OK. Are you able to elucidate?
Yes, but I'm know I'm going to get raked over the coals for it again.
It helps break through into the 16+ section of the scores. You can't do that by assigning high scores. And, I have had personal expeirence multiple times that tells me the math of the game really tilts towards being less effective and doing poorly when you only have a 14 or 15 in your highest stat.
I'll probably get called a power gaming munchkin (again) for this, but my tables have seen it multiple times, and we really and honestly have come to the conclusion that being actually good enough at something to feel competent beyond the lowest of levels in your primary class goals, requires having at least a 16 in your scores.
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Fair enough. Stats are great ideas, but as we all know, fall short from real life experiences.
That's true. But if a whole group or clan of dwarves are used to the rigors of travel or the hard life, then that group would be considered tough, no?
But tougher than a group of humans used to the same?
We have to keep in mind that a +2 is meant, mechanically, to be "better than human". And I don't think the Dwarves in the Hobbit show any more endurance or toughness than a similarly weathered group of humans.
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The traditional archetypes of races in D&D is that some races will be better for certain roles and classes than others, Tolkien has nothing to do with it. Tasha's will change that for groups that adopt it. I can no longer play against expectations because if I play that dwarven wizard (or elf barbarian or any other combo) people will just assume I shifted a +2 to intelligence.
I can no longer use a PC to make a point. Just because my PC is "differently abled" does not mean he's unable to achieve the goal of being an effective wizard. I'm pushing back, just a little itty-bitty tiny bit against prejudices and expectations. Same as how I lift weights to push back against the assumption that because I'm short I can't be strong.
Now, every race can be good at every role. A dwarven wizard will no longer be unusual, no race/class combination will be unusual. It's not about "challenging myself" it's about challenging other people's expectations of who can achieve what.
That's a fine goal, a commendable one even, but... I don't see it.
In fact, I literally cannot see it. the only people who can see you doing that are the people at your table. I can't see you pushing back against the culture that says Dwarves make poor wizards by playing your Int 14 dwarf and being a wizard. Which, despite me acknowledging that mechanically 14 is bad... Story-wise makes your Dwarf a very smart person. On the level of working scientists and researchers (I've been told 16 is around where "Genius" starts)
So, mechanically you've proven that the expectations are wrong, but also story-wise very smart dwarf can be a wizard isn't ground-breaking.
Also, you want to make a point. You want to make a statement about "differently abled" people... I want to play a dwarf wizard. If I want to make a statement with that character, I'll do something with the backstory, but I don't need to make this into something grand and big and a statement.
And, again, it is great you have an agenda by playing against type, but I can't make everything into an agenda. I think every race can be good at every role. I don't want there to be inequalities in my game so I can play against expectations and show there are no inequalities in the game.
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Sure, you may now see high elf barbarians, but does that make the game any better?
I see no reason that it actually makes the game worse. So, it is either neutral or a benefit.
And I've listed quite a few benefits, like an easier time showing plane-touched of various races, so High Elf Barbarians, but also High Elf Earth Genasi Barbarians. Seems like it is a net positive.
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goofy or rare combinations will become less rare. If that does not bother you, great! I think that in particular is a net loss for the game overall with the assumption I like class and race based assumptions and tropes as the baseline.
Seeing more race/class combos that rarely get seen, but would expand upon the lore of the races in interesting ways is a net loss for the game?
Well, I could not disagree more strongly with this position if I tried.