So I looked it up and google (so trust worthy, ik) said that half races were removed in the 2024 release of the rulebooks because "they were inherently racist" and just wanted to hear other opinions on that. Personally, I don't think it's racist in the slightest for real standards. I understand where most people are coming from, but neither orcs or elves are real, so that part I don't understand. Half-Orc was my favorite race to play because it adds to the theme and adventure of the story, while allowing the player(s) to over come adversities. If this somehow triggered anyone, be civil and explain why please. Reasoning and logic is the most sure-fire way to safely spread opinions without making everyone upset.
I think the talk of "racism" is only part of the reason, the rest was simple practicality - only having Half-Orc(/Half-Human) and Half-Elf(/Half-Human), in the 2020's, now seemed pretty reductive, what about all the other species, can't they get Half-X/Half-Y versions as well?
The amount of combinations (10! That's 10 Factorial, not 10 Exclamation point) would be such a headache, because you'd need to then decide which traits each of the variants get and consider how that affects balance, what combinations are redundant, what combinations are underpowered, what combinations are overpowered (ESPECIALLY Humans with their bonus origin feat). Much simpler to just remove two species and focus on abilities of the 10 core.
You can absolutely have a Half-Orc under 2024 rules with one Human and one Orc parent, you just have to pick which bonuses you get. If your DM cooperates, you can even homebrew your race to be closer to what it was under 2014 rules.
In fact, in one of the early playtest PDFs, the recommendation was exactly that: For multiple descendancy, pick one of the species to handle your game-mechanical features, and mix and match the cosmetic features.
The option they seem to have chosen instead is, "All the un-updated Legacy species from previous publications still exist, just file off the Ability Score Adjustments."
The amount of combinations (10! That's 10 Factorial, not 10 Exclamation point) would be such a headache, because you'd need to then decide which traits each of the variants get and consider how that affects balance, what combinations are redundant, what combinations are underpowered, what combinations are overpowered (ESPECIALLY Humans with their bonus origin feat). Much simpler to just remove two species and focus on abilities of the 10 core.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is why they were excluded from the PHB and opened up the option to continue to use unrevised legacy species. They want players to homebrew things like this going forward. Want to play a half-dwarf, half-orc? Homebrew!
In fact, in one of the early playtest PDFs, the recommendation was exactly that: For multiple descendancy, pick one of the species to handle your game-mechanical features, and mix and match the cosmetic features.
The earlier playtest recommendation about mixing and matching was likely excluded, because you don't really need the rules to tell you in just one explicit circumstance that non-mechanical alterations (cosmetic and story) to character options are free.
Friend, the term 'race' is currently a very explosive and a very politically sensitive term, so much as that both Wizards and its corporate owner Hasbro probably want to avoid igniting another 'MADD (Mothers Against D & D)' conflagration. The mundane world definitely needs to mature and stop hurling race based, gender based, ethnic based and faith based invectives at one another. I am 73 years of age, I have contributed to SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) in hopes of helping this world to mature. I am still hoping that the term 'race' ceases to be an explosive topic.
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So I looked it up and google (so trust worthy, ik) said that half races were removed in the 2024 release of the rulebooks because "they were inherently racist" and just wanted to hear other opinions on that. Personally, I don't think it's racist in the slightest for real standards. I understand where most people are coming from, but neither orcs or elves are real, so that part I don't understand. Half-Orc was my favorite race to play because it adds to the theme and adventure of the story, while allowing the player(s) to over come adversities. If this somehow triggered anyone, be civil and explain why please. Reasoning and logic is the most sure-fire way to safely spread opinions without making everyone upset.
I think the talk of "racism" is only part of the reason, the rest was simple practicality - only having Half-Orc(/Half-Human) and Half-Elf(/Half-Human), in the 2020's, now seemed pretty reductive, what about all the other species, can't they get Half-X/Half-Y versions as well?
The amount of combinations (10! That's 10 Factorial, not 10 Exclamation point) would be such a headache, because you'd need to then decide which traits each of the variants get and consider how that affects balance, what combinations are redundant, what combinations are underpowered, what combinations are overpowered (ESPECIALLY Humans with their bonus origin feat). Much simpler to just remove two species and focus on abilities of the 10 core.
You can absolutely have a Half-Orc under 2024 rules with one Human and one Orc parent, you just have to pick which bonuses you get. If your DM cooperates, you can even homebrew your race to be closer to what it was under 2014 rules.
In fact, in one of the early playtest PDFs, the recommendation was exactly that: For multiple descendancy, pick one of the species to handle your game-mechanical features, and mix and match the cosmetic features.
The option they seem to have chosen instead is, "All the un-updated Legacy species from previous publications still exist, just file off the Ability Score Adjustments."
🎵I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, wreaking death and devastation with my mind.
As the power that I've found erupts freely from the ground, I will cackle from the top of the world.🎵
Charisma Saving Throw: DC 18, Failure: 20d6 Psychic Damage, Success: Half damage
Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is why they were excluded from the PHB and opened up the option to continue to use unrevised legacy species. They want players to homebrew things like this going forward. Want to play a half-dwarf, half-orc? Homebrew!
The earlier playtest recommendation about mixing and matching was likely excluded, because you don't really need the rules to tell you in just one explicit circumstance that non-mechanical alterations (cosmetic and story) to character options are free.
Friend, the term 'race' is currently a very explosive and a very politically sensitive term, so much as that both Wizards and its corporate owner Hasbro probably want to avoid igniting another 'MADD (Mothers Against D & D)' conflagration. The mundane world definitely needs to mature and stop hurling race based, gender based, ethnic based and faith based invectives at one another. I am 73 years of age, I have contributed to SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) in hopes of helping this world to mature. I am still hoping that the term 'race' ceases to be an explosive topic.