D&D (2024) First playtest thread! One D&D Character Origins.

[Charlaquin]

We already have both Monsters of the Multiverse and the new PHB Race rules. They are the same.

Mostly, except for ASIs coming from race in MMotM and from background in 1D&D.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

It's unclear to me that's the change. That's an effect of being Incapacitated, but it's not the Surprised explicitly. If you are incapacitated by default by Surprise, then yes you have disadvantage on initiative in addition to being unable to take actions, concentrate, or speak.

It's hard to say for sure. I don't think you'd be automatically Incapacitated by being Surprised. I think it's the other way around - you are automatically Surprised by being Incapacitated. But it's definitely unclear. Other than that if you are Incapacitated when rolling Initiative, you have Disadvantage because of a line they chose to label "Surprised".

 

[Maxperson]

I certainly agree that any support the books give to reskinning is great. I can understand why WotC is reticent to allow for specific rules that allow swaps of racial abilities; essentially, that forces them to balance each racial trait individually (or create a race feature template) rather than balance the race as the gestalt of all its features. At that point, they could simply merge race and background together into a single pool of features.

Not saying that isn't a perfectly viable path to pursue, but that might be a bridge too far in a "backwards compatible" revision.

I think that they already have each trait balanced individually. They almost surely have a formula for racial traits that lets them easily create new races. Whether they want to reveal it or not is the question.

 

[TwoSix]

I think that they already have each trait balanced individually. They almost surely have a formula for racial traits that lets them easily create new races. Whether they want to reveal it or not is the question.

I'd be very hesitant to say that a feature like gnomish cunning compared to dwarven stonecunning is an even swap.

Or to look ahead a little bit, what about even more defining traits like a warforged's armor plating or a changeling's alter shape? I worry trying to make racial traits easily swappable might prevent them from making more defining and interesting racial traits.

 

[Maxperson]

I saw some speculation that the "Ard" from "Ardling" comes from "Ardor", due to its connection to the Seraphim.

Then I hereby start a petition to rename Tieflings, Mordlings and connect them to Mordor.

 

[Haplo781]

Then I hereby start a petition to rename Tieflings, Mordlings and connect them to Mordor.

Hodlings. Descendants of Hodor

 

[Parmandur]

Mostly, except for ASIs coming from race in MMotM and from background in 1D&D.

Fair, though I consider that not a terribly significant difference. Tasha's free floating ASI's and OneD&D free floating Background ASI are the same thing in my book, just arranged in a different order.

I think that they already have each trait balanced individually. They almost surely have a formula for racial traits that lets them easily create new races. Whether they want to reveal it or not is the question.

Tasha's custom lineage is standing right there (seriously, thst is what you can reduce all the Races they make to, plus ribbons)

 

[Maxperson]

I'd be very hesitant to say that a feature like gnomish cunning compared to dwarven stonecunning is an even swap.

Or to look ahead a little bit, what about even more defining traits like a warforged's armor plating or a changeling's alter shape? I worry trying to make racial traits easily swappable might prevent them from making more defining and interesting racial traits.

But perhaps Gnomish Cunning is more favorably compared to Dwarven Toughness or Dwarven Resilience.

 

[Veltharis ap Rylix]

Hodlings. Descendants of Hodor

Trying very hard (and failing) not to bring up the fact that hordelings were a type of NE fiend back in 2e...

 

[TwoSix]

But perhaps Gnomish Cunning is more favorably compared to Dwarven Toughness or Dwarven Resilience.

Yea, I mean they can definitely do some kind of keywording (major, minor, etc) on various racial abilities to allow for roughly even swaps. It's not hard to come up with a design to allow for hybrid racial traits, I just don't think they feel it's a good idea.