D&D 5E WotC On Tasha, Race, Alignment: A Several-Year Plan

WotC spoke to the site Dicebreaker about D&D race and alignment, and their plans for the future.

• On of the motivations of the changes [character customization] in Tasha's Cauldron was to decouple race from class.
• The 'tightrope' between honouring legacy and freedom of character choice has not been effectively walked.
• Alignment is turning into a roleplaying tool, and will not be used to describe entire cultures.
• This work will take several years to fully implement.

 

[DND_Reborn]

While alignment doesn't serve much of a purpose, I can say their ideals, flaws, etc. section does for players that use them. Getting in that mindset, remembering them and basing action off them can really steer a character in directions the player would normally never go.

Agree completely. I posted earlier how I think personality traits are a better indication of a likely course of action than simple alignment could ever be.

 

[Scott Christian]

Now that is an interesting question! Generally I subscribe to the philosophy that “if the players don’t experience it, it doesn’t exist,” so I would probably say that it has to intersect with the characters to matter.

This is interesting. Thanks for that clarification. This explains your approach to the game more than anything I've read. And definitely illuminates your DM'ing style. Thank you.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I dont think that's allowed in today's society.

Appearantly it isn't.

 

[Oofta]

Agree completely. I posted earlier how I think personality traits are a better indication of a likely course of action than simple alignment could ever be.

Personally I like alignment as a starting point or when all I really need is a 30 second cameo version of a creature and what their motivations are. For in depth PCs or NPCs, alignment is just one optional descriptor of many.

 

[Inchoroi]

I wonder if these "issues" will be the reason 6e becomes a thing sooner than later.

God, I hope not. I do not want to buy the books yet again.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I have absolutely no problem if they removed anything related to racial ability modifiers or alignment or whatever. The reason being is simple...

I've played D&D for over 30 years. I know how racial ability modifiers and alignment works. If another version of the rules comes out in the future that doesn't have them and I decide I * want * them in my game... it will take all of 10 seconds to add them back in.

If I was able to add in skills to the skill list that no longer appear in 5E but were in the game previously... I can add alignment into the game if/when it comes to it. And because I know I can do this, and WotC knows I can do this... I won't get all bent out of shape that WotC chooses to change some things for the next generation of D&D players instead of re-catering the game specifically to me.

 

[Scott Christian]

I've had a LG PC run through to 20th level who never murdered anyone.

He killed hundreds of humanoids, giants, magical beasts, aberrations etc and put down an equal number of undead, demons and constructs though.

Those killings were always in self defence (or the defence of others) from a creature that was using or threatening violence.

I don't think anyone here is saying that can't be done. But your words seem to indicate that you had one character that did it. The others?

I agree with your logic. But, I think in most games, DM's do not put baby orcs running around because of the moral dilemma. Most don't have a woman nursing (although I once had an old lady with lycanthropy doing it to a wolf pup to show her caring side) because it would cause a moral problem. But the ones that do, most players I know would lock them in a room and still try to reach the root of the problem. Whether that is the creature stealing babies, eating guards, or getting ready to attack the town.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

God, I hope not. I do not want to buy the books yet again.

Don’t!

I have been happy with 5e until now but will happily/proudly skip 5e if this is what goes down.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Personally I like alignment as a starting point or when all I really need is a 30 second cameo version of a creature and what their motivations are. For in depth PCs or NPCs, alignment is just one optional descriptor of many.

The problem with alignment as I see it is many people have (at least slightly) different views on the nuances of the different alignments. shrug It has been a problem identifying alignment and actions since D&D started IMO.

I know it is simple to get an idea "at a glance", though. I'm just saying if alignment is being removed, at least those traits can convey similar information.

 

[Horwath]

God, I hope not. I do not want to buy the books yet again.

this all smells as D&D 5.5e for 2024. 50th anniversary.

We'll see for sure if there is a lack of rulebooks in 2023.

but hey, 10 years for an edition update is not so bad.

and 6th edition in 2034. 60th anniversary.