D&D 5E Recent Errata clarifications

[Staffan]

It's weird how D&D elves have gotten taller over the years. When I was first introduced to D&D as a kid, I didn't like elves being short and I wanted them to be tall like Tolkien elves. However, now I actually like short elves, it makes them more distinct.

I blame Ed Greenwood. The original FR boxed set specified that FR elves were as tall as humans but more slender, and over time that became incorporated into the core. 4e had elves and eladrin be slightly shorter than humans, and that's been transferred over to core 5e.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

I blame Ed Greenwood. The original FR boxed set specified that FR elves were as tall as humans but more slender, and over time that became incorporated into the core. 4e had elves and eladrin be slightly shorter than humans, and that's been transferred over to core 5e.

I should have known. The Forgotten Realms is the source of most of silly lore in D&D.

 

[Erekose]

I’ve read a few of these threads now and I’m impressed again about just how passionate people are about this subject. D&D is a game we all love and can play in any way each of us and our players find fun. This can cover the whole spectrum of simplistic good vs evil to in-depth social commentary that reflects and is sensitive to the nuance of real world issues.
Maybe I’m over simplifying things but from original D&D through all of the decisions made to 5E and beyond, providing the basic structure of the game allows my group to play it as we see fit (and with house rules even that stipulation isn’t as hard and fast as it might be) it really doesn’t matter …

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I blame Ed Greenwood. The original FR boxed set specified that FR elves were as tall as humans but more slender, and over time that became incorporated into the core. 4e had elves and eladrin be slightly shorter than humans, and that's been transferred over to core 5e.

The 1st edition AD&D PHB had elves slightly shorter than humans, 3.0 (Greyhawk default) shorter still. The taller elves where pretty much Greenwood only (I guess he is a Tolkien fan).

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Most of my players are in their 30s, and they all started with 5e, via Critical Role, or by playing Warhammer. We really divide into two cohorts, those who started with 1st ed, and those who started with 5e. I guess 3e and 4e simply failed to attract many new players to the game, and the demographic reflects that.

A shedload of people started playing D&D with 3.x... it's just that many of them liked that edition so much that they currently play Pathfinder. (And most of them play PF1). For whatever reason, they generally seem to me to be even more "anti-switch" than anyone else.

 

[Charlaquin]

A shedload of people started playing D&D with 3.x... it's just that many of them liked that edition so much that they currently play Pathfinder. (And most of them play PF1). For whatever reason, they generally seem to me to be even more "anti-switch" than anyone else.

Yeah, there is definitely something incredibly distinctive about 3.X. I happen to dislike it, but I can imagine to someone who really enjoyed it, no other game would quite capture the same feeling.

As for us 4e fans, there are definitely some among us playing 5e, such as myself. But a lot moved on from D&D to more storygamey stuff like PbtA, FATE, etc.

 

[Maxperson]

Yes. I dislike the "half" tag.

I like half tags. Half-demons, half-dragons, half-celestial, etc.

That means no half people except halflings!

I still want to know what a Ling looks like.

 

[Scribe]

A shedload of people started playing D&D with 3.x... it's just that many of them liked that edition so much that they currently play Pathfinder. (And most of them play PF1). For whatever reason, they generally seem to me to be even more "anti-switch" than anyone else.

Yeah, there is definitely something incredibly distinctive about 3.X. I happen to dislike it, but I can imagine to someone who really enjoyed it, no other game would quite capture the same feeling.

Hello, its me.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

The 1st edition AD&D PHB had elves slightly shorter than humans, 3.0 (Greyhawk default) shorter still. The taller elves where pretty much Greenwood only (I guess he is a Tolkien fan).

There were the weird valley elves in grey hawk if I recall…found in monster manual II of 1e.

i remember them because I liked the idea of human sized elves!

 

[AnotherGuy]

Tolkien was never satisfied with his own depiction of Orcs. He wrote multiple lengthy essays on the metaphysics of Orcs, and it always bothered him. As it ought to.

Sure, but the question was never answered - do you not enjoy the movies because of the orcs?