D&D 5E Jeremy Crawford Discusses Details on Custom Origins

[Weiley31]

I mean I'm getting Tasha's simply for the Subclasses, false hope of Psionics having subclasses for it, and the fact that the Custom Lineage system could be good for creating your own race.


Okay maybe I also like the idea that a Spell Book option for Wizards is a romance novel.

 

[Weiley31]

I'm just curious about what's supposed to be the human thing now that every race is super versatile and diverse. I hope we don't end up with the "humans thirst for power" trope and nothing else.

Their special ability/thing now is that the Lineage System is optional and nothing is forcing non evil Orcs/Drow, non dex elves, and non hardy dwarves.

 

[FarBeyondC]

Depends: are they just your typical guards/thugs or are they the Campaign Rival/Anti-Party?

I'd imagine the Campaign Rivals / Anti-Party would normally be exceptional (though having 'ordinary' people being such would be a good thing on occasion), while the typical guards and thugs wouldn't be (though having a group of such being exceptional every now and then would also be a good thing in my opinion).

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I'm just curious about what's supposed to be the human thing now that every race is super versatile and diverse. I hope we don't end up with the "humans thirst for power" trope and nothing else.

That is what is absurd. Humanity is incredibly diverse. Elves, dwarves, etc. have some tendencies that differentiates them from humans.
Actually had to be more precise.

I am going to try to keep an open mind but I think this was an ideological move and less a game centric one. I hope I am wrong because I would rather think someone took a swing and missed than felt they absolutely had to wave a bat around or else.

the archetypes Crawford mentioned will in fact become an artifact of an older game. If you like that, you win. If you like common in-game understanding of the fiction that can be tweaked for your world I think you lose. As much as we say “optional” it often becomes then common expectation.

As soon as you say “no drow” people lose their minds. Railroading! Restrictive! Whatever.

it will take a while to know what this will do. I hope 5 years from now I eat my words but really doubt it. I hope to be wrong.

 

[Helldritch]

It's not even what it means in 5e, based off evidence in the very books that he designed. Or are random NPC guards and thugs also exceptional individuals now?

Remember that NPC shmooks are non racial based. You can add their base race bonuses if you want. You're not obliged, but you can and it won't change their CR. So a mountain dwarf thug could have +2 strength and constitution if you wanted and all the modifications this would imply.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

We had skills and powers for 2e...you could customize your race and your class and even your ability scores... and then we dropped it again, because it was not worth it.

 

[Helldritch]

What about the spell and magic item sections?

Migth be useful, but not vital. In fact, it would be trivial. The spells in SCAG and the ToEE hand out were more than enough for any campaign. Of course, more isn't bad in that case. But it is not something that would entice me to buy a book. Monsters, settings and subclasses as well as new mechanics (such as those in Ravnica and Theros and even Acquisition Inc) are big sellers for me. Rule modifications.. nah...

 

[Azzy]

Don’t forget awful renditions of nonspecific Scandinavian accents.

Great. Not I'm imagining dwarves sounding like the Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show.

 

[MarkB]

Great. Not I'm imagining dwarves sounding like the Swedish Chef from The Muppet Show.

Cooking iron rations from actual iron ingots.

And rats.

Who talk back.

 

[Vael]

I am liking "lineage" as the replacement for "race". Better than "folk" or "species", even kinda preferring it to "ancestry"