D&D 5E (2024) WotC Should Make 5.5E Specific Setting

[CreamCloud0]

I dont consider a "Half Elf" to be a "species". That said. I am fine with the Eberron setting having the Khorvaire as a separate species originate from a sotospeak magical gene splicing between Elf and Human species.

Normally a Human and an Elf cannot reproduce offspring. In most stories where such offspring did happen, it was the Elf parent who magically shapechanged into a Human. The offspring are Human but there is evidence of the elven magical inheritance. An origin feat accommodates this narrative trope, even taking levels in a caster class can.

i was only referring to the half elf as an example in that they have notable features derived from both species

 

[Maxperson]

Sure. The example was given not because the Dragonborn is excluded from that organization but to show how much extra layers of story telling, relationships and implied narrative concerns being a Flaming Fist member on the sword coast is compared to a Dragonborn from across the sea or from a remote poor village from the examples Max gave. One background offers much more than the other in terms of story telling. We know what the Flaming Fist are/represent, their history and relationships because they are integrated into the local setting.

Those backgrounds I provided were brief to illustrate a point. Were I to make a real background, they would all be about the same length, regardless of whether the Dragonborn were from their homeland, another planet, another plane, or Baldur's Gate.

 

[Maxperson]

I don't really see mechanical representation beyond what is in the PHB as necessary.

It depends on your goal. If you want an accurate representation of a blending, you'd need mechanics beyond what is in the PHB for Aasimar. If you don't care about accuracy, then coating an Aasimar with dwarven paint or elven paint will work.

 

[Yaarel]

I think sometimes reducing choices just to make things more compact ends up hurting the overall product. I know some folks get into the whole gnomes vs. halflings debate but generally that's just out of preference and fun. I don't think anything is really gained by trying to roll them up under dwarfs. I think you would just have a lot of dissatisfied people.

At the moment, Halfling (5% of player characters) and Gnome (4%) have enough popularity to merit the Players Handbook core. But their popularity is in freefall. The next Players Handbook might omit them, and at such point merger with Dwarf would help keep some version of them within core.

 

[Parmandur]

They aren't really, though. A Tiefling Dwarf would have some differing abilities from a Tiefling Elf. Giving them all the same abilities and then painting them differently on the outside doesn't make them a true blending.

Planar stuff > biology. They would have their Dwarven or Elven culture and other background stuff, but they would be Tieflings. It doesn't need mechanics...though I do think Heritage Backgroundss with requisite Feats could help here.

 

[Parmandur]

It depends on your goal. If you want an accurate representation of a blending, you'd need mechanics beyond what is in the PHB for Aasimar. If you don't care about accuracy, then coating an Aasimar with dwarven paint or elven paint will work.

I'm not sure how to process the proposal of an accurate blending of a Demon of the Abyss with an Elf.

 

[Warnavick]

I think you missed my point. All of my examples were based on reasons from the 5e books. There are book reasons for Dragonborn to be in any location in the Forgotten Realms.

The Flaming Fists is a great example. According to the 5e books, Dragonborn have a reputation as fine mercenaries and have spread across Faerun. The Flaming Fists are a very large mercenary company, so they would have many Dragonborn among them.

I agree that Dragonborn would make great Flaming Fists, but my point was more on the story telling potential being a Flaming Fist has compared to something like a far traveler or from a remote poor village. I believe the position is Humans of Thay, the Dwarves of the Mithral Hall or the Elves of Highwood have far greater story potential for a PC than Dragonborn because they have deeper connections to the setting beyond a wandering mercenary.

Although if the DM makes it so that the Dragonborn species have a decently interesting connection/history to the setting similar to other cultures/groups/factions so Dragonborn don't feel tacked on then the whole discussion is moot. I imagine most here would do so, assuming your setting allows for Dragonborn of course.

 

[Maxperson]

Planar stuff > biology. They would have their Dwarven or Elven culture and other background stuff, but they would be Tieflings. It doesn't need mechanics...though I do think Heritage Backgroundss with requisite Feats could help here.

Perhaps for a half-celestial, but Aasimar just have some blood passed down for generations. It's too diluted to overcome biology. Not that I necessarily agree that even a half-celestial would overcome the biology, but at least that would be direct and strong enough that I could see that as a possibility.

 

[TiQuinn]

At the moment, Halfling (5% of player characters) and Gnome (4%) have enough popularity to merit the Players Handbook core. But their popularity is in freefall. The next Players Handbook might omit them, and at such point merger with Dwarf would help keep some version of them within core.

If such percentages actually dictate whether they are kept in the game or not. I'm not sure those stats actually matter in this context. I still feel like it's a solution in search of a problem.

 

[Yaarel]

i was only referring to the half elf as an example in that they have notable features derived from both species

Wait. What notable traits does the 2014 Half Elf have? They are Charisma boost like the 2024 Human can be. They are skillful like the Human is. The traditional Half Elf stats are Human.

The only thing missing is Darkvision, but this should be a cantrip anyway. And if a trait, an origin feat is a reasonable mechanic.

Moreover, assuming Elf has Darkvision is problematic. Underground Drow and nocturnal Wood should have it, but High (Sun!) and Astral shouldnt. Eladrin and Sea could go either way.

Making Darkvision a cantrip fixes everything.