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

[Maxperson]

I agree.

Stripping dragonborn of their breath weapon so they would be identical to humans is not 5.5e

It's not 5e, either. Or 4e that I've heard. Or 3e. Or 3.5e. No edition of D&D has done that to them.

 

[Maxperson]

Wut!? Not even PC species are well balanced. They certainly ain’t balanced for NPCs. I’m pretty sure AoE breath weapons that do more than enough damage to kill several enemy troops at once even if they are save beat a unit of dwarves with an extra hp apiece and the ability to sense tremors.

An army of high elves with firebolt and other offensive cantrip would probably destroy them.

 

[Minigiant]

Wut!? Not even PC species are well balanced. They certainly ain’t balanced for NPCs. I’m pretty sure AoE breath weapons that do more than enough damage to kill several enemy troops at once even if they are save beat a unit of dwarves with an extra hp apiece and the ability to sense tremors.

I believe if you use CR calculations using the guidance in the 2014 DMG giving the basic warrior Dragonborn breath weapon pushes its CR up from 1/4 to over 1. This does not happen for other species abilities.

See.

This is my point

A 1HD dragonborn commoner's breath weapon would be 1d6 adjusted to its CR. Maybe even 1d4.

See if WOTC did the 5.5e setting, we'd all know mass Dragonborn would not be that much more scary that any other species.

Except Gnomes. Gnome suck for nonPCs

 

[CreamCloud0]

besides simplifying the overhead of running the game, i honestly question why you'd want NPCs to not have the same list of traits that their PC counterparts have?

 

[Minigiant]

besides simplifying the overhead of running the game, i honestly question why you'd want NPCs to not have the same list of traits that their PC counterparts have?

Maintaining Gygaxian humanocentrism or a futile attempt of a low magic frequency base.

5.5e is higher magic frequency than most editions.

 

[Yaarel]

is there really not a middle ground for species having their own distinctions between 'superficial aesthetic differences' and 'alien unknowable experience'?

In the mind of a scientist (animal behavioralist)? Maybe.

For the average gamer trying out a Scottish accent? No, not really.

 

[Yaarel]

Species Template for Humanoid Statblocks

SPECIES	TYPICAL FEATURES
Aasimar *	Resist radiant-necrotic, Heal pro d4, Light, Fly 30
Dragonborn *	Resist type, 15' cone Dex: 1d10 type
Dwarf *	Resist poison, Hit points +3, Tremorsense 60
Elf *	Cantrip, Detect Magic, Misty Step, Resist charm, Immune sleep.
Gnome *	Save adv: Wis, Int, Cha Minor Illusion, Speak with Animals
Goliath	Frost: hit +1d6 cold, slow. Fire: hit +1d10 fire
. . .