TwoSix
Magic 8-ball says "Not Encouraging"
Ouch, I have to strongly disagree with that take.Honestly, I feel that a multispecies character that has traits that disresemble either species is bad gaming design.
Ouch, I have to strongly disagree with that take.Honestly, I feel that a multispecies character that has traits that disresemble either species is bad gaming design.
Help me understand.Ouch, I have to strongly disagree with that take.
Half-elf is a good example, precisely because it got mechanical benefits that the parent races didn't. For several editions, it had a Charisma bonus that its parent races lacked, narratively explained by the combination of elven grace and otherworldliness, tempered by human ambition and pragmatism.Help me understand.
Why would a multispecies gain totally unrelated traits?
In the case of the former Half-Elf, its traits in fact did resemble both Human and Elf traits, anyway.
For example, being socially charming and artistically persuasive, are Elf tropes. Having a predisposition for skills is Human tropes.
Multispecies hybrids in the real world can have traits not seen in either parent species. Crops and livestock are routinely crossbred on farms in order to develop desirable traits not found in non-hybrids.Why would a multispecies gain totally unrelated traits?
But Charisma is now irrelevant.Half-elf is a good example, precisely because it got mechanical benefits that the parent races didn't. For several editions, it had a Charisma bonus that its parent races lacked, narratively explained by the combination of elven grace and otherworldliness, tempered by human ambition and pragmatism.
Or Dark Sun Muls (Half-Dwarves), which have been one of my favorite races since 2e despite the unseemly name (which I don't use in game). They inherit human height and dwarven stockiness, gaining a "best of both worlds" benefit that makes them taller and stronger than either parent.
Or imagine a child of an air genasi and an aasimar, whose innate magic blends together to become magic of lightning and storms. They gain spell-like abilities that aren't found on either parents' list of racial abilities.
I'm not saying that the character should gain abilities that are narratively uncoupled from their parents, but the "choose traits from the list of either parent" would force their abilities to be mechanically coupled to their parent, which is what I object to.
All Dwarves are Medium size. The playtest species explicitly allow any humanlike bodytype and complexion.Or Dark Sun Muls (Half-Dwarves), which have been one of my favorite races since 2e despite the unseemly name (which I don't use in game). They inherit human height and dwarven stockiness, gaining a "best of both worlds" benefit that makes them taller and stronger than either parent.
Some species designs need work. There might be a need for an Air Genasi to including lightning-thunder and wind, since these are aspects of Elemental Air.Or imagine a child of an air genasi and an aasimar, whose innate magic blends together to become magic of lightning and storms. They gain spell-like abilities that aren't found on either parents' list of racial abilities.
If the player wants a "unique mutation" for their character concept, then there is a feat for that. There are also workarounds to mechanically express any narrative concept to some degree.I'm not saying that the character should gain abilities that are narratively uncoupled from their parents, but the "choose traits from the list of either parent" would force their abilities to be mechanically coupled to their parent, which is what I object to.
I see only 2 ways to depict this kind of design in a book:Half-elf is a good example, precisely because it got mechanical benefits that the parent races didn't. For several editions, it had a Charisma bonus that its parent races lacked, narratively explained by the combination of elven grace and otherworldliness, tempered by human ambition and pragmatism.
Or Dark Sun Muls (Half-Dwarves), which have been one of my favorite races since 2e despite the unseemly name (which I don't use in game). They inherit human height and dwarven stockiness, gaining a "best of both worlds" benefit that makes them taller and stronger than either parent.
Or imagine a child of an air genasi and an aasimar, whose innate magic blends together to become magic of lightning and storms. They gain spell-like abilities that aren't found on either parents' list of racial abilities.
I'm not saying that the character should gain abilities that are narratively uncoupled from their parents, but the "choose traits from the list of either parent" would force their abilities to be mechanically coupled to their parent, which is what I object to.
Sure, but that's precisely why I don't want a codified, build your own race system. I want the core rules system to be tight and streamlined, using only a few core building blocks. That lack encourages informal at-table ad-hoc play, which is what I want to see more of.If the player wants a "unique mutation" for their character concept, then there is a feat for that. There are also workarounds to mechanically express any narrative concept to some degree.
But if EVERY species combo has its own unique mutation − it would be insane gaming design with hundreds maybe thousands of bloating mechanical snowflakes. It would be the D&D Elves all over again but many times worse.
In each species description, organize the traits into feat-size thematic clusters. Every playtest species has three feats worth of design space (not including the intro of Creature Type, Size, Speed, Lifespan, and one prominent Language).Sure, but that's precisely why I don't want a codified, build your own race system. I want the core rules system to be tight and streamlined, using only a few core building blocks. That lack encourages informal at-table ad-hoc play, which is what I want to see more of.