Yaarel
Mind Mage
The recent errata and Sage Advice continue the trend of removing stereotypical descriptions from the player races.
I like these updates.
For some others, these updates created a perception of the lore becoming more homogeneous and bland.
However, the stereotypes do not appear to be going away. Rather, they are reorganizing into a different mechanic of the game. Not the "race" mechanic, but the "faction" mechanic. An entire "race" cannot be a specific alignment, now. It cannot even "tend" toward a specific alignment. But an entire "faction" can be or tend toward a specific alignment.
We can see this in the drow lore updates. Now the Evil drow tradition characterizes the Lolth faction of "udadrow", specifically, rather than the entire drow (sub) race as a whole. This Lolth faction continues the objectionable content in full force, including racism, slavery, sexism, etcetera. However, as a faction rather than the entire race, the D&D tradition reincarnates into a mechanical category that is more accurate and more useful.
The description as a faction is more accurate, because a group of Lolth ideological extremists sounds plausible, whereas an entire race of freewill beings being monolithically Evil and homogeneous sounds impossible. Meanwhile, even the drow tradition across all editions has included non-Evil and non-Lolth possibilities. So the mechanics of factions is factually correct when describing the D&D tradition.
The description as a faction is more useful, because a single culture − any culture − is complex and comprises competing interest groups. A single faction can help articulate one flavorful point of view, while leaving room for other factions that espouse contrary points of view.
The best mechanics to describe a culture is a selection of prominent backgrounds. A "prominent" background might be a frequent one, such as Guild Artisan, whence Farmer or Merchant, is in certain cultures. Also, a "prominent" background might be a rare but prestigious one, such as Noble or Folk Hero are in certain cultures. A background might be broad and multipurpose, such as Sailor, or narrow and peculiar, such as a hypothetical Aevendrow Magical Tailor. Meanwhile, a broad background like Scholar or Soldier can be rewritten for the local culture of a specific city, such as its library system or city guard system. Together, a selection of say five backgrounds helps create a "feel" for what a particular culture is about. The culture might broadly sketch out a nation, or might articulate a local institution.
When describing a culture in more detail, factions are a great way to subdivide it. Indeed each faction might even have its own subfactions within it. A faction can offer its own selection of prominent backgrounds to characterize it.
Factions offer the D&D game a way to keep its cake and eat it too. Defacto, factions such as the udadrow of Lolth canonize gaming content that is stereotypical and offensive − and "colorful" and flavorful. But as a faction, it at least implies the existence of other factions. The mechanics of factions open up the genuine diversity within any culture.
Note the monster statblock. The statblock describes an "encounter", normally a combat encounter. It says little or nothing about an entire culture or an entire player race. For example, the orc statblock will probably say "any alignment", because it is a player race that has freewill. However within the orc monster entry, an "Eye of Gruumsh" statblock being a chaplain-like background for a specific religious war faction might well be "typically Evil", or even be required to be Evil in order to qualify for the position.
I suspect, the "colorful" descriptions for monsters will actually increase in the future because the mechanics now make such descriptions palatable − when understood as specific factions within a monster population. Meanwhile a monster statblock can be used to describe the member of a specific faction.
In sum, the current 5e trend seems to be: Yes to factionalism. No to racism.
The controversial traditions within D&D dont seem to be going away. Rather, they are relocating into factions, using the mechanics that are more accurate and useful.
I like these updates.
For some others, these updates created a perception of the lore becoming more homogeneous and bland.
However, the stereotypes do not appear to be going away. Rather, they are reorganizing into a different mechanic of the game. Not the "race" mechanic, but the "faction" mechanic. An entire "race" cannot be a specific alignment, now. It cannot even "tend" toward a specific alignment. But an entire "faction" can be or tend toward a specific alignment.
We can see this in the drow lore updates. Now the Evil drow tradition characterizes the Lolth faction of "udadrow", specifically, rather than the entire drow (sub) race as a whole. This Lolth faction continues the objectionable content in full force, including racism, slavery, sexism, etcetera. However, as a faction rather than the entire race, the D&D tradition reincarnates into a mechanical category that is more accurate and more useful.
The description as a faction is more accurate, because a group of Lolth ideological extremists sounds plausible, whereas an entire race of freewill beings being monolithically Evil and homogeneous sounds impossible. Meanwhile, even the drow tradition across all editions has included non-Evil and non-Lolth possibilities. So the mechanics of factions is factually correct when describing the D&D tradition.
The description as a faction is more useful, because a single culture − any culture − is complex and comprises competing interest groups. A single faction can help articulate one flavorful point of view, while leaving room for other factions that espouse contrary points of view.
The best mechanics to describe a culture is a selection of prominent backgrounds. A "prominent" background might be a frequent one, such as Guild Artisan, whence Farmer or Merchant, is in certain cultures. Also, a "prominent" background might be a rare but prestigious one, such as Noble or Folk Hero are in certain cultures. A background might be broad and multipurpose, such as Sailor, or narrow and peculiar, such as a hypothetical Aevendrow Magical Tailor. Meanwhile, a broad background like Scholar or Soldier can be rewritten for the local culture of a specific city, such as its library system or city guard system. Together, a selection of say five backgrounds helps create a "feel" for what a particular culture is about. The culture might broadly sketch out a nation, or might articulate a local institution.
When describing a culture in more detail, factions are a great way to subdivide it. Indeed each faction might even have its own subfactions within it. A faction can offer its own selection of prominent backgrounds to characterize it.
Factions offer the D&D game a way to keep its cake and eat it too. Defacto, factions such as the udadrow of Lolth canonize gaming content that is stereotypical and offensive − and "colorful" and flavorful. But as a faction, it at least implies the existence of other factions. The mechanics of factions open up the genuine diversity within any culture.
Note the monster statblock. The statblock describes an "encounter", normally a combat encounter. It says little or nothing about an entire culture or an entire player race. For example, the orc statblock will probably say "any alignment", because it is a player race that has freewill. However within the orc monster entry, an "Eye of Gruumsh" statblock being a chaplain-like background for a specific religious war faction might well be "typically Evil", or even be required to be Evil in order to qualify for the position.
I suspect, the "colorful" descriptions for monsters will actually increase in the future because the mechanics now make such descriptions palatable − when understood as specific factions within a monster population. Meanwhile a monster statblock can be used to describe the member of a specific faction.
In sum, the current 5e trend seems to be: Yes to factionalism. No to racism.
The controversial traditions within D&D dont seem to be going away. Rather, they are relocating into factions, using the mechanics that are more accurate and useful.
