D&D 5E Unearthed Arcana: Gothic Lineages & New Race/Culture Distinction

The latest Unearthed Arcana contains the Dhampir, Reborn, and Hexblood races. The Dhampir is a half-vampire; the Hexblood is a character which has made a pact with a hag; and the Reborn is somebody brought back to life.

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dnd.wizards.com

Perhaps the bigger news is this declaration on how race is to be handled in future D&D books as it joins other games by stating that:

"...the race options in this article and in future D&D books lack the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, the Alignment trait, and any other trait that is purely cultural. Racial traits henceforth reflect only the physical or magical realities of being a player character who’s a member of a particular lineage. Such traits include things like darkvision, a breath weapon (as in the dragonborn), or innate magical ability (as in the forest gnome). Such traits don’t include cultural characteristics, like language or training with a weapon or a tool, and the traits also don’t include an alignment suggestion, since alignment is a choice for each individual, not a characteristic shared by a lineage."

 

[Older Beholder]

said he's fine with floating ASIs being a thing, as long as he also gets his default racial ASIs. He's repeatedly said he's fine with two options, not one. Are you misinterpreting his stance, or do you specifically not want there to be two options? If the latter, why is it important that floating ASIs be the sole option?

Making floating ASI's official means that it is the default for Adventurers League play.

Having them floating doesn't stop anyone putting them in the old fixed scores, having them fixed does stop people putting them anywhere else. That's why the change, floating scores covers both needs, fixed scores don't.

 

[JEB]

Making floating ASI's official means that it is the default for Adventurers League play.

Having them floating doesn't stop anyone putting them in the old fixed scores, having them fixed does stop people putting them anywhere else. That's why the change, floating scores covers both needs, fixed scores don't.

1) The suggestion I and others have floated is to have floating ASIs with default recommendations, not solely fixed scores. Two options, not one.
2) If both options are available for Adventurers League, doesn't that mean everyone gets what they want?

 

[Older Beholder]

1) The suggestion I and others have floated is to have floating ASIs with default recommendations, not solely fixed scores. Two options, not one.
2) If both options are available for Adventurers League, doesn't that mean everyone gets what they want?

You can float that idea, I mean that is how things currently work until an option is printed without fixed ASI's. But currently there is no such thing.
I kinda thought people were arguing against the options in Tasha's being official?

 

[JEB]

You can float that idea, I mean that is how things currently work until an option is printed without fixed ASI's. But currently there is no such thing.
I kinda thought people were arguing against the options in Tasha's being official?

Folks in this thread like @Scribe have been arguing against Tasha's being the only way going forward, and they want continued support for default ASIs as well in future products. I think that's a fair accommodation that allows both pro-ASI and anti-ASI folks to get what they want, without constraining the anti-ASI folks or asking pro-ASI folks to do extra work. And this model already seems to work well for character classes, so why not have it for races as well?

 

[Scribe]

No, I'm not arguing against Tasha's being official. I do not believe I've said that even once in this thread, but to be clear.

Tasha's can be the official go forward option for all I care, as long as there remains a sidebar, an option, a 'quick design' a recommendation, something, that retains the pre-Tasha's system.

 

[Older Beholder]

No, I'm not arguing against Tasha's being official. I do not believe I've said that even once in this thread, but to be clear.

Tasha's can be the official go forward option for all I care, as long as there remains a sidebar, an option, a 'quick design' a recommendation, something, that retains the pre-Tasha's system.

Fair enough.
I just think you're setting yourself up for some disappointment.

Out of interest, are the people that want to keep fixed ASI's generally DM's, players or both?

 

[Scribe]

Fair enough.
I just think you're setting yourself up for some disappointment.

Out of interest, are the people that want to keep fixed ASI's generally DM's, players or both?

Both, but more player.

And yes, I know I'm looking down the barrel at some incoming disappointment, thats why I'm looking at the SRDs for D&D and Pathfinder and why I've been essentially crying into the void for 111 pages.

 

[JEB]

Out of interest, are the people that want to keep fixed ASI's generally DM's, players or both?

That would make an interesting poll, but I'm not sure how relevant the answer would be. Wizards should be marketing to both.

And yes, I know I'm looking down the barrel at some incoming disappointment, thats why I'm looking at the SRDs for D&D and Pathfinder and why I've been essentially crying into the void for 111 pages.

All the more reason for folks like you to make sure Wizards is aware that you want support for your preference as well. (And I suspect "we want both" will get a lot more traction than "no floating ASIs".)

 

[Older Beholder]

That would make an interesting poll, but I'm not sure how relevant the answer would be. Wizards should be marketing to both.

Both, but more player.

And yes, I know I'm looking down the barrel at some incoming disappointment, thats why I'm looking at the SRDs for D&D and Pathfinder and why I've been essentially crying into the void for 111 pages.

Nothing to do with Wizards. It was more just for my own interest and understanding, I agree it’s not really relevant. I appreciate the response though.

Unfortunately there’s nothing anyone here can do to help though, other than suggest you fill out the survey, etc, I appreciate the need to vent though. Maybe they’ll announce a campaign setting you’re keen on soon (or something else you‘re after) to keep you interested and get you excited about the game again.

Personally I’m really excited to see the final versions of these UA options in a future release. I found all 3 sparked my imagination.

 

[Mind of tempest]

Both, but more player.

And yes, I know I'm looking down the barrel at some incoming disappointment, thats why I'm looking at the SRDs for D&D and Pathfinder and why I've been essentially crying into the void for 111 pages.

what is it that feels so wrong about floating ASI to you anyway?