D&D General Two underlying truths: D&D heritage and inclusivity

[Olrox17]

I'd be interested to know if any Christian who knows D&D well thinks it has an anti-Christian message.

Demons and devils are presented as evil and so are their followers. The players can take on the role of clerics who have many spells derived from Christianity such as Raise Dead. Evil clerics reverse these spells. The lack of monotheistic religions was intended to avoid giving offence to Christians. Overall I'd say the game has a pro-Christian message.

I started playing d&d after the first LotR movie, and I think that made a big difference. Some (christian) people did ask me what the game we were playing was about, and our answer was always “it’s basically a lord of the rings game” and nobody ever inquired further. Too mainstream to argue.

 

[Xenonnonex]

I'll go a step further: satirizing anything is not the same thing as being anti-[whatever it is being satirized].

IMO far too many people either equate satire with opposition, or take offense to the fact the satire has been done at all.

Fine line between satire and offense. Easy to cross.
Can be fine to satirize Romani as lovable rogues. But taken to dark humor.
Offense is simply using only negative stereotypes of them

 

[Helldritch]

IMO nothing needs to be removed. Save the Vistani these are a clear unmistakable caricature of real life culture. Others are just a stretch of what is written for personal purposes or simply misinterpreted.

 

[Xenonnonex]

What about the ones who wanted to save souls? You accuse us of not being willing to look from the other perspective, but you show here that you are unwilling to do the same thing. The other perspective being the good act of trying to keep people out of Hell.

Can we stop with this wording. Please.

 

[Sadras]

Problem is will others see a problem getting rid of problem words.

No really. I'm not sure who uses the word Fecundity in their D&D games.
Unless PCs are out there creating numerous orc breeding programs to amass an army no one really cares.

Have a group of orcs who wish not to have their children lose eyes (in the service of Gruumsh) and have them departed their god and tribes, and be both hunted by their own kin and elves. These may be some of the non chaotic evil orcs.

Have a string of orcs discover that the intellect penalty was perhaps a curse place upon them by the false god Gruumsh in an effort to keep them dumb and obedient, and yet these orcs discovered the truth and removed the shackles of oppression. They now travel the planes, seeking greater truths to the mysteries of the cosmos.

...etc

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

That is my issue with this being offended, how much must be changed:

Intellect Penalty
Fecundity
Savage
Raider
Tribal
Strong
Evil
Other words

Do they all have to go? Can some be discarded? Where does offense begin?

I don't think it all needs to go, but perhaps some positive traits should be added. In my game, orcs are brutal and savage jungle-dwelling creatures with leathery dark purple skin with yellow eyes, claws, and teeth. (Different humanoids have different color skin in my game; hobgoblins are leathery and red, goblins are green, bugbears have electric blue fur, etc.).

​

Orcs are cunning hunters, but lack intellectual prowess. They hunt game and other humanoids alike. The orcish language uses the same word for raiding and hunting. No line is drawn between them.​

​

Orcs are honorable to a fault but have strict cultural norms that value strength and willpower above all other traits.​

​

Their homeland is deadly and dangerous and they do what they must to survive. Individualism isn't valued, group survival is prioritized.​

​

Those who do not fit what a true "orc" should be are exiled from their tribe or brutally sacrificed to appease their merciless gods (who are not actual beings, but merely imaged manifestations of super-powered orcs), to whom they erect massive stone ziggurats, while they orcs live in crude wooden huts and cave complexes.​

​

There are few to no differences between the expectations of male and female orcs.​

Personally, I don't find any this offensive and neither have any of my players.

 

[Xenonnonex]

No really. I'm not sure who uses the word Fecundity in their D&D games.
Unless PCs are out there creating numerous orc breeding programs to amass an army no one really cares.

Have a group of orcs who wish not to have their children lose eyes (in the service of Gruumsh) and have them departed their god and tribes, and be both hunted by their own kin and elves.

Have orcs discover that the intellect penalty was perhaps a curse place upon them by the false god Gruumsh in an effort to keep them dumb and obedient, and yet these orcs discovered the truth and removed the shackles of oppression. They now travel the planes, seeking greater truths to the mysteries of the cosmos.

...etc

So. You agree there should be more nuance to orcs. Good work.

 

[Sadras]

So. You agree there should be more nuance to orcs. Good work.

It is another reason why I do not mind ability penalties because it allows playing against type and further permits the DM/Players to craft wonderful stories from these mechanics like my third example. Not having penalties or limitations removes some of those inspirations. I do understand that is my personal preference and not everyone enjoys not min/maxing race-class combo.

 

[Xenonnonex]

It is another reason why I do not mind ability penalties because it allows playing against type and further permits the DM/Players to craft wonderful stories from these mechanics like my third example. Not having penalties or limitations removes some of those inspirations. I do understand that is my personal preference and not everyone enjoys not min/maxing race-class combo.

Personally I do not like ability penalties. Much prefer flaws to take their place. Can have same roleplaying prompts. And crafting of stories. Without the hindrances.

 

[Doug McCrae]

The warlock, a class that can make a pact with an archdevil, and doesn't have to be of evil alignment, is the most un-Christian content that has ever appeared in D&D imo.