D&D (2024) Mix multispecies traits

[Yaarel]

@bedir than
@CreamCloud0

These suggestions are awesome flavor.

A general concern I have is a need to separate "culture" from "species". This is tricky, because fantasy species are an amplified human archetype, which itself is mainly cultural. Even so, any special feats need to be "genetic" in concept. This includes the idea of being transmogrified by a dragon as if a kind of gene splicing or genetic alteration.

Background feats are cultural, so caution is necessary when a Species refers to one.

Because the player can pick and choose which feat they want, the diversity implies different genetic expressions are simultaneously possible even in the same family. So there is a bit more flexibility. Still it helps to think about how the traits work genetically.



I notice these Halfling special feats share similar themes − that seem salient for a Halfling Species concept.

Homebody
You were someone who enjoyed the warmth of a fire and blankets in bed, with friends and family always nearby.
Craft of Home: You gain one artisan tool proficiency, instrument or gaming tool. This represents some of what you do around your house, your village, your shire, etc
Craft of Hearth: You gain one proficiency from the following list - Performance, History, Deception. This represents the propensity to tell stories, sometimes true ones.

Hospitable
Caregiver: You have proficiency with one of either the Herbalism kit or Cooks Utensils, Whenever you roll an ability check involving your chosen tool, roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the total ability check.
Innkeeper's Tricks: You know the mending cantrip, You may also cast Unseen Servant and Animal Friendship with this trait, Once you cast either spell with this trait, you can't cast that spell again until you finish a long rest. Pick one of Inteligence, Wisdom or Charisma as your Spellcasting Ability for these spells when you create the character.

These imply the Halfling has a "nesting instinct", sotospeak. These could be ways of expressing a genetic impulse.

Homebody Craft of Hearth. I can visualize the Halfling entertaining around a campfire or the fireplace of an inn or the hearth of a longhouse. Perhaps in this context the "cultural" Skills of Performance, History, or Deception can even be a way to quantify an instinct for storytelling during nesting.

Hospitable Caregiver. The Tools of Herbalists and Cooks also lends itself to nesting.

Hospitable Innkeepers Tricks. The idea of Unseen Servant is awesome − something I would never have thought of myself. I picture it. Everyone is gathered around the fireplace, while an innate spiritual force is refilling glasses of ale and tucking in people ready to sleep.



What do think of these suggestions for Halfling feats?

HOSPITABLE
Caregiver. In a place of rest or even a momentary respite, you inspire comfort and wellbeing. You gain Proficiency in Cooks Utensils, Gaming Set, Herbalism Kit, or an other tool of your choice that you can apply to help comfort and inspire intimate friends.
Hospitable Presence. Your presence manifests wondrous hospitality. Around you ale magically refills, sleepers get tucked in at night, and hearts gladden. You know the Unseen Servant spell, and when you reach level 5, you know the slot 2 Calm Emotions spell. After a Long Rest, you can cast each of these spells once. Additionally, you can perform its ritual, and cast it using any spell slots you have. The spells are innate, thus you cast them without spell components. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them.


NURTURE
Craft of Hearth. You gain Proficiency in Deception, History, Insight, Performance, or an other skill of your choice that you can apply to entertain and inspire intimate friends.
Reinvigoration. During a Long Rest, you can make an Ability Check while applying your chosen Craft of Hearth Skill Proficiency. The DC is 5 per ally within 30 feet who you tend to. Roll versus this total DC for each tended ally. When successful, the ally gains an additional Hit Die at the end of this Long Rest.
At higher levels. When you reach level 5, each tended ally gains two additional Hit Dice, at level 11 three additional Hit Dice, and at level 17 four additional Hit Dice.

 

[CreamCloud0]

A general concern I have is a need to separate "culture" from "species". This is tricky, because fantasy species are an amplified human archetype, which itself is mainly cultural. Even so, any special feats need to be "genetic" in concept. This includes the idea of being transmogrified by a dragon as if a kind of gene splicing or genetic alteration.

Background feats are cultural, so caution is necessary when a Species refers to one.

Because the player can pick and choose which feat they want, the diversity implies different genetic expressions are simultaneously possible even in the same family. So there is a bit more flexibility. Still it helps to think about how the traits work genetically.

understandable.

I notice these Halfling special feats share similar themes − that seem salient for a Halfling Species concept.

i mean, being homey was the funadmental premise of hobbits, the inspiration of which halflings were directly made from so it's not exactly surprising there's a thematic commonality.

