Instead of choosing one of the game’s races for your character at 1st level, you can use the following traits to represent your character’s lineage, giving you full control over how your character’s origin shaped them:
It is right in the damn book. You do not pick a race, you are not a race in the game, instead you are a set of traits. Those traits are confined to the list following the above text. But you indeed are NOT any of the game's races because you chose a set of traits INSTEAD of taking on one of the game's races.
The point is, a custom lineage can allow a player to create a human with a Mark of Shadow, even tho the custom character has traits that differ from the game's description of this.
That's a funny way of saying a custom lineage can allow a player to create an elf (only elves can have the Mark of Shadow) with the Mark of Shadow, except they don't have the Mark of Shadow.
A player saying his character has the Mark of Shadow except this particular Mark doesn't work like every other Mark of Shadow isn't arguing anything. He's creating a character, and that's fine. However, nothing in the rules says this character counts or should count as having the Mark of Shadow subrace. It's just a character with a Mark that looks like it's the Mark of Shadow, but evidently it's something else.
Instead of choosing one of the game’s races for your character at 1st level, you can use the following traits to represent your character’s lineage, giving you full control over how your character’s origin shaped them:
It is right in the damn book. You do not pick a race, you are not a race in the game, instead you are a set of traits. Those traits are confined to the list following the above text. But you indeed are NOT any of the game's races because you chose a set of traits INSTEAD of taking on one of the game's races.
You left out some of the pertinent rules.
This lineage comes with a kin, being a race. At first level, your custom lineage is a choice of race.
The lineage can be a biological race, such as high elf, but it can also be non-biological, such as a Dragonmark, or so on. The player has full control to be creative about where the character comes from and the overall character concept.
Guys, I really don't think there is any reason to continue with this thread anymore.
1) At first, it seemed like the OP is not sure how to read the rules, he got his answer. It is not the answer he hoped for and he is obviously stone set on his interpretation of the rules. There is thus really no reason to repeat the same things that were already said for 6 pages.
2) Op said he is a DM -> he can houserule this however he wants it.
3) OP was given a link where to ask the only people that can give him AUTHORITATIVE answer, whether he uses it is just his own decision.
Instead of choosing one of the game’s races for your character at 1st level, you can use the following traits to represent your character’s lineage, giving you full control over how your character’s origin shaped them:
It is right in the damn book. You do not pick a race, you are not a race in the game, instead you are a set of traits. Those traits are confined to the list following the above text. But you indeed are NOT any of the game's races because you chose a set of traits INSTEAD of taking on one of the game's races.
You left out some of the pertinent rules.
This lineage comes with a kin, being a race. At first level, your custom lineage is a choice of race.
The lineage can be a biological race, such as high elf, but it can also be non-biological, such as a Dragonmark, or so on. The player has full control to be creative about where the character comes from and the overall character concept.
None of this is in the book. You made this up. It is not a rule.
If is (which it is not) provide an exact quote and page number. Don't add any words of your own.
Guys, I really don't think there is any reason to continue with this thread anymore.
1) At first, it seemed like the OP is not sure how to read the rules, he got his answer. It is not the answer he hoped for and he is obviously stone set on his interpretation of the rules. There is thus really no reason to repeat the same things that were already said for 6 pages.
2) Op said he is a DM -> he can houserule this however he wants it.
3) OP was given a link where to ask the only people that can give him AUTHORITATIVE answer, whether he uses it is just his own decision.
You are right. I am sorry for my part in continuing the conversation. Going forward I will ignore this thread.
Instead of choosing one of the game’s races for your character at 1st level, you can use the following traits to represent your character’s lineage, giving you full control over how your character’s origin shaped them:
It is right in the damn book. You do not pick a race, you are not a race in the game, instead you are a set of traits. Those traits are confined to the list following the above text. But you indeed are NOT any of the game's races because you chose a set of traits INSTEAD of taking on one of the game's races.
You left out some of the pertinent rules.
This lineage comes with a kin, being a race. At first level, your custom lineage is a choice of race.
The lineage can be a biological race, such as high elf, but it can also be non-biological, such as a Dragonmark, or so on. The player has full control to be creative about where the character comes from and the overall character concept.
I left out ZERO rules - the following part of that text box is in fact the traits you take on INSTEAD of being on of the game's races. It is written in plain English in the above quotes text. End of story. Good bye.
All of your points are once again incorrect because you fail to read and use the words correctly. Kin does not mean what you think it does, AND the text explicitly says you are NOT one of the game's races.
Instead of choosing one of the game’s races for your character at 1st level, you can use the following traits to represent your character’s lineage, giving you full control over how your character’s origin shaped them:
It is right in the damn book. You do not pick a race, you are not a race in the game, instead you are a set of traits. Those traits are confined to the list following the above text. But you indeed are NOT any of the game's races because you chose a set of traits INSTEAD of taking on one of the game's races.
You left out some of the pertinent rules.
This lineage comes with a kin, being a race. At first level, your custom lineage is a choice of race.
The lineage can be a biological race, such as high elf, but it can also be non-biological, such as a Dragonmark, or so on. The player has full control to be creative about where the character comes from and the overall character concept.
