D&D (2024) Should 2014 Half Elves and Half Orcs be added to the 2025 SRD?

[Micah Sweet]

Because the implication is that it paints elves as bigots and humans as xenophobes. And sure, some of them are, but if the default story is one of half-elves not having a place in society. And they're supposed to be the "good guys".

Then maybe don't have a default story if you don't like it? "Our Elves Are Different" is a trope for a reason.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yes, Tanis's story, which should be one unique to Dragonlance (or perhaps just those areas Tanis traveled in) got spun out into the notion that every half-elf is a bastard child rejected by both parents.

As a controversial side note: Dragonlance was a wonderful story series, but its tropes did some irreparable harm to D&D lore beyond Krynn.

I've heard many stories of half-elves, not just Tanis'. No reason to assume a single narrative.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Nothing stopping you from including it in your own game.

Same to you, of course.

 

[Micah Sweet]

That idea is not outdated.
The lore is. And only that form of the lore.
The 5e lore is fine.
People just want to bring back the offensive 1e-3e lore.

Throwing out the baby with the bathwater is the cause of 50% of 5e's issues.

I'd actually like all the lore as possible options.

 

[Minigiant]

I'd actually like all the lore as possible options.

Sure.

The same way Tieflings Do you still have a 100 times worse default assumption that one of your close ancestors made it with a actual fiend and that everyone around you could visibly see this and through a discriminate against you.

Now you can be a tiefling from a pact with the fiend, contact with the lower planes, or the traditional offspring route.

And none of them come explicitly with the discrimination.

Nope. You can't be a half elf if your mother simply gave birth near a fae crossing. Of if a relative became an archfey warlock and all children who share his or her last name now come out as half elves as the price.

Nope, not allowed.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Sure.

The same way Tieflings Do you still have a 100 times worse default assumption that one of your close ancestors made it with a actual fiend and that everyone around you could visibly see this and through a discriminate against you.

Now you can be a tiefling from a pact with the fiend, contact with the lower planes, or the traditional offspring route.

And none of them come explicitly with the discrimination.

Nope. You can't be a half elf if your mother simply gave birth near a fae crossing. Of if a relative became an archfey warlock and all children who share his or her last name now come out as half elves as the price.

Nope, not allowed.

I see zero evidence that what you're talking about isn't allowed. I really don't understand what you're goal is here.

 

[Hussar]

Nope, not allowed.

That's the point of all of this. It is allowed. It is 100% allowed.

It's just that being a half-elf does not make you a weaker elf with a couple of different proficiencies. Now, you're mechanically an elf. Or whatever you choose.

IOW, every single half-elf is now a unique mechanical creation that is no longer bound by a single definition that all half-elves are identical.

The bottom line is that mechanics=/=in game fiction. They just don't. You can keep banging this drum forever, but, until such time as you recognize that you lost this argument years ago, it's not going to matter. You want mechanically unique half-elves. Fair enough. I get that. But, again, like warlords and various other earlier edition elements, you simply lost this argument.

 

[wicked cool]

So the argument that 1/2 grow beards

The whole trope argument is bull crap

Shaq -famous basketball player. Is black. Talking to fellow basketball players 2020+. Basically I’m black your just brown to fellow light brown players

Why is this relevant. It matters to him so it matters to elves

The 1/2 elf is just different. This whole pure argument matters in every society.

 

[Minigiant]

I see zero evidence that what you're talking about isn't allowed. I really don't understand what you're goal is here.

I mean that people say that half elves and half orcs should be removed from the game because they only will allow the bad offensive lore.

Only the offensive mix species lore is accepted. The offensive mix species is offensive and thus can't be in modern D&D

 

[Minigiant]

That's the point of all of this. It is allowed. It is 100% allowed.

It's just that being a half-elf does not make you a weaker elf with a couple of different proficiencies. Now, you're mechanically an elf. Or whatever you choose.

IOW, every single half-elf is now a unique mechanical creation that is no longer bound by a single definition that all half-elves are identical.

The bottom line is that mechanics=/=in game fiction. They just don't. You can keep banging this drum forever, but, until such time as you recognize that you lost this argument years ago, it's not going to matter. You want mechanically unique half-elves. Fair enough. I get that. But, again, like warlords and various other earlier edition elements, you simply lost this argument.

I didn't lose the argument I just lost the war.

It's a difference.

Mixed species are leaving D&D.
However the reason why make species is being D&D it's dumb.

It's dumb because a vocal group is forcing something to only be allowed if it's offensive and then saying everything offensive must be removed.

Tiefling and assaimar were allowed to change. Half elf and half orc weren't.

Why?

Because they aren't named half fiend and half celestial.