D&D 5E Yes to factionalism. No to racism.

[Malmuria]

I appreciate this post, and I would never advocate for racism, but I just can't get behind including more factions in D&D.

Let's face it- D&D already has a lot of math! And while I can math it out with the next guy, I don't think that adding more factions is a good idea. After all, a lot of people have trouble with factions. Not to mention some of us are older, and can't even remember the difference between a numerator and our religious denomination!

So I would definitely say- No to racism, and no to factions. Because I will always remember the words of my fifth grade teacher when she saw my math test- "You better marry upwards Snarf, because you're dumber than 4/3 of a box of rocks times 1/2 ... and you don't understand that."

...different times. Anyway, I don't use factions in my D&D games, because factions are hard, and Harpers suck.

No, it's quite simple, and effective. Let's imagine a bunch of NPCs, each belonging to their own factions. Now draw their relationships. For example: Jean is shorter than Brutus but taller than Imhotep. Imhotep is taller than Jean, but shorter than Lord Scotland. Lord Scotland is twice the height of Jean and Brutus combined but only one-tenth of the height of Millsy. Millsy is at a constant height of x − y. If Jean stands exactly one nautical mile away from Lord Scotland, how tall is Imhotep? Through the application of maths, a solution can be arrived at. The answer is that Imhotep is invisible.

 

[Scribe]

Generally, I view "culture" as follows.

culture = combat class + noncombat background



Note, I think it is ok if the "noncombat" background grants a pertinent weapon proficiency, such as a longbow for a Deer Hunter background or a spear for a Boar Hunter background, or a choice of spear, axe, or longbow for a town militia member.

Generally, the background is a mechanic that can represent many cultural institutions, via skills and tools. Some backgrounds even grant known spells that a caster can use spell slots for. Meanwhile, each background has a noncombat feature, what I call a "special asset", which can be almost anything, to put the finger on exactly what it is that the cultural background represents.

Background is a powerful and flexible mechanic to represent various possibilities that relate to cultures.

Yeah I remember that from the last time you did this. Class is still not Culture.

Culture is about where you are from, your traditions. Its not your Job (Class) and it doesnt even need to be your prior training (Background).

I'm Canadian by Culture.

I'm not IT/Software Developer by Culture.
I'm IT Trained by Background.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

Yeah I remember that from the last time you did this. Class is still not Culture.

Culture is about where you are from, your traditions. Its not your Job (Class) and it doesnt even need to be your prior training (Background).

I'm Canadian by Culture.

I'm not IT/Software Developer by Culture.
I'm IT Trained by Background.

I am puzzled by this fancy debate over culture and background. Are you evil and can I kill you and take your stuff?

 

[CleverNickName]

@Scribe I suppose this makes me a Human Engineer (Civil) with the Rural USA background.

 

[Scribe]

I am puzzled by this fancy debate over culture and background. Are you evil and can I kill you and take your stuff?

If I'm playing my Paladin, I would be flagged as such. Depending on where you sit on the whole 'Charm Spells' debate, my Enchanter may also fall under your blade.

@Scribe I suppose this makes me a Human Engineer (Civil) with the Southern USA background.

Southern USA Culture!

For me, it would be

Human (Null Pointer), IT Professional (DBA), Canadian (IT Training)
Race (Subrace), Class (Subclass), Culture (Background)

At least thats my current view on things.

 

[Bolares]

Yeah I remember that from the last time you did this. Class is still not Culture.

Culture is about where you are from, your traditions. Its not your Job (Class) and it doesnt even need to be your prior training (Background).

I'm Canadian by Culture.

I'm not IT/Software Developer by Culture.
I'm IT Trained by Background.

Let's go back to how Eberron does it (I'm really trying to make you buy it). It's a post war world, with a very cosmopolitan "main" continent. In it, nation (or culture, they are kind of interchangeable) is waaay more important than race. Being born on Breland will dictate your upbringing and some traits that come with it then being an elf, human or dwarf. But some more insular or closed off to foreigners nations have more close ties to race (Elves from Aerenal, Humans from Sarlonna, Halflings from the Talenta Plains...)

 

[Scribe]

Let's go back to how Eberron does it (I'm really trying to make you buy it). It's a post war world, with a very cosmopolitan "main" continent. In it, nation (or culture, they are kind of interchangeable) is waaay more important than race. Being born on Breland will dictate your upbringing and some traits that come with it then being an elf, human or dwarf. But some more insular or closed off to foreigners nations have more close ties to race (Elves from Aerenal, Humans from Sarlonna, Halflings from the Talenta Plains...)

Yeah, and I get that.

I still prefer how things were in older platforms. I want weapon training that is tied to a race, because I love items, and I love that items can be uniquely tied to a race.

Not that other races couldnt learn, but I'm in the 'make races distinct at all costs' camp. ASI, Language, Size, Weapon Proficiency. All the things!

 

[HammerMan]

@Scribe I suppose this makes me a Human Engineer (Civil) with the Rural USA background.

this is fun... what am I... I'm American (north eastern/non New Yorker) Office worker/commoner where does this break down race/class/culture/subrace.

 

[Bolares]

I want weapon training that is tied to a race

Valenar Elves are the only ones that get double scimitars in Eberron, even in 5e....

Talenta halfings have the tangat (and another weapon that I don't remember now, both of them are reskins in5e because the weapon table sucks).

Drow have boomerangs...

 

[Zardnaar]

Storm in tea cup for me. New campaign the Drow are probably gonna be good aligned and the normal elves are extinct (genocide).

There may be some undead elves around but for whatever reason they're not around atm.