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There are SO MANY problems with race in 5e. They're well documented but in summary:
- "Every member of the race is like this, no exceptions"
- "Evil" races, usually POC coded
- Presumption that some things that are clearly cultural (like languages) are somehow inherent 2/
- "Every member of the race is like this, no exceptions"
- "Evil" races, usually POC coded
- Presumption that some things that are clearly cultural (like languages) are somehow inherent 2/
There are great books about how to do races (or ancestries) well in 5e, like @ArcanistPress's badass Ancestry & Culture, or @victhhe & co.'s An Orc and An Elf Had A Little Baby. To me these are the gold standard.
But we needed SOMETHING to 'patch' race in #DreadfulRealms. 3/
But we needed SOMETHING to 'patch' race in #DreadfulRealms. 3/
The biggest part of our patch isn't mechanical. We just didn't make any races evil. Because there's just no reason to. The GOVERNMENT of Sepulchre are mostly lawful evil, but citizens just going about their business... any alignment. Why wouldn't they be? 4/
I tried not to put anything cultural into racial abilities. Cultural stuff is Background. So languages? You know two. We advise that one of them should probably be Sepulchre Vernacular (common) but up to you. Weapon proficiencies? You get 'em from class not race. 5/
We HAVE done the same as WotC, in de-coupling ASIs from race. I've gone as far as "elves are often charming and dexterous" or "goblins tend to be intelligent." 6/
I took the decision that it's helpful to characterise fantasy races that readers aren't familiar with (like the alligator-merfolk nix). It's shorthand. As long as it doesn't mandate player choices, I think it has a role. 7/
What I'm still mulling over is whether we use the word 'race' in #DreadfulRealms. I don't want to take any of the more accurate terms that others have coined (they're just not mine). I also think there's value in using game terminology people are familiar with. 8/
I think there are bigger problems with D&D race than terminology (I fully acknowledge that I, a white person, may be underestimating this), and I hope our efforts to fix the more serious problems for #DreadfulRealms are successful. TBC, I guess. 9/9
Anyway, if this made you interested in checking out #DreadfulRealms, here you go: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/exstasisgames/dreadful-realms-caverns-of-the-wise-minister-0?ref=4la3vl
