D&D (2024) What new jargon do you want to replace "Race"?

[DEFCON 1]

To be honest I don't actually care what they eventually call it... I'll get used to it pretty quickly whatever it is. But I voted for the only one that I thought sounded nice, clean, simple, and folksy (which is how I think most of these peoples live out their lives in these pseudo-medieval realms which is still my main D&D jam.)

And that word was 'Kin'.

 

[CleverNickName]

As I said in the other thread:

We started using Ancestry last year, and we have no complaints.

"Let me tell you about my race" - too personal, impolite, at best it sounds like you're talking to your track coach
"Let me tell you about my species" - weird, clinical, sounds like a bad sci-fi trope
"Let me tell you about my origin" - vague, elusive, sounds like the start of a long, dull backstory
"Let me tell you about my ancestors" - mysterious, proud, you order another round of ale because this is going to be an epic story

 

[Vaalingrade]

"Let me tall you about my creation forge" - is a warforged.

 

[Lycurgon]

My preferred terms are Ancestry and Heritage. Both have been used by 3rd parties already and I am happy with either.

But WotC are already using Ancestry as referring to the specific type of ancestor you are descended from within your species. All of the new species in the latest playtest have Ancestries ie: Draconic Ancestry is which type of dragon your Dragonborn is descended from; Ardlings have Animal Ancestry and Goliaths have Giant Ancestry.
So if Ancestry was used instead of Species WotC would also have to find a new term to replace what they are using Ancestry for.

 

[Scribe]

As I said in the other thread:

Thats the one that sold me.

 

[DEFCON 1]

My preferred terms are Ancestry and Heritage. Both have been used by 3rd parties already and I am happy with either.

But WotC are already using Ancestry as referring to the specific type of ancestor you are descended from within your species. All of the new species in the latest playtest have Ancestries ie: Draconic Ancestry is which type of dragon your Dragonborn is descended from; Ardlings have Animal Ancestry and Goliaths have Giant Ancestry.
So if Ancestry was used instead of Species WotC would also have to find a new term to replace what they are using Ancestry for.

Yeah, and it's the same with 'Origin'-- that's what Sorcerers have.

So presuming we take 'Ancestry' and 'Origin' off the table as already having uses in 5E... the only one I would see that might possibly be put in place instead of 'Species' by WotC (if enough people veto'd it in the surveys) would be 'Lineage'. If I had to bet on the #2 option to be used instead of 'Species', it'd be that.

Still like 'Kin' more than 'Lineage' though. "Okay folks, choose your Kin, Class, and Background."

 

[ThrorII]

I vote "funny mask". Because many just play humans in funny masks anyway.
"What's your funny mask?" "I'm an elf, can't you see my prosthetic ears!"

 

[Clint_L]

Okay here me out.

We go back to making Races as Classes. Then they are just all called Classes. "Im a Fighter!" "Im a Wizard!" "Im an Elf!"

An Elf of course being a Fighter/Wizard in regular terms. or a Dwarf being a Fighter with some special abilities. Etc.

1975 phoned and wants its game back.

 

[ThrorII]

1975 phoned and wants its game back.

Actually 1981.
1975 had race and class separate (human, elf, half-elf, dwarf, halfling; fighter, magic-user, cleric, thief, ranger, paladin).

 

[Xamnam]

Like I said in the other thread, I'm okay with species, but it's not one I'd advocate for. That seems like it's going to end up being "kick the can down the road for ten years and have to deal with it again"

Fine:
Parentage
Origin
Heritage

Good:
Kinfolk
Kindred
Ancestry
Lineage (this is used in Tasha's for Custom Lineage, so it's pretty close already)

Great:
Kin
Folk
Schmorp