D&D (2024) Half-races and the divorce of rules and fluff

[Jfdlsjfd]

Random musing...

We've all seen over time some people saying "I'd really like mechanically to play race X, but I don't like the fluff/appearance of them so I don't. With the compatible rules, just say that you're the child of a human and race X, choose to inherit all the visuals of the humans and all the mechanical benefits of race X. You can even explain why your alien race dwelling on the astral plane is thinking exactly like a human, despite being totally different, physiologically and culturally: it's inherited from the human parent.

Neat. No longer any need to pay lip service to the fluff to mitigate the optimization of race, background and class. It will also allow races that are mechanically interesting but whom are hated by some GMs (you can play a drow... but every peasant will throw stones at you) to play a galadriel-looking drow so your peasant can't even guess.

 

[aco175]

From what I have seen so far, it appears to be a reason to min-max and not have much upside for the game. If you want to play a drow, then play one. The fluff should have as much benefit as the crunch. Instead we might as well just have a list of benefits and pick two, I mean three since people like power creep.

"I want to play a blob-like being that can slide under doors but I have the halfling lucky ability and the elf misty step ability, just make up something about how I got here and let's play."

 

[Remathilis]

Random musing...

We've all seen over time some people saying "I'd really like mechanically to play race X, but I don't like the fluff/appearance of them so I don't. With the compatible rules, just say that you're the child of a human and race X, choose to inherit all the visuals of the humans and all the mechanical benefits of race X. You can even explain why your alien race dwelling on the astral plane is thinking exactly like a human, despite being totally different, physiologically and culturally: it's inherited from the human parent.

Neat. No longer any need to pay lip service to the fluff to mitigate the optimization of race, background and class. It will also allow races that are mechanically interesting but whom are hated by some GMs (you can play a drow... but every peasant will throw stones at you) to play a galadriel-looking drow so your peasant can't even guess.

If you look at how NPC "monster" stats have been done post MotM, I think WotC no longer is concerned about Mechanics and Fluff having a strong bond. Compare any race in MoTM to a monstrous example in the same book, or how "class tag" classes look compared to the PHB classes, and you'll see terms like "drow elf" or "warlock" don't mean the same thing depending on what side of the DM screen you're on. So, the next obvious evolution is to use this disassociation to PC advantage by "refluffing" races via half-breeding.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

Eh….

I was thinking ok! I can let go of racial ASIs. A background can contribute more to my abilities than race. On the flip side, certain professions would also pull from a different group. Sages probably don’t pull from the lowest IQ pool of people.

But…

We keep finding reasons to decouple things. I want something you o be grounded somewhere. Something causes something else. Something is in limited supply, something leads to something.

We his is all play test right now but in the rush to free people up we make many choices in consequential from other than an aesthetic standpoint.

I am not feeling it. However, my friend and I got excited about backgrounds being tired to some skills, feats and ASI. That would be a choice that means something for the character and world, mechanically and role play wise.

I would rather the custom stuff be with dm approval so you at least have to articulate the vision

 

[Warpiglet-7]

If you look at how NPC "monster" stats have been done post MotM, I think WotC no longer is concerned about Mechanics and Fluff having a strong bond. Compare any race in MoTM to a monstrous example in the same book, or how "class tag" classes look compared to the PHB classes, and you'll see terms like "drow elf" or "warlock" don't mean the same thing depending on what side of the DM screen you're on. So, the next obvious evolution is to use this disassociation to PC advantage by "refluffing" races via half-breeding.

Before I read you pithy statement, decoupling mechanics and fluff, I was waxing skeptical. That perfectly captures my concern

 

[Yaarel]

Regarding the half-elf, the mechanics are comparable.

Pick the human parent for stats, add +2 to Charisma score +1 to any. Benifit from skill. Plus now advantage and free feat. Pick a feat that shores up elf mechanics.

This seems ideal.

 

[Horwath]

if we want "race point buy":

1. darkvision(60ft), 2 pts for 120ft
2. extra skill(max 2 times)
3. expertise in one skill(max once)
4. 5ft bonus speed
5. climb speed
6. swim speed and water breathing
7. 3 tools or weapons
8. resistance to one energy type
9. resistance to poison and disease
10. 1 cantrip
11. one 1st level spell once per long rest

pick 4 or 5 traits

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I don't want race point buy. But a simple minor and major abilities and the ability to trade one or two out for the other when you have mixed parents.