D&D 5E Kender are a core race?

[steeldragons]

No. No. No...and No.

If people are right and this is some "let's put it in the playtest to see how it works" thing, then fine. But if I see one top-knotted hair in ANY of the core books, I will be really...miffed.

Kender are a Dragonlance setting-specific Race. They belong in a Dragonlance setting-specific book.

Warforged are an Eberron setting-specific Race. They belong in an Eberron setting-specific book.

The drow have no business being a PC race, imo. They don't belong in the PHB but are probably included as the FR setting race to draw in the drow-who-shall-not-be-named clon-er-ummm..."fans". So, for my two coppers, they belong in the FR setting-specific book as a playable race. They belong in the MM as a "monster" race of evil depraved demon-worshipping villainous elves. Not the PHB.

And Dragonborn...well, I made my peace with the inclusion of 4e races as a necessary evil-er-ummm...concession of the "edition to rule them all." So I suppose they belong in the core PHB to keep folks happy.

But regarding Kender and Warforged in core....in case ya missed it at the beginning...No. No. No and No!

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I see putting kender in the core book as a marketing failure. Announcing this before letting people see the rules for kender only made things worse, as people would look at the previous rules and assume the worst.

The rules actually list some worrying traits. The kender pockets ability doesn't seem like a bad thing at first glance, but the moment you try to roleplay it ("They pick up anything that is not nailed down") you have problems. There's a mention of being "fearless" but one can only hope that no one takes that literally. (There's no outright immunity to fear anymore.)

Furthermore, players see anything in the core book as core, even if it's "optional". Non-weapon proficiencies were "optional" and I've never been in a 2e campaign that didn't use them.

I'm picturing someone trying to sell a paid email program. It gives tons of storage and great features, it's like having an iPhone for a dollar a month. Everyone should want it. But it has this persistent bug that crashes your computer if you try to open an email with an attachment in it. So potential customers think "I sure hope no one sends me an attachment". Or (more to the point) you could have DMs saying "I sure hope no one tries to play a kender".

It is a shame that half-orcs, half-elves, and even gnomes have been placed in the same category as the campaign-specific races. I hope that changes.

This doesn't bother me much. Dragonborn and tieflings are there too, I don't mind that either.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Kender are not a core race. Kind of the whole point is that nothing is core except for the absolute minimum.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Furthermore, players see anything in the core book as core, even if it's "optional". Non-weapon proficiencies were "optional" and I've never been in a 2e campaign that didn't use them.

Oh for pete's sake!

Can we PLEASE put to rest the asinine argument that if you include something in one of the first books released that somehow every single player is now going to feel ENTITLED to use it?!?

First of all... those kinds of players ARE RARE. And second of all... if you have one of those players then you tell that player to SHUT THE HELL UP.

There is absolutely NO WAY I want Wizards of the Coast to make design and development decisions based solely on the fact that some Dungeon Masters don't have the balls to stand up to their players.

You don't want Kender in the first Player's Handbook... that's fine. But at least have a more worthwhile reason than just that you're incapable of telling these entitled idiots that "No... in this campaign, you aren't allowed to use this particular race."

 

[Mistwell]

I see putting kender in the core book as a marketing failure.

It's listed as specifically NOT a core race. It's listed as a setting-specific one. Did you not see that part of it?

 

[DMZ2112]

It is a shame that half-orcs, half-elves, and even gnomes have been placed in the same category as the campaign-specific races. I hope that changes.

I'm very pleased by this, actually. Well, I suppose the gnome is an unfortunate casualty, but I have always wondered why the emphasis on half-breed races in D&D. Their defining characteristic is that they are rare; being a half-breed should be a subrace option for humans, not a full-fledged alternative.

Gnomes still need a successful makeover to appeal to the masses, I guess. I really liked their characterization in D&D4.

First of all... those kinds of players ARE RARE.

Not rare enough.

...have a more worthwhile reason than just that you're incapable of telling these entitled idiots that "No... in this campaign, you aren't allowed to use this particular race."

Some of us are incapable of doing this for reasons other than the contents of our collective scrota, DEFCON. Either we run public games in support of a game store, or we don't have enough players in our neighborhoods for us to be selective.

So take a big step back from the red line, man.

 

[Kobold Stew]

being a half-breed should be a subrace option for humans, not a full-fledged alternative.

I'd be fine with that.

 

[DMZ2112]

I'd be fine with that.

Think of all the other options you could provide, if you went that route. I've always wondered why there are never any half-hobgoblins. Are humans and goblins too genetically dissimilar to reproduce? Are goblins even more true-breeding than elves? Is the name just too long to fit into tables?

 

[Ed_Laprade]

Oh for pete's sake!

Can we PLEASE put to rest the asinine argument that if you include something in one of the first books released that somehow every single player is now going to feel ENTITLED to use it?!?

First of all... those kinds of players ARE RARE. And second of all... if you have one of those players then you tell that player to SHUT THE HELL UP.

And what if I'm not the GM? Yeah, I can just leave, but who wants to be put in that position in the first place?

 

[Nellisir]

This thread is just one big troll, right? I mean, so they put kender in the playtest. So what? I'm glad to see something other than dwarf elf halfling human, dwarf elf halfling human, dwarf elf halfling human and here's the gnome as a sop for the two people (of whom I'm one) that like them.

Honestly, I'm more likely to use kender than halflings - talk about a race with an identity crisis. Are halflings sedate homebodies in this edition, or nomadic pirate brigands? Or childlike thieves with hairy feet? (Why does that sound familiar?) Frankly, the only problem I see with kender in the playtest is that they're not a subrace of halflings.

And (Psi)SeveredHead? You're always welcome in my game, and I'll cheerfully not allow you to play a kender, even if it does make it into the core rules.


Edit: Whee, emoticons!