D&D 5E (2024) To Capitalize or not to capitalize

[Yaarel]

Many of these questions (and more) are answered in the official "D&D Style Guide" for creators. It's available for free on DMs Guild:

Yes, but. The UAs are changing some of this style guide.

 

[bedir than]

Yes, but. The UAs are changing some of this style guide.

they may only be changing for the UA, too

 

[Guest 7030100]

Yes, but. The UAs are changing some of this style guide.

Tbh, my guess is that UAs are written somewhat informally since they're not finished products. The specific language of any rules emerging from UAs will likely be corrected to match the Style Guide in the final publication. It's also possible the Style Guide itself will see some minor updates to reflect new style choices in the upcoming revision.
Hard to speculate based on evolving unofficial documents like UAs, though.

 

[Yaarel]

Tbh, my guess is that UAs are written somewhat informally since they're not finished products. The specific language of any rules emerging from UAs will likely be corrected to match the Style Guide in the final publication. It's also possible the Style Guide itself will see some minor updates to reflect new style choices in the upcoming revision.
Hard to speculate based on evolving unofficial documents like UAs, though.

The UAs are revising the technical terms. Likewise, the UAs are deciding to how to format these new terms. For example, should "species" capitalize or not. And many other examples.

The UAs seem to have some formating notions in play, including oddities like capitalizing "Blanket" and "Rope". But this formating is still experimental and fluid. Capitalizing Blanket and Rope is probably casualty of deciding to capitalize Longsword and Trident. Whence Net. Whence Blanket and Rope.

 

[Yaarel]

The Original Post adds the text level formats, such as headings, and when to bold or not.

 

[Yaarel]

I propose the following rule of thumb for formatting technical terms.

• If the term is a design space, keep it lowercase.
• If the term is a particular element in the design space, capitalize it.

For example.

The term "species" is a design space, so it stays lowercase. But any particular species becomes capitalized, such as: Human, Elf, Tiefling, Dwarf.

The term "creature type" is a design space. But a particular type capitalizes: Humanoid, Fey, Plant, Dragon, etcetera.

The term "size" is a design space. But a particular size capitalizes: Small, Medium, Large.

The term "trait": Darkvision, Fey Ancestry, Trance.

The term "class" is a design space. A particular class capitalizes: Ranger, Wizard, Druid, Bard.

The term "background" is a design space. A particular background capitalizes: Artisan, Farmer, Criminal, Guard.

An "ability" is a design space. But any particular ability capitalizes: Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma.

A "skill" is a design space: Perception, Stealth, Athletics, Arcana.

The term "spell": Fly, Magic Missile, Silent Image.

The term "feat": Healer, Lucky, Magic Initiate.

The term "condition": Grappled, Incapacitated, Slowed

The term "plane": Material, Ethereal, Astral.


Any term that is capitalized in this way, is a construct of mechanical rules, intended as one option among several.