These imply the Halfling has a "nesting instinct", sotospeak. These could be ways of expressing a genetic impulse.

i understand what you're fundamentally getting at here but calling it a 'nesting instinct' just seems off to me, haha.

The idea of Unseen Servant is awesome − something I would never have thought of myself.

it's actually something from the ebberon mark of hospitality halfling, i copied the wording from the 'inkeeper's magic' trait although i swapped out prestidigitation and purify food and drink for my choice of mending and animal friendship, and made the casting stat variable.

now keep in mind my thoughts on the following are just my opinions

Caregiver. In a place of rest or even a momentary respite, you inspire comfort and wellbeing. You gain Proficiency in Cooks Utensils, Gaming Set, Herbalism Kit, or an other tool of your choice that you can apply to help comfort and inspire intimate friends.
Craft of Hearth. You gain Proficiency in Deception, History, Insight, Performance, or an other skill of your choice that you can apply to entertain and inspire intimate friends.

i don't personally like the open ended phrasing used in both of these and honestly they're very similar at what they're getting at so i'm responding to them as one, what about something like the following?
Uplifting: Halflings are naturally sensitive to the emotions of those around them and as a result will often try to entertain others whenever possible, You have proficiency in the insight skill and one of the following: Chef's Utensils, Brewer's Supplies, A Musical Instrument or a Gaming Set, and have advantage on the roll whenever you use your chosen tool in entertaining a group.
EDIT: i said it about caregiver and craft of hearth but fundamentally both trait packages Hospitable and Nurture are getting at very similar themes, i think it would be better if you tried to differentiate them more conceptually from each other

Hospitable Presence. Your presence manifests wondrous hospitality. Around you ale magically refills, sleepers get tucked in at night, and hearts gladden. You know the Unseen Servant spell, and when you reach level 5, you know the slot 2 Calm Emotions spell. After a Long Rest, you can cast each of these spells once. Additionally, you can perform its ritual, and cast it using any spell slots you have. The spells are innate, thus you cast them without spell components. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma is your spellcasting ability for them.

The fluff of these things just happening around them is not to my tastes, i'd rather it be a concious act on the behalf of the halfling to cause this to happen, nothing else much to say other than curiosity on why you decided on calm emotions as the secondary spell, i guess it is part of the mark of hospitality's expanded spell list but the spell always felt kinda unsettling mindcontrol-y to me in a way that doesn't vibe with what the general air of the halfling is about IMO.

Reinvigoration. During a Long Rest, you can make an Ability Check while applying your chosen Craft of Hearth Skill Proficiency. The DC is 5 per ally within 30 feet who you tend to. Roll versus this total DC for each tended ally. When successful, the ally gains an additional Hit Die at the end of this Long Rest.
At higher levels. When you reach level 5, each tended ally gains two additional Hit Dice, at level 11 three additional Hit Dice, and at level 17 four additional Hit Dice.

i get what you're going for here but i don't know if i'd want it tied to an ability check and the multiple additional hit die as it scales seems like could be very powerful maybe? (i'm not good on judging balance on those sorts of thing) What about something that says something like 'you can entertain to up to five teammates during a rest, any teammate you tend to can take the maximum number on one of their hit die when recovering hit points, they can do this for 2 hit die at 5th, 3 at 11th and 4 at 17th.

 

[Yaarel]

it's actually something from the ebberon mark of hospitality halfling,

Cool.

i copied the wording from the 'inkeeper's magic' trait although i swapped out prestidigitation and purify food and drink for my choice of mending and animal friendship, and made the casting stat variable.

Maybe allow the Halfling to apply Animal Friendship to any Creature Type. This emphasizes the Halfling attunement to (animalistic) physical comforts.

Hmmm. Maybe rewrite the Friends cantrip. Then make the cantrip a Halfling trait.

FRIENDS
Enchantment cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: one creature within 30 feet
Components: S, M (an offering of food or drink, or similar gesture of good will)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You convince one creature that you mean it no harm. Additionally, the creature must make a Wisdom saving throw, or become Charmed by you. If you or one of your companions endangers the target, the cantrip ends. When the cantrip ends, the creature realizes that you used magic to influence its mood. The resulting Attitude typically depends on how you treated it while Charmed.



How do you see Mending relate to hospitality?

