]

Resembling 'something' does not make you that 'something'. It is a pretty simple concept really.

Now, if custom lineage's options had been a feat OR darkvision plus 1 skill... that would be different. Others might agree with you it ins't OP, but others (myself included obviously), don't agree with that. As I stated before, the choices are unbalanced--who would take a skill over darkvision (other than you, obviously, ).

So you're saying if I look black and am born to black parents im not actually black?

 

[DND_Reborn]

So you're saying if I look black and am born to black parents im not actually black?

I didn't say anything of the sort, but you are getting into sensitive territory with such a comment.

You are something or you aren't. Resembling something doesn't make you that something. If you are a custom lineage, you aren't a race from the PHB, you are something else.

 

[Flamestrike]

I didn't say anything of the sort, but you are getting into sensitive territory with such a comment.

You are something or you aren't. Resembling something doesn't make you that something. If you are a custom lineage, you aren't a race from the PHB, you are something else.

A custom lineage doesn't just resemble something. It is something.

If my custom lineage is an elf, born to elven parents, they're an elf.

I choose elf as thr kin I resemble and elven as my lineage.

Its bo different to real life where race is a social construct and not a biological one.

 

[DND_Reborn]

A custom lineage doesn't just resemble something. It is something.

If my custom lineage is an elf, born to elven parents, they're an elf.

I choose elf as thr kin I resemble and elven as my lineage.

Its bo different to real life where race is a social construct and not a biological one.

No point talking to you. You just don't get it. Good-bye.

 

[Umbran]

You are something or you aren't. Resembling something doesn't make you that something. If you are a custom lineage, you aren't a race from the PHB, you are something else.

Not really.

First, narratively: I have a character I'm currently playing that has applied Tasha's customization to the Warforged. The fact that he has +2 Int, +1 Con, rather than +2 Con, +1 something else) does not make the world look at the character any differently. In the narrative, they are still Warforged.

Then, you'd say that mechanicaly, they are not Warforged, they are something else. So, I ask you - if the GM introduced a weapon of Warforged Slaying, do you honestly figure that argument would hold? I don't. I think any time the race of the character is going to be mechanically relevant, he's going to be counted as Warforged.

So, I think you have to go back to that assertion, and reconsider in what sense you want to say they aren't the thing, because "mechanically" doesn't seem to hold.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Not really.

First, narratively: I have a character I'm currently playing that has applied Tasha's customization to the Warforged. The fact that he has +2 Int, +1 Con, rather than +2 Con, +1 something else) does not make the world look at the character any differently. In the narrative, they are still Warforged.

Then, you'd say that mechanicaly, they are not Warforged, they are something else. So, I ask you - if the GM introduced a weapon of Warforged Slaying, do you honestly figure that argument would hold? I don't. I think any time the race of the character is going to be mechanically relevant, he's going to be counted as Warforged.

So, I think you have to go back to that assertion, and reconsider in what sense you want to say they aren't the thing, because "mechanically" doesn't seem to hold.

You are discussing two different things.

1. Floating/custom ASIs are different than custom lineage, which is what is being discussed.
2. Do you still have all the other racial traits of being a warforged?

If your answer to #2 is yes, then you are a warforged because a lot of groups "float" ASIs so I can only shrug and say, "Whatever, they shouldn't be part of race or class anyway..."

If your answer to #2 is no, then you are NOT a warforged... you are something else, and that Warforged Slaying weapon would not harm you any more than any other non-Warforged creature.

So, mechanically (no pun intended with the warforged thing) it holds up fine.

In the narrative, they are still Warforged.

Narrative is different from mechanics. I could play a short, stout, barrel-chested human with a large beard (even throw in the accent) who drinks a lot of ale and have everyone I meet think I'm a dwarf-- doesn't make me one -- I'm still a human.