D&D 5E (2024) Half Race Appreciation Society: Half Elf most popular race choice in BG3

[Mistwell]

Mechanics matters.

If the only difference between one subrace of Elf and an other is Perception versus Arcana, or longbow versus handbow, that would come across as racism. As if an other culture is a separate species.

I feel confident a setting based concept with a new name can be found which doesn't smack of racism and requires zero tweaks to mechanics. Someone mentioned earlier the concept isn't about biology and is more about magic and the Gods of the setting and I wondered if that was maybe the issue at play here given your take on default concepts of religion in D&D.

 

[Mistwell]

The concept of splitting them into 'sub species' instead of just admitting that it's cultures is the problem.

You basically need to cut out the current species system and have species and culture-- and they're not going to do that. So thanks to the culmination of D&D tradition, we're once again supposed to pick a racism and accept it.

Because water breathing isn't cultural?

You don't need to use the term sub-species or culture to make this work without racism.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Thing is, having subspecies isn't equivalent to human 'races' at all. Humans are an insanely homogenous species due to a population bottleneck, and the result of that is that even the most distantly related humans are more closely to related to each other than the siblings of other species are to each other. We're not cheetah level bad, but we're up there.

Meanwhile a sea elf and a high elf could be more distant from each other than even humans and neanderthals.

 

[Scribe]

Meanwhile a sea elf and a high elf could be more distant from each other than even humans and neanderthals.

Sea Elves should have a higher Con value, due to being under the pressure of the sea.

 

[Yaarel]

Thing is, having subspecies isn't equivalent to human 'races' at all. Humans are an insanely homogenous species due to a population bottleneck, and the result of that is that even the most distantly related humans are more closely to related to each other than the siblings of other species are to each other. We're not cheetah level bad, but we're up there.

Meanwhile a sea elf and a high elf could be more distant from each other than even humans and neanderthals.

Because reallife racism uses these kinds of arguments, references to them dont fix the problem of D&D being "that racist game".

 

[Yaarel]

Sea Elves should have a higher Con value, due to being under the pressure of the sea.

No doubt, members of the Sea culture tend to have higher Constitution on average. This is a cultural choice from utility. Flavorwise, they grow up exercising strenuously. Athletics and endurance are a typical part of their Background.

 

[Scribe]

This is a cultural choice from utility

Its not a cultural feature to be under the pressure of the sea if you...live in the sea. Its a reality of your location and biology. Culture has a meaning.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

Because reallife racism uses these kinds of arguments, references to them dont fix the problem of D&D being "that racist game".

I mean, from comments I've seen from some people, DnD will keep being racist until all species stuff is purely cosmetic.

 

[CreamCloud0]

I mean, from comments I've seen from some people, DnD will keep being racist until all species stuff is purely cosmetic.

and i'm not sure it'll stop when it's at that point for some people either.

 

[Yaarel]

I mean, from comments I've seen from some people, DnD will keep being racist until all species stuff is purely cosmetic.

Let Backgrounds do the heavy lifting when it comes to cultural distinctions.

Backgrounds grant: a language, two skill proficiencies, a tool proficiency, ability improvements, and even a feat. There is a substantial amount of design space here.

For example, for an Uda culture Sleep Poisoner.