Wizards of the Coast Reveals Revised Eberron Species Details

Wizards of the Coast has revealed some new details about Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, specifically detailing some of the changes players can expect to see from the species rules in the book. The upcoming Eberron splatbook will feature five species. Four of the species appeared in Eberron: Rising From the Last War, while the Khoravar (which have mixed human and elvish ancestries) are presented as a unique species in the book.

Today on D&D Beyond, Wizards listed some of the changes that will appear in each ruleset. Most notably, the Warforged is now presented as a Construct, while the Kalashtar are presented as aberrations. This makes these species immune to various spells that only impact humanoids. Additionally, the Khoravar has a new Lethargy Resilience feature that turns a failed saving throw to end or prevent the Unconscious condition into a success. This feature recharges after 1d4 Long Rests, which is a new design element to D&D.

According to D&D Beyond, the following changes are being made:

Changeling:

• Based on the Changeling from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.
• Shape-Shifter: You have Advantage on Charisma checks while shape-shifted.

Kalashtar:

• Creature Type: Kalashtar now have the Aberration creature type.
• Mind Link: You can now allow multiple creatures to communicate with you telepathically, and they no longer must be able to see you.
• Severed From Dreams: You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice after a Long Rest. This proficiency lasts until you finish another Long Rest.

Khoravar:

• Now included as a unique playable species in the world of Eberron
• Darkvision: Gain Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
• Fey Ancestry: You have Advantage on saving throws to avoid or end the Charmed condition.
• Fey Gift: You know the Friends cantrip. When you finish a Long Rest, you can swap it for any Cleric, Druid, or Wizard cantrip.
• Lethargy Resilience: You can turn a failed save to avoid or end the Unconscious condition into a success. You can use this trait again after you finish 1d4 Long Rests.
• Skill Versatility: Gain proficiency in one skill or tool of your choice. After you finish a Long Rest, you may swap that proficiency for a different skill or tool.

Shifter:

• Based on the Shifter from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.
• Size: You can choose to be Medium or Small when you select this species.

Warforged:

• Creature Type: Warforged now have the Construct creature type.
• Constructed Resilience: Now have Advantage on saving throws to end the Poisoned condition and some aspects of this trait have been moved to Sentry's Rest and the new Tireless trait.
• Integrated Protection: Donning armor no longer takes an hour.
• Sentry's Rest: Now specifies Warforged don't need to sleep, and magic can't put them to sleep.
• Tireless: You don't gain Exhaustion levels from dehydration, malnutrition, or suffocation.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Culture and ethnicity are not as distinct as you might think.

There are German and Scandinavian (Viking) phenotypic (physical) traits. You can grow up in those societies while looking different, but you will stand out as an outsider. You can be born into those societies and then grow up within a different culture, but again might be viewed as an outsider. Culture is not limited by ethnicity or phenotypic traits, but to say it has nothing to do with your physical appearance is simply not true.

In order to qualify as German, you just have to have been born in Germany. Phenotype is irrelevant. You are getting into "all Irish people have red hair" territory here.

And if you "stand out as an outsider" it's because you are surrounded by racists.

 

[king of the ceaders]

In order to qualify as German, you just have to have been born in Germany. Phenotype is irrelevant. You are getting into "all Irish people have red hair" territory here.

And if you "stand out as an outsider" it's because you are surrounded by racists.

Acknowledging someone stands out doesn't make someone a racist, treating them differently because they stand out might.

 

[LazarusKane]

In order to qualify as German, you just have to have been born in Germany. Phenotype is irrelevant. You are getting into "all Irish people have red hair" territory here.

And if you "stand out as an outsider" it's because you are surrounded by racists.

This is your culture. It has nothing to do with either your physical appearance or your abilities. You wouldn’t write half-German on your character sheet, and I’m sure no one would be able to tell by your appearance.

It would be like me writing “Scouser” on my character sheet. Or push it back further and writing Half-Viking/Half-Viking, or further still and writing African, since all humans are descended from dark skinned Africans if you go sufficiently far back.

I's not IMHO so simple: If you don't "look the part" then of course you are noteworthy. For example a child from korean Immigrants that's born in (ok, let's use) Germany may feel like a German (and is a German!) and maybe didnt't have any connection to "Korean Culture". Not only racists will notice - how someone reacts and perceives the person is the big question: is it (falsely) a foreigner for them or is the person a German with roots in another region of the world (and yeah, all humanity ultimately has it's roots in Africa)?. The same is true for mixed heritage.

And maybe I would write "Half-German" (as abridgment for Half-Japanese/Half-German) on a Character sheet: If I play a campaign in Japan and the Char is of mixed heritage - to signify the "cultural roots" the Char may feel and to explain the ugly drawing on the sheet because I can't draw a regonizable picture of a half-japanese/half-german person.

The same is true for fantasy cultures and fantasy species.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I can't draw a regonizable picture of a half-japanese/half-german person.

