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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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."

 

[cbwjm]

I am happy about that. Some people, as this thread makes clear, aren't.

Really? Because your comments in this thread make it sound like you don't know this option doesn't exist and that if WotC puts out a race with set ASIs for those who want them that you will somehow be missing out and unable to play you strong halfling wrestler.

 

[Charlaquin]

Yeah, when this was discussed last year, I asked how many counter-examples to evil culture does it take to prove "not all drow". The answer I got was that there is no amount of "going against the grain" that is enough as long as the grain still exists. All, many, most, half, some, it doesn't matter.

The sentence line doesn't have to be alignment based either. "Dwarves are hard-working, dour craftsmen and miners who live underground" might not be offensive, but it's still a stereotyped monoculture and no better than evil sadistic drow. It doesn't matter if it refers to generic PHB dwarves, FR dwarves or Gauntelgrym dwarves. It stereotypes dwarves as one thing and no amount of mold-breaking examples fixes that.

So what, aside from some racial mechanics, defines a dwarf once cultural elements are gone?

The key is to separate the culture from the species. “Dwarves are like this” gets stereotypey and weird. “The people of Gauntlgrym are like this,” or better yet, “These factors affect the predominant culture of Gauntlgrym in these ways” isn’t uncomfortable in the same way.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

The Hafling vs. Goliath/Minotaur debate is silly. The rules allow a PC character, regardless of race, to have better stats than any NPC character.

The only thing that could stop Zidi from being stronger than every goliath in the world, is if there is another player who makes a goliath character that they also want to be the strongest.... in which they tie. Which is very funny, honestly.

Or the DM makes a custom statblock for a stronger goliath NPC, but that's neither her nor there.

If you, the DM, feel an orverriding need that a goliath SOMEWHERE must be stronger than Zidi, you always have that option by making a custom NPC of your own. Or you can just demand that Zidi's player uses the PHB rules, which you also have a right to (but don't be offended if that player decides to play at a different table).

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

OK, you could create an elf PC, Kalel von Kripton, stronger than a minotaur because she has got shen blood. She could jump over the trees like in "Tiger & Dragon" or other wuxia titles, and defeats troops as in a musou videogame, but thos characters are boring Mary-Sue. The fandom would rather "Baby Yoda" Grogu than Rey Skywalker. PC races need a strong and a weak point. They can't be the best for all.

A "weak" minotaur is possible, because he is too old, an injury in the battle, or a female who chose to learn the shaman's path because she didn't want, or couldn't to marry and conceive strong children.

Special subraces or bloodlines could allow some little changes with the racial traits. For example drows who aren't Lolth's worshipers but deep dragons subjects (Dragon Magic, 3.5 Ed pag 6) or dwars from a dinasty of earth god's clerics/theocrats.

An acrobat orc? Possible, maybe a former (female) slave trained to be a derviche or blade-dancer and she ran away when her owner was killed (by an assasin, but she was the main suspect). Later she become profesional gladiator/pit-fighter in underground arena, and the acrobacy helped her to become more popular in the "show".

Where is the fun and the surprise if David the gnome can defeat the goliath with simple strengh? This is D&D, not Dragon Ball or other mangas where a child warrior can kill the evil overlord (f.e. Dragon Quest: the adventures of Fly). This can't be only muscle and strategy and social skills are unnecessary.

* When is WotC to sell body pillows with waifu hexborn? It is for a friend who likes cute witches and gothic lolitas.

 

[Morrus]

Really? Because your comments in this thread make it sound like you don't know this option doesn't exist

OK? Now you know otherwise.

 

[Morrus]

I gotta say, I think I’ve never been quote replied so much in 20 years as when I said I wanted to play a strong halfling.

That said, I’m done on the subject. I won’t be replying any further on the topic. It’s become very tedious for me!

 

[Laurefindel]

I gotta say, I think I’ve never been quote replied so much in 20 years as when I said I wanted to play a strong halfling.

That said, I’m done on the subject. I won’t be replying any further on the topic. It’s become very tedious for me!

It makes me feel for the people at WotC however.

Regardless which direction they go, streams of opposing comments must make it very tedious work for any designer

 

[Keefe the Thief]

You know, most won't get this reference and if you don`t, I don´t blame you, but... this thread reminds me on the PalAssassin wars on Planet AD&D shudders.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Looking at the Random table of origins, for both Dhampir and Hexblood I think there should be the obvious, "One of your biological parents was a Vampire (or Hag in the case of the later)"

 

[Scribe]

It makes me feel for the people at WotC however.

Regardless which direction they go, streams of opposing comments must make it very tedious work for any designer

If only there was another way, having options both fully supported!

If only...