 

[Yaarel]

i don't personally like the open ended phrasing used in both of these and honestly they're very similar at what they're getting at so i'm responding to them as one, what about something like the following?

The Proficiency and its conceptual application can be more specific.

Uplifting: Halflings are naturally sensitive to the emotions of those around them and as a result will often try to entertain others whenever possible, You have proficiency in the insight skill and one of the following: Chef's Utensils, Brewer's Supplies, A Musical Instrument or a Gaming Set, and have advantage on the roll whenever you use your chosen tool in entertaining a group.
EDIT: i said it about caregiver and craft of hearth but fundamentally both trait packages Hospitable and Nurture are getting at very similar themes, i think it would be better if you tried to differentiate them more conceptually from each other

A special feat should aim for about 4 points, but a range of 3 to 5 is ok.

Here ballparking the value of each trait.

1 point − Chefs Utensils, Brewers Supplies, Gaming Set
½ point − Musical Instrument
1 point − Insight

Since the tools are mainly noncombat, they are less competitive compared to other special feats.

Probably, the feat becomes more worthwhile if the Advantage is on the Insight Check. Insight is more useful in combat, to discern the intentions of a Creature.

The fluff of these things just happening around them is not to my tastes, i'd rather it be a concious act on the behalf of the halfling to cause this to happen, nothing else much to say other than curiosity on why you decided on calm emotions as the secondary spell, i guess it is part of the mark of hospitality's expanded spell list but the spell always felt kinda unsettling mindcontrol-y to me in a way that doesn't vibe with what the general air of the halfling is about IMO.

Ah. That was unclear wording. I didnt intend for the Unseen Servant effect to be unintentional.

My intention for Calm Emotions was to dispel the Charmed or Frightened Conditions, which can benefit during combat.

The manipulative aspect of Calm Emotions doesnt bother me for the Halfling concept, that kinda weaponizes cuteness. Heh.

i get what you're going for here but i don't know if i'd want it tied to an ability check and the multiple additional hit die as it scales seems like could be very powerful maybe? (i'm not good on judging balance on those sorts of thing) What about something that says something like 'you can entertain to up to five teammates during a rest, any teammate you tend to can take the maximum number on one of their hit die when recovering hit points, they can do this for 2 hit die at 5th, 3 at 11th and 4 at 17th.

I figure, granting an extra hit die per Long Rest is roughly equivalent to casting the Cure Wounds spell, once per Long Rest. So it is possible to confidently estimate how powerful the trait is.

The intention of the DC 5 per ally, was to be more reliable if tending to specific ally, but then be less reliable when tending to many allies.

I expect typically, two or three allies will benefit, but at higher tiers four might benefit.

So, the effect would be something like casting Cure Wounds twice, maybe three times, which by itself is worth about a halffeat.

 

[CreamCloud0]

How do you see Mending relate to hospitality?

i've heard in several different instances where innkeepers and suchlike would offer to fix up adventurer's gear for them as a service while they stay, just little thing like sharpening their weapons or sewing up a tear in a cloak, new bootstraps/laces or knock out the dents in armour, those sorts of things.

 

[Yaarel]

@CreamCloud0

I did some number checking for gaming balance. The following is a solid Halfling special feat.

UPLIFTING
Empathic Sensitivity. You are naturally sensitive to the emotions of others. You gain Proficiency in the Insight Skill, and have the Advantage on Ability (Insight) Checks.
Entertainer. You often try to entertain others, to uplift their spirits with positive attitude, enjoyment, and fun. You gain Tool Proficiency with one of the following: Brewers Supplies, Chefs Utensils, Gaming Set, or Musical Instrument.

 

[Yaarel]

Heh, I feel guilty offering a Proficiency in "Musical Instrument", because it is a worthless trap option. Music should be amazing, even heal characters via morale. But currently in 5e, music has little or no mechanical benefit.

Of course, the Bard has a Class feature that can use a Musical Instrument as a Spellcasting Focus, but the Instrument itself lacks benefit.



In any case, the Musical Instrument Proficiency is what it is. In the hopes that 2024 will make it actually worth something, I am including it. I am adding the Halfling Uplifting feat in the Original Post.

 

[Yaarel]

It occurs to me, according to the most recent Playtest:

"
TOOL PROFICIENCY
If you have proficiency with a tool, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to any ability check you make that uses that tool. If you have proficiency in the skill that’s also used with that check, you have Advantage on the check too. This means you can benefit from both
a skill and a tool proficiency on the same ability check.

