Real question. What's the current opinion of playing as a race that doesn't match your own. For example can a nerdy white guy play as an Asian inspired master assassin or is that going to be seen as an equivalent to black face in a year or two?
I feel like the only way this becomes a relevant discussion is if the player is deliberately using a blatantly negative stereotype when acting and portraying their character. If you have a problem with people portraying a race they are not in good faith, then it's pretty safe to say you're the one with the problem.
It would be expected that you'll have more trouble out of game then in game. Characters are character, you'll always play as some version of yourself, so not get bogged down by other people's opinions. At most just don't talk about your game around people you know will spazz out over silly things. Or be quick with the non-human race jump in those conversations.
Since Asia doesn't exist in most D&D campaigns, you would likely be playing a character inspired by Asian culture, but not actually Asian. As long as you are not showing negative or degrading stereotypes, it shouldn't be a problem. Samurai/Ninja characters are fairly common, and as long as you play respectfully than you won't likely offend anyone.
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A fool pulls the leaves. A brute chops the trunk. A sage digs the roots.
It always amuses me that intellectual human that have zero problem playing a below average intelligent Half-Orc Barbarian have problems playing a human with a different skin color and/or eye shape. Besides when it comes to this issue the real problem is no Asia, but Africa and the New World.
In my personal opinion the real problem is the lack of heroic African and First Nation/Native American stereotypes. People play Asian (monks, samurais, ninjas) and European Wizards, Warlocks, Paladins, Cleric, Knights and Druid).
Africa and First Nation/American Indians do not have heroic stereotypes that have been adopted by our culture and included into the game. Oh Druid can be shoe-horned in, but honestly they really should have put Shaman / witch doctor as a major class. The closest we get is Druid which is clearly European.
It always amuses me that intellectual human that have zero problem playing a below average intelligent Half-Orc Barbarian have problems playing a human with a different skin color and/or eye shape. Besides when it comes to this issue the real problem is no Asia, but Africa and the New World.
In my personal opinion the real problem is the lack of heroic African and First Nation/Native American stereotypes. People play Asian (monks, samurais, ninjas) and European Wizards, Warlocks, Paladins, Cleric, Knights and Druid).
Africa and First Nation/American Indians do not have heroic stereotypes that have been adopted by our culture and included into the game. Oh Druid can be shoe-horned in, but honestly they really should have put Shaman / witch doctor as a major class. The closest we get is Druid which is clearly European.
I'd say barbarian is often a mix of that and vikings. In the original Dragonlance stuff Riverwind was a barbarian iirc. Totally agree though, I swear no matter the setting, it seems like any monk I see has an Asian inspired name and pulls strongly from kung fu tropes.
To those saying "Africa and Asia don't exist in fantasy settings", people who share phenotypical similarities with people from real world ethnic groups do. When I played Tomb of Annihilation, I played as a character whose parents came from Chult, but he himself had been given an Illuskan name and was familiar with the culture of both Faerun and Chult. I'm white.
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Real question. What's the current opinion of playing as a race that doesn't match your own.
For example can a nerdy white guy play as an Asian inspired master assassin or is that going to be seen as an equivalent to black face in a year or two?
I feel like the only way this becomes a relevant discussion is if the player is deliberately using a blatantly negative stereotype when acting and portraying their character. If you have a problem with people portraying a race they are not in good faith, then it's pretty safe to say you're the one with the problem.
It would be expected that you'll have more trouble out of game then in game. Characters are character, you'll always play as some version of yourself, so not get bogged down by other people's opinions. At most just don't talk about your game around people you know will spazz out over silly things. Or be quick with the non-human race jump in those conversations.
Since Asia doesn't exist in most D&D campaigns, you would likely be playing a character inspired by Asian culture, but not actually Asian. As long as you are not showing negative or degrading stereotypes, it shouldn't be a problem. Samurai/Ninja characters are fairly common, and as long as you play respectfully than you won't likely offend anyone.
A fool pulls the leaves. A brute chops the trunk. A sage digs the roots.
My Improved Lineage System
It always amuses me that intellectual human that have zero problem playing a below average intelligent Half-Orc Barbarian have problems playing a human with a different skin color and/or eye shape. Besides when it comes to this issue the real problem is no Asia, but Africa and the New World.
In my personal opinion the real problem is the lack of heroic African and First Nation/Native American stereotypes. People play Asian (monks, samurais, ninjas) and European Wizards, Warlocks, Paladins, Cleric, Knights and Druid).
Africa and First Nation/American Indians do not have heroic stereotypes that have been adopted by our culture and included into the game. Oh Druid can be shoe-horned in, but honestly they really should have put Shaman / witch doctor as a major class. The closest we get is Druid which is clearly European.
I'd say barbarian is often a mix of that and vikings. In the original Dragonlance stuff Riverwind was a barbarian iirc. Totally agree though, I swear no matter the setting, it seems like any monk I see has an Asian inspired name and pulls strongly from kung fu tropes.
To those saying "Africa and Asia don't exist in fantasy settings", people who share phenotypical similarities with people from real world ethnic groups do. When I played Tomb of Annihilation, I played as a character whose parents came from Chult, but he himself had been given an Illuskan name and was familiar with the culture of both Faerun and Chult. I'm white.