D&D 5E (2024) One D&D Permanently Removes The Term 'Race'

In line with many other tabletop roleplaying games, such as Pathfinder or Level Up, One D&D is removing the term 'race'. Where Pathfinder uses 'Ancestry' and Level Up uses 'Heritage', One D&D will be using 'Species'.

Moving On From 'Race' in the 2024 Core Rulebooks

We understand "race" is a problematic term that has had prejudiced links between real world people and the fantasy peoples of D&D worlds.

www.dndbeyond.com

In a blog post, WotC announced that "We have made the decision to move on from using the term "race" everywhere in One D&D, and we do not intend to return to that term."

 

[Yaarel]

No D&D setting I am aware of has direct crossbreeding of elves and thri-kreen or centaurs and tritons - I do not remember any such hybrids existing but I am prepared to take your word for it that they do, but I would like a citation that they are the result of direct cross-breeding and not magical hybridisation.


To reiterate, "What's your folk?" is weird.

To me, "folk" sounds normal.

It is already officially, in terms like "Merfolk", "Lizardfolk", and so on. That said, in these contexts, the folk comes to mean "man-or-woman-or-other".

Heh, "Meradult" and "Lizardadult" would sound weird to me.

Merperson and Lizardperson.

I like "folk".

 

[Yaarel]

I am kinda getting into "Parentage".

(@Scribe)

 

[Doctor Futurity]

Species works fine, I've been essentially defaulting to thinking of it that way since the 1E days anyway.

That said, I like that Richard Baker link above, kindred is excellent as a concept, and was in use as early as 1975 with Tunnels & Trolls where it has served that game quite well.

 

[Scribe]

I am kinda getting into "Parentage".

(@Scribe)

We should get a poll going, so we can spam feedback at Wizards because species is just terrible.

 

[Cadence]

We should get a poll going, so we can spam feedback at Wizards because species is just terrible.

As long as you include "kidney" as a choice, I'm all in.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

"What's your origin?" is much more likely to be answered by "I'm from Paris" than "I am human".
"What is your race?" is correctly answered by "I am human", with a roll of eyes, because IRL humans are generally pretty good at identifying other humans and differentiating them from chimps without asking for confirmation. (also, it can help identify a racist if he expects something like Asian or European).
"What is your ancestry" is much more likely to be answered by "I am thorin, son of thrain, 367th heir to the throne of the Undercity..." or "my dad was plumber but I can trace my family tree up to 1765."
"What is your species" is correcty answerede by "I am human" though "homo sapiens" would be better.
"What is your heritage" refers to one's stock portfolio in a trust fund, or maybe a +1 longsword.
"What is your ilk or breed?" is most likely to elicit a weird look because I wouldn't know what the question is...

At least they changed a word that described aptly what they wanted to describe, to another word that describes what they wanted to describe.

I suppose I was not imagining characters asking “what is your origin” and that it was more for players.

Heritage is ok too.

Species is technically more accurate but is not very fantasy pseudo medieval. Honestly some old term we now find offensive is probably best excepting a modern lens.

I get it. For my group it’s probably race merely because I doubt we move to 5e and have played for decades. It’s pretty well taken for granted now.

It will be interesting to see the change in print regardless!

 

[Clint_L]

As long as you include "kidney" as a choice, I'm all in.

I'm only onboard if "schmorp" is an option.

 

[Scribe]

As long as you include "kidney" as a choice, I'm all in.

 

[Dire Bare]

Different types, sure, but species is not a good word to describe them.

Except that those words - race, species, lineage, heritage, ancestry - they have meanings in real life, which impact the impression they create of the groups they describe. That’s why we’re changing the term from race in the first place. The word “species” is part of a system of categorization that doesn’t make sense in a fantasy world, which makes it a poor choice to use there.

Shrug. Agree to disagree. Species is fine, if a bit modern sounding for a medieval fantasy game.

 

[Yaarel]

We should get a poll going, so we can spam feedback at Wizards because species is just terrible.

Like minds. Just posted a new poll thread.