D&D (2024) Half Race Appreciation Society: Half Elf most popular race choice in BG3

[Scribe]

If you keep them as a separate species representing human and elf/orc blood, you are effectively endorsing they are the only two combos who matter. That half-dwarves or gnome/halflings or dragonborn/tieflings do not exist, cannot exist, or are such freaks of nature they don't warrant mechanical expression. Even if you say that a half-elf is a blessing to the community and a half-orc a reward from Gruumsh (stripping away all negative connotations) you're still saying only they are special enough to exist.

As far as 'hybrid' options go, you are right, from a historical perspective.

For everything else, there would be Custom Lineage/Hybrid rules.

 

[Micah Sweet]

That is because D&D previously used the problematic term "half".

If a character is a Wizard/Paladin, no one refers to the person as a "half-wizard".

Unless you're discussing mechanics, I would either refer to a wizard/paladin in descriptive sentences, or I would use a specific term in-game.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Technically, humans are animals.

I find the blended names nontransparent and arbitrary.

It would take me a while to realize that an "Elmen" is an Elf/Human.

I said a new term, not a portmanteau.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I have never seen the term "human-elf" used in a D&D context by anyone other than you.

Honestly human-elf or orc-human does make more sense than half elf and half orc.

It's just a mouthful to say.

 

[Mistwell]

I wouldn't be bothered or care about Human-Elf or Elf-Human instead of using half. I don't think it's any more or less awkward and would just be a matter of forming the habit. After a few weeks I suspect it would feel just like Half-Elf feels right now.

 

[Scribe]

Honestly human-elf or orc-human does make more sense than half elf and half orc.

It's just a mouthful to say.

Its a weird one, from this non-american's perspective.

While I understand the US has its issues with things. Half Elf, is an assumption, a centering, of Humanity within the RPG space.

Thats it, thats all. There is no negative connotation there, unless one applies it themselves or via the fiction such as in Tanis' arc.

Sure, Human-Elf is more descriptive, but "everyone" (not literally) knows what a Half Elf is.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Honestly human-elf or orc-human does make more sense than half elf and half orc.

It's just a mouthful to say.

That's my point. It's awkward.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I wouldn't be bothered or care about Human-Elf or Elf-Human instead of using half. I don't think it's any more or less awkward and would just be a matter of forming the habit. After a few weeks I suspect it would feel just like Half-Elf feels right now.

What would you call a hybrid of orc and elf, if that got added?

 

[Micah Sweet]

What would you call a hybrid of orc and elf, if that got added?

Something appropriate to the implied setting, with the caveat that the name would likely be different in a different setting.

That I think is part of @Yaarel 's issue here. They don't believe in an implied setting for D&D, which leaves only clinical terms available.

 

[Yaarel]

What would you call a hybrid of orc and elf, if that got added?

Heh. A Grugach.

To say an "Italian-Canadian" or a "Canadian-Italian", is also a mouthful, but it is what it is.

There can be "nicknames", such as "Gino" in Toronto with positive connotations. But these nicknames can become slurs. So caution is necessary.

That I think is part of @Yaarel 's issue here. They don't believe in an implied setting for D&D, which leaves only clinical terms available.

We are talking about rules jargon. Specifically, how to format a monster statblock for a "Drow Human-Elf" character, or maybe "Human/Drow-Elf".

Coming up with a nickname, or a regional name, would be a setting decision.

I dont want the Players Handbook to refer to a Human/Dwarf as "Mul" for example.