Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana August: Races of Ravnica

I don't know modern MtG or Ravnica other then what we have been talking about on here and at D&D the last few weeks...but quick look I like this.


Vedalken sound like I could totally play the blue elves like 'mystic elf' and 'magician of black chaos' from yugioh. I think I really like the race even if I never heard of it before.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I don't think race is supposed to matter that much in 5e. Sure race/class "typical stories" tend to get a little love, but it isn't like a dwarf warlock is much worse off than a tiefling one right out of the gate (and depending on what kind of dwarf and what kind of pact implement, the dwarf might end up being better). It is more frosting on a cake than a Combo. If there is a problem with these races, it is that there isn't as strong of a "typical story" (at least as translated to D&D) for some of them.

 

[bedir than]

I don't think race is supposed to matter that much in 5e. Sure race/class "typical stories" tend to get a little love, but it isn't like a dwarf warlock is much worse off than a tiefling one right out of the gate (and depending on what kind of dwarf and what kind of pact implement, the dwarf might end up being better). It is more frosting on a cake than a Combo. If there is a problem with these races, it is that there isn't as strong of a "typical story" (at least as translated to D&D) for some of them.

The typical story is because of the 40+ year history on the main races. Since I didn't play 3e/4e Tieflings/Dragonborn have no story for me. It's starting to grow, because I'm reading all the books I can. I expect the Ravnica races will get expanded stories in the book about Ravnica.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Tieflings have been part of the game since 2nd edition (Planescape).

 

[bedir than]

Tieflings have been part of the game since 2nd edition (Planescape).

Oh, so they were introduced in a setting book and weren't accepted as a standard race? Kind of like the Loxodon?

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't think is was said "you can't play a tiefling in another setting". It's pretty easy to travel from Sigil to another setting. There is a tiefling companion (from sigil) in Baldur's Gate 2, which is 2nd edition FR.

 

[cbwjm]

But, to be fair, if people didn't know or play planescape then they were unlikely to really know about them. Even in 3e people might not have really known about them initially since they were a race out of the MM rather than a PHB race.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sure, but like some other aspects of the game, they had been around for some time without everyone being aware of them. So they do have quite a long history.

 

[gyor]

But, to be fair, if people didn't know or play planescape then they were unlikely to really know about them. Even in 3e people might not have really known about them initially since they were a race out of the MM rather than a PHB race.

Tieflings, Genasi, and Aasimar appeared in FR, books prior to 4e, they where in FRs main core book, so even by people with no interest they unlikely to be unknown. In 4e and 5e they become even more important in FR, in some locations they would be more common then elves, halflings, and dwarves.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I believe the Simbic Hybid manta glide ability needs some sort of speed limit. For example an eagle totem barbarian could use thier level 14 ability to move 40' straight up. Then, RAW, they would instantly fall 40' at the end of thier turn. With manta glide this would give them an extra 80' horizontal movement.

 

[Bacon Bits]

Tieflings, Genasi, and Aasimar appeared in FR, books prior to 4e, they where in FRs main core book, so even by people with no interest they unlikely to be unknown. In 4e and 5e they become even more important in FR, in some locations they would be more common then elves, halflings, and dwarves.

They're pretty clearly talking about the transition from 2e to 3e since he's talking about Planescape, which was only ever printed as a 2e campaign setting. FR was a 15 years old before the 3e white book introduced Planetouched races, and I remember a lot of people confused or not liking it. It would be like WotC publishing an Eberron book in 2020 that included Thri-Kreen, Half-Giants, Giff and Arcanes and just expecting people to go with the injection of Spelljammer and Dark Sun into Eberron.

It wasn't much of a big deal at the time, however, because they were all ECL races. ECL races were universally terrible and if you didn't see why they were so terrible you typically saw them as universally overpowered. Either way, few people played them.