D&D 5E (2024) Solasta 2 and the 1/2 elf

[Paul Farquhar]

i wasn't referring to the act of roleplaying being a lie, i was referring to the truth of the nature of the character, claiming your character is something that the truth of the mechanics don't align with.

for some people, that extra proficiency does matter and does make it less of a lie because it means the mechanics match the fiction.

So, if you want to role play a character who had red hair, you would need to have a mechanic for the effect of red hair? That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[CreamCloud0]

So, if you want to role play a character who had red hair, you would need to have a mechanic for the effect of red hair? That makes no sense whatsoever.

my character having red hair is not something that is ever going to have any notable tangible effect on how things are likely to resolve and thus i don't feel needs to be codified into the mechanics, their species however, a factor on which my choice of is placed a non-insignificant amount of value, does and should be for my preferred parity of narrative and gameplay.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

my character having red hair is not something that is ever going to have any notable tangible effect on how things are likely to resolve

There can be prejudice against red haired people. It might have social consequences. "Oy, ginger!" But really, most character traits have no consequences. My character has an Oirish accent - it has no consequences, but if you watch something like Critical Role, you will see that accent is a major part of defining a character.

And Solasta is a video game with a character builder. People spend hours on those things deciding exactly what their character looks like, down to the size of their genitals (okay, not in Solasta, which is a bit lacking in that area). Appearance is an important part of a character. Consider Tanis: I doubt anyone who mentioned him does not have a mental image of him. Some people spend hours drawing their character, and so on. All for something that has no consequences.

and thus i don't feel needs to be codified into the mechanics, their species however, a factor on which my choice of is placed a non-insignificant amount of value

It's pretty insignificant in the current edition.

, does and should be for my preferred parity of narrative and gameplay.

And being proficient in an extra skill achieves that how? Anyone in the entire universe could have that skill. It is in no way distinctive. Or darkvision - nearly everyone has that. It's all a big "so what!?"

Get yourself an interesting accent and people will start to notice your character.

 

[Mecheon]

I would take the 1/2 races over all the new races too be honest.

Well, that's you, and I frankly disagree and think its a boring book if you did it that way.

When your competition (who crushed two D&D MMOs and was only out-done by BG3 decades after its high point) has humans, dwarves, gnomes, savage forest elves, space goats, full on werewolves, orcs, trolls, minotaurs, free-willed zombies, mana-addicted high elves, capitalist goblins and panda-people as the base races, having half the races being "Human but X" not going to crack it in the year 2025

I like how some of you use the tiefling which is not a race but humans mixed with fiends asa reason we shouldn't have half elves.Im going to make a prediction right here. Half elves will be in 6th editions phb.

Tieflings offer a unique niche, though. They're cambions, half-fiends, tainted from birth with fiendish power. What will they face as a result? Will they deny their heritage, or embrace it?

Half-elves have their unique niche, sure, but is the half elf niche of "Between humans and elves". Does that really sound like "This needs to be in the PHB" material to you? That it belongs with basic concepts like "Strong dude (probably got some giant in him)", "ORC, LOK'TAR OGAR" or "Half angel"?

Half elves should have never been PHB material, they belong to later side content.

Nope because there’s a part that just works. Their world like ours isn’t an ideal world. Tanis in Dragonlance doesn’t work as an elf. Tons of examples like that

While I don't deny half elves have their space, my issue has always been with them in the PHB. The time of Gygax's human centricism is well and truly over and they, due to their nature, are exactly in the middle of what humans and elves bring to the table.

Thri-kreen and Tabaxi have unique niches that players love, but they're hardly PHB material either. Half elves shouldn't have been to begin with.

 

[Scribe]

 

[SkidAce]

Solasta should just implement half-elves RAW according to PHB 24. Whatever that means. They implemented 2014 as faithfully as reasonable back in CotM, stay consistent.

It'll be interesting how customers like it. I for one will not purchase on release this time.

I kickedstarted with them on the 1st. While not quite ready on release it got there.

Prob will purchase on release. They are doing good work.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

View attachment 410391

Oy, ginger!

 

[Scribe]

Oy, ginger!

The hair colour doesnt matter in the story. His background and upbringing, do.

The removal of the Half-Elf remains a mistake to be corrected and it has nothing to do with optimizers or power levels.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

The hair colour doesnt matter in the story. His background and upbringing, do.

The removal of the Half-Elf remains a mistake to be corrected and it has nothing to do with optimizers or power levels.

How would you know he is a half elf (if he didn’t constantly whine about it)? Even his ears are covered by his hair.

It’s not even as if he follows the rules for half elves. In 1st and 2nd edition half elf fighters were level capped, and Tanis exceeds the cap.

 

[Scribe]

How would you know he is a half elf (if he didn’t constantly whine about it)? Even his ears are covered by his hair.

The story of his upbringing, his experiences with both Humans and Elves based upon his story? The fact he ages faster than his wife?

I like my species to be more than a funny hat.