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

[Henadic Theologian]

All of them involve genetics. Just because half the genetics come from a supernatural entity doesn't mean it isn't genetics.

Are you kidding me?! Shadow is literally half-god. His father is Odin! And I never brought up muggles. I mentioned Hagrid who is genetically half-giant, and there were two of those in the books, and Fleur who was part veela and had supernatural charisma from it. Aragorn's abilities are absolutely racial and he doesn't get stated as a half-elf. He gets Dunedain/Numenorean which have a different bloodline than half-elves. I'm also not sure what that comment about Aquaman means. You asked for examples of half-races in media, not D&D races in media. Aquaman qualifies 100%.

Just going off the top of my head I named 45 if you include the multiples in the books, or if you only count those as one instance, 14 instances. And I guarantee you I could find a ton more if I did any kind of research.

Half races are all over media, and they generally have a mix of abilities from their parents.

Spock! The OG Half Elf er I mean Half Vulcan.

 

[Minigiant]

It isn't the elven blood that makes the Dunedain/Numenoreans what they are. It's the Maia blood they received through Luthien. In D&D terms they would be closer to Aasimar than half-elves, having that distant upper planar blood in their veins.

Well Dunedsin aren't really a x/y hybrid.

Fantasy only really highlights

Human/Elf
Haman/Orc
Orc/Goblin

with D&D adding
Human/Dwarf

 

[mamba]

None of those qualify as a representative of a mixed heritage from your parents.

mixed heritage from your parents, no, but some kind of 'vestigal mix' and not purely human, I'd say they qualify for that. So I guess the question is how important the 'from your parents' part is

 

[Maxperson]

mixed heritage from your parents, no, but some kind of 'vestigal mix' and not purely human, I'd say they qualify for that. So I guess the question is how important the 'from your parents' part is

I'd say really important. I'm European Jew, but I bet if I took one of those DNA tests I'd show up as part almost every country in Europe and then some. None of that means anything to me. Hell, you and I have up to 4% of our DNA from neanderthals! I still don't feel mixed race. If my parents or even grandparents were mixed race, though, that would hold a great deal of meaning for me.

 

[mamba]

Hell, you and I have up to 4% of our DNA from neanderthals! I still don't feel mixed race

I bet that if you had horns or could breathe fire because of those 4% you'd feel different about that

 

[Remathilis]

Half races are all over media, and they generally have a mix of abilities from their parents.

You've convinced me. Redo the whole of the species list from aarakorca to yuan-ti and design each to nix and match traits, and let the chips fall where they may. Let players decide if they want mixed traits based on story or power, and let everyone mix however they like. I mean, if media properties can have half-Gods, what does a Goliath/Triton compare?

I hope WotC gets cracking, that's a lot of species to redesign...

 

[Minigiant]

Personally I think 4e did it best.

Each hybrid species has their own racial power that displays the mix of their herirtages.

Half human/elf gets a cantrip of a class they aren't of as their human side displays adaption and elven side is magic.

Half human/orc gets bonus damage to show human speciaization and orcish fury

Half human/dwarf can just end a conditions with human determination and dwarven toughness

Half gnome/halfling can use gnomish cunning and halfling nimbleness to just dodge any attack.


Pro: Cooler species
Cons: No way the list gets completed

 

[Frozen_Heart]

You've convinced me. Redo the whole of the species list from aarakorca to yuan-ti and design each to nix and match traits, and let the chips fall where they may. Let players decide if they want mixed traits based on story or power, and let everyone mix however they like. I mean, if media properties can have half-Gods, what does a Goliath/Triton compare?

I hope WotC gets cracking, that's a lot of species to redesign...

I mean, all the species got completely redesigned for 5.5e. Of course it's far too late now to implement a mix and match system.

They will get even more redesigned for 6e or whatever a future edition is called.

 

[Edgar Ironpelt]

I voted "other" because I have given up on D&D editions beyond 3.5e. Not my humanoids, not my hippodrome.

On a world-building level, either could be justified. IIRC the old BECMI rules disallowed them, or at least didn't include them as standard. The 1e, 2e, and 3.x rules did. So either could be justified on previous-edition precedent.

What annoyed me enough to post here are the arguments for or against including or excluding half elves and half orcs based on [CENSORED]

 

[Minigiant]

I mean, all the species got completely redesigned for 5.5e. Of course it's far too late now to implement a mix and match system.

They will get even more redesigned for 6e or whatever a future edition is called.

5e races and 5.5e species were not designed for mix and match.

If you attempt to do it with them it would likely have boring or bland results. Or OP ones.