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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 9803755" data-attributes="member: 58172">It is remarkable: Tiefling and Dragonborn are newly prominent species of D&D. They rank in popularity alongside Dwarf. I suspect the Genasi-esque Goliath has already joined their ranks.Thinking on the dynamics of D&D today, it differs from earlier decades.D&D continues to remain Human-and-Elf-centric. With the "Half-Elf" merging into the (sometimes charismatic) Elf, I suspect the popularity of the Elf has surpassed the Human.The Tolkienism of Halfling and Orc still has some currency but is fading into obscurity. I am unsure World of Warcraft is keeping the Orc afloat. The 2024 Orc lacs a distinctive identity. It seems to default into some kind of half-human half ogre. We will see how it develops. (Personally, I like the etymological ogre-orc-orcus association. Playing up both Giant and Shadowfell themes works for Orc.)The 1e Gnome originated during the early class restrictions as a kind of Dwarf who could be a Magic-User. Even so, reallife folkbeliefs about house sprites keep the Gnome concept buoyant. Yet generally, the Small folk are loosing popularity. Dwarf recategorized to Medium size, while Halfling and Gnome are in decline.The Awsimar ranks along with but after Halfling, Orc, and Gnome. The UA attempt to merge Awsimar with humanimals Aarakocra and Tabaxi didnt take. As far as I can tell, the popularity of Awsimar is stable, but last of the Players Handbook species. We will see if it gains from being core now.Regarding a setting for the 2024 Awsimar, Tiefling, and Dragonborn:Any Humanoid species can produce an individual who is a Tiefling or an Awsimar. These "astrals"(Fiend or Celestial respectively) lack their own native culture. Their culture is whichever they are born into. The 4e Nentir setting developed the Tiefling with their own ancient human culture. But 5e 2024 focuses on the individuals. I feel this is enough of an origin to make sense in any setting that has an Astral Plane.The Dragonborn originate magically from Dragons who shapeshift their own unhatched Dragons into Humanoids. The Dragonborn can appear in any setting that has Dragons. These Dragonborn can reproduce. My impression is, these draconic Humanoids got together despite the conflicts among their ancestral Dragons. Thus historically they formed a kind of Pan-Dragon culture that blends the cultural influences from both metallic and chromatic Dragons. Now, if Dragons hatch a new Dragonborn, the newborns grow up in the culture of the Dragon parents, not the Pan-Dragon Dragonborn culture. This Pan-Dragon culture also includes nondragonborn species that immigrated in. Despite the mixed metallic-chromatic ancestry of most Dragonborn, each individual seems to select the traits from only one of their ancestors.Inferably, Gem Dragonborn exist, but remained with their Gem Dragon parents, and never joined the Pan-Dragon culture. According to the Players Handbook, the origins of Awsimar, Tiefling, and Dragonborn are terse and versatile. It is easy to reuse the data for almost any setting. Even so, there seems enough data for a setting as-is, with minimal elaboration.</blockquote>

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