That's because there are no unique features of a "half Japanese, half German" person. So obviously, it's impossible to draw one. Of course, there is actually no such thing - their nationality would depend on where they were born. Their cultural background is going to be written into the character's backstory. But it's not a stat that affects gameplay.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I's not IMHO so simple: If you don't "look the part" then of course you are noteworthy. For example a child from korean Immigrants that's born in (ok, let's use) Germany may feel like a German (and is a German!)

I think using German might be a bad example in many cases, as someone can be of a Turkish background and be born in Germany and really not be much of an outsider because a lot of Germans happen to be of Turkish backgrounds.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

In order to qualify as German, you just have to have been born in Germany.

This is actually not really true.

Phenotype is irrelevant. You are getting into "all Irish people have red hair" territory here.

And if you "stand out as an outsider" it's because you are surrounded by racists.

 

[Misanthrope Prime]

Culture and ethnicity are not as distinct as you might think.

There are German and Scandinavian (Viking) phenotypic (physical) traits. You can grow up in those societies while looking different, but you will stand out as an outsider. You can be born into those societies and then grow up within a different culture, but again might be viewed as an outsider. Culture is not limited by ethnicity or phenotypic traits, but to say it has nothing to do with your physical appearance is simply not true.

You're like one step removed from breaking out the forceps and measuring skulls my guy

 

[Clint_L]

Culture and ethnicity are not as distinct as you might think.

There are German and Scandinavian (Viking) phenotypic (physical) traits. You can grow up in those societies while looking different, but you will stand out as an outsider. You can be born into those societies and then grow up within a different culture, but again might be viewed as an outsider. Culture is not limited by ethnicity or phenotypic traits, but to say it has nothing to do with your physical appearance is simply not true.

My family is from Sweden and I was in Stockholm just last summer. It's a very welcoming, multicultural city, and most Swedes would be offended at the suggestion that you would be seen as an outsider because you don't look like a viking. FYI. Also, even just looking at folks with roots that go way back in Sweden, there is tremendous variation. My family is from the far north (originally Geatland) and we look quite distinct from folks who originated near Stockholm or Gothenburg.

However, I agree with your suggestion that removing specific attributes that D&D previously allowed for just the two Tolkien mixed species is somehow disparaging to IRL folks of various heritages is a real reach.

 

[Dire Bare]

My family is from Sweden and I was in Stockholm just last summer. It's a very welcoming, multicultural city, and most Swedes would be offended at the suggestion that you would be seen as an outsider because you don't look like a viking. FYI. Also, even just looking at folks with roots that go way back in Sweden, there is tremendous variation. My family is from the far north (originally Geatland) and we look quite distinct from folks who originated near Stockholm or Gothenburg.

However, I agree with your suggestion that removing specific attributes that D&D previously allowed for just the two Tolkien mixed species is somehow disparaging to IRL folks of various heritages is a real reach.

It's hard to talk about these things . . . race, culture, ethnicity . . . because as a species we've been. pretty bad about it over the millennia and have used the slight differences between populations to excuse horrible things against each other . . .

Plus it's complicated and messy. Which makes it hard to model with RPG game mechanics and easy to create something that someone finds offensive (usually rightfully so) and reinforces stereotypes.

Please don't take my posts as trying to say folks in Scandinavian countries are all tall, blonde Vikings or intolerant towards those with some degree of difference (any more or less than anybody else). I'm the farthest thing from an expert on the peoples of modern or ancient Scandinavia, but I certainly assume there is diversity there, both indigenously and via immigration.

All I'm really trying to say (poorly) is that while culture and ethnicity are two different concepts, they overlap and culture does involve how we perceive our physical traits and differences. It's not as simple as saying race/ethnicity = physical traits while culture = learned traits/behaviors. Which again, makes it hard to model in a game.

At first, when WotC changed "race" to "species" and dropped "culture" from the game (kinda) . . . I was irritated, but I've come to think this approach might be superior to the attempts by other 5E third-party designers to try and model the distinction between biological and learned traits.

 

[DEFCON 1]

At first, when WotC changed "race" to "species" and dropped "culture" from the game (kinda) . . . I was irritated, but I've come to think this approach might be superior to the attempts by other 5E third-party designers to try and model the distinction between biological and learned traits.

It also doesn't help that both WotC and all these 5E third-party designers are trying to map out an entire species of people with four or five rather pathetic game mechanic traits.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... when the game gives us 20 levels worth of features and abilities to distinguish our jobs... and only five traits to distinguish an entire taxonomy of being-- regardless of whether they are biological or learned-- it should tell us all without a shadow of a doubt that none of us should take the mechanics of species in D&D seriously. They are meaningless. Just do (general) yourselves a favor and add those five traits to the giant morass that are our class features and stop worrying about whether they have an effect on what the game's species are. Because they don't.

When we can look at the entirety of the Halfling species and suggest with the attempts of a straight face that one of its most important features as an race of people... that of ALL the things we could say about their biology and psychology and culture that makes them unique and special compared to all the other species across these fantasy game worlds... is that they 'get to reroll 1s'... that should be all the evidence we need about how meaningless it all is.