"

Musical Instruments are one of the tool proficiencies.

Thus, when making a Performance check, one can benefit from both proficiencies. In this case, one rolls the d20 for the Ability (Tool) Check, but the relevant skill then does this at an Advantage.

In this way, a Musical Instrument does have some mechanical benefit.

Of course, the benefit of the Performance skill itself is nebulous, and depends on DM whim.

 

[Yaarel]

For me, I get much use out of the tool proficiency, because I allow them to include specialized knowledge relating to the tool.

For example, if someone has Cartographers Tools proficiency, they can use it for investigation knowledge checks relating astronomy, geological terrain, climates, water currents, mathematical calculations, and other kinds of knowledge relevant to map making. Similarly, if someone has a horse as a vehicle proficiency, they know everything one needs to know about horses, including caring for them, purchasing them, knowing the breeds, and so on.

Where the knowledge of skills reflects breadth of knowledge within a field, the knowledge of tools reflects the depth of knowledge of a specialization.

Thus, in the UA description of Tool Proficiency, "any ability check you make that uses that tool", one doesnt need to literally with the tool in ones hand using it. "Using the tool" includes the general specialty expertise and experience that comes in relationship to the tool. The UA description might need to tweak the wording to clarify this more extensive application of the tool proficiency.

I feel this more liberal use of a tool proficiency is vital for it to be a useful and meaningful part the D&D game and of the flavor of the Backgrounds that refer to a tool.

For example, someone who has Musical Instrument proficiency would know all kinds of things about that instrument, including where the wood or metal comes from, what is the highest quality, who are its most famous musicians, the history of the instrument, how to get in contact with orchestra conductors, players, financiers, audiences, elite audiences, invitations, ticket masters, ticket scalpers, and so on.

 

[Yaarel]

3e image of Guardinals

2e images of a Guardinal



I know Ardling is new, but it is probably a good idea for an option. Its concept is old school, referring to the 2e Guardinal

Compare,

Ardling : Guardinal :: Aasimar : Aasimon :: Tiefling : Baatezu (and other Fiends)


The Guardinal itself is a kind of Angel whose appearance can range from appearing as if fully Human with only suggestive animalistic traits (for example describing a reallife human as if leonine or aquiline or equine) mostly in Elysium (the Good plane), to anthropomorphic animals especially in the plane of Beastlands (the Good by Chaotic Good plane). Many 2e depictions are somewhere in between, such as if a Human with cattle horns, animal ears, tail, or so on. So the Ardling coheres with old school D&D.

Reallife archetypes of angels who are animalistic are a thing. Compare biblical Karuv (cherub), which in Bronze Age is a kind of sphynx and in Babylonian Classical Age is an anthropomorph with a head of multi-faced animals. So the 5e Ardling is appropriate enough in archetypal concept.

The UA Ardling description seems to have a full-on animal head, Egyptian-style. But with an eye on old school Guardinal, I would allow a fully human head with only suggestively animal descriptors. In any case the playtest mixed-species rules makes it easy to have one of the ancestors be an other kind of Angel or even a normal Human, thus describe the Ardling character with a fully human head but using the Ardling mechanic. Then this human-head Ardling is roughly identical to the 5e Aasimar.

Meanwhile, 5e has many, many, anthropomorphic animal species, or "humanimals". This includes everything from Gnoll to Kenku to Aarakocra to Tabaxi to Harengon to Minotaur to Lizardfolk to Tortle to Yuan-Ti, even Dragonborn and Kobold. While each of these Humanimal species has a smaller percent of the fan base, together they add up. The 5e designers are probably correct in predicting that a Humanimal Ardling will be popular enough.

I am not into the Humanimals or "furries" ... but I like Werewolves so theres that! I suspect the Ardling species is a reasonable update for the D&D 5e game that will appeal to many players.


By the way, I suspect, the etymology for "ardling" derives from ardent -ling, relating to the Latin verb ardere "to burn", "to blaze", under the influence of D&D "tiefling" (German tief "deep" -ling "one connected to").

In English, "ardent" literally means "blazing" (burning, shining), but normally applies figuratively to emotions that are zealously passionate, especially loving passionately.

This passion of love then relates to the Celestial planes of "Good" (G), namely Elysium, and "Good by Chaotic Good" (GCG), namely Beastlands.

So the odd name "Ardling" means "the creature of loving passion".