D&D (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."

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Does the use of species imply that half-orcs and half-elves are now the sterile offspring of their parents species?

Not automatically, because:

1) not all cross-species pairings result in sterile offspring

2) in past products, TSR (at least) explicitly pointed out that a particular cross-species pairing was sterile (DarkSun’s Muls).

3) other historical aspects of D&D strongly imply in-game “genetics” are a lot more complex and fluid than in the RW.

 

[MGibster]

Does the use of species imply that half-orcs and half-elves are now the sterile offspring of their parents species?

I don't think so. If barbarian and druid mean something different in D&D than it does to the rest of the world, why should species be any different?

 

[Scribe]

I don't think so. If barbarian and druid mean something different in D&D than it does to the rest of the world, why should species be any different?

In that case, lets just make up a definition for a better sounding/looking word.

Like Ancestry.

 

[billd91]

Does the use of species imply that half-orcs and half-elves are now the sterile offspring of their parents species?

It doesn’t have to. Organisms might be classified into different species not because they can’t produce fertile offspring in a physical sense. Rather, their separate environments or behavior may generally prevent them from doing so.

 

[Joshua Randall]

It doesn’t have to. Organisms might be classified into different species not because they can’t produce fertile offspring in a physical sense. Rather, their separate environments or behavior may generally prevent them from doing so.

Ah. Either way it’s such a loaded scientific term it raises more questions than it answers.

 

[Joshua Randall]

I don't think so. If barbarian and druid mean something different in D&D than it does to the rest of the world, why should species be any different?

Because barbarian and Druid are not common scientific terms.

 

[Clint_L]

In that case, lets just make up a definition for a better sounding/looking word.

Like Ancestry.

We already did that. The word is "schmorp."

 

[Scribe]

We already did that. The word is "schmorp."

I'm pretty sure that is some kind of a space jelly fish, it's in the book somewhere.

 

[Dire Bare]

Does the use of species imply that half-orcs and half-elves are now the sterile offspring of their parents species?

No. Why would it? Doesn't always work that way in the real world, why should it in the fantasy world?

In Dark Sun, muls (half-human, half-dwarf) were considered sterile. In Mystara, half-elves were considered impossible . . . until they started showing up in the setting. But usually in D&D, those of mixed ancestry are not sterile. The only reason to change it is if you want to for your home game. The word "species" doesn't impact that either way.

Ah. Either way it’s such a loaded scientific term it raises more questions than it answers.

Nah, not really.

EDIT: Removed some of my initially testy response.

 

[Xamnam]

I'm pretty sure that is some kind of a space jelly fish, it's in the book somewhere.

You're thinking of the Space Flumph, the Spumph.