The thing is, you're interpreting this as the character being mechanically part of this 'kin' and looking at all the examples in the thread you're basically saying that by the RAW I can use Custom Lineage to create a humanoid (half-elf, shapechanger, Mark of Detection) character that qualifies for any and all mechanics that require the character to be elf, human, half-elf or shapechanger or have the Mark of Detection, without necessarily having much of anything in common with any of those three races and certainly without having the Mark of Detection or being able to change shape.
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Lineage is, indeed, about your biological race. D&D has also included your culture as part of your racial stat block. That's why dwarves get proficency with stoneworking, blacksmith or brewery tools. Culture, not a biological quirk.
I'd see absolutely no problem with having a custom lineage for a Dragonborn with Dex, darkvision and a variant Dragon Fear feat, then take the UA Dragon Monk path.
Taking a Dragonmark as part of a Custom Lineage would be a bit much, considering all the benefits that come with the Mark are far more than a feat offers, but being from a Dragonmarked house? Absolutely. Having a mutated mark ( I believe those were a thing in 3e ) represented by some other feat? Absolutely doable.
Going crazy and saying you're a wild mix of things? The only one that can say "no" is the DM. As it should be. In either case, I'm not sure what the appeal would be - racial feats still have an opportunity cost (spending your ASI on them), racial locked weapons are super rare and still require a attunement slot. Social connections are defined by background. The number of mechanics that actively interact with race are few, far between, and, as far as I can tell, generally meaningless.
Per RAW as I read it, Custom Lineage is your the race. Choosing to have your character look like an Elf has no mechanical bearing on the rules.
This is how I read it too. You might be skinning yourself as an elf, but technically, you are Custom Lineage. I would not allow racial feats using Custom Lineage.
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Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
RAW, no kin does not mean race. It doesn't mean race in Tasha's, the dictionary, nor in common usage. It has a couple meanings but it boils down to mean "part of a group". So in reality, "whether you resemble your kin" actually means whether you resemble your group. Your group could be grouped by ancestry, but might not be. (Sources? Just google kin, there's tons of virtual trustworthy dictionaries out there, here's merriam webster)
You, of course, are not the same as your group. Just because my champion fighter is part of the same group as a wizard does not mean I suddenly can grab a feat that requires spellcasting. My kin might be spell castors, but I certainly might not be. Now replace wizard with elf, and spellcasting with "being a elf"
RAI, i feel like if they wanted it to work with race they would of used race instead of some weird never-used-before word like "kin".
Again, RAF go for it. Breaks nothing and it's kind of weird to say your elf-lookalike can't grab a elf feat.
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if I edit a message, most of the time it's because of grammar. The rest of the time I'll put "Edit:" at the bottom.
Umm.... that very link to Merriam Webster has the very first definition as "a group of persons of common ancestry : CLAN" followed with "one's relatives" for the second definition.
It seems like the very dictionary you linked is kind of disagreeing with you.
(links: Kin, Relative, Clan) (Parentheses are used to indicate the definition of another word, in this case the definition of Clan and Relatives.)
a group of persons of common ancestry : CLAN (Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor, a group united by a common interest or common characteristics)
one's relatives (a word referring grammatically to an antecedent (a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another), a thing having a relation to or connection with or necessary dependence on another thing, a person connected with another by blood or affinity, an animal or plant related to another by common descent)
kinsfolk (male relative, see above)
Basically it just defines every time of group, the whole common ancestry thing is tied to some sort of Celtic definition. Considering it also mentions a group that doesn't involve ancestry in every single version of the definition including the first one it's safe to assume the dictionary agrees that it means a group of people in general.
Are you looking to convince your DM? try reaching out to sage advice.
Are you a DM looking for guidance? It sounds like you have made up your mind.
Are you looking for Community Opinions? you have a few at the start that agree with you and a couple that don't.
RAW I say you are not any official race, Personal ruling I think its fun to let you count as one race of your choice.
I am a DM.
Custom Lineage is an official rule that I plan to implement heavily, according to the Rules-As-Written and the Rules-As-Intended.
I need WotC to clarify what the official rule is.
I think WotC have intentionally left if vague, to put it in the DMs hands. Since you are a DM, decide whether your players can create a customer "elf" or "half-elf" that can take the eleven accuracy feat.
Are you looking to convince your DM? try reaching out to sage advice.
Are you a DM looking for guidance? It sounds like you have made up your mind.
Are you looking for Community Opinions? you have a few at the start that agree with you and a couple that don't.
RAW I say you are not any official race, Personal ruling I think its fun to let you count as one race of your choice.
I am a DM.
Custom Lineage is an official rule that I plan to implement heavily, according to the Rules-As-Written and the Rules-As-Intended.
I need WotC to clarify what the official rule is.
I think WotC have intentionally left if vague, to put it in the DMs hands. Since you are a DM, decide whether your players can create a customer "elf" or "half-elf" that can take the eleven accuracy feat.
It does seem like WotC is avoiding difficult rules questions for Tashas. Heh, for example, Crawford has been on vacation, and on return, his tweets are mostly shmoozing.
Perhaps they are thinking thru an errata update to clarify rules? Or perhaps, they will leave it ambiguous (like Stealth), because different DMs handle it so differently?
Then again, many of the reviews for Tashas are: the racial options are a good start but there needs to be more. So, probably there will be more customization (more feats) and more clarification for how to go about it?
My impression is, there is a big plan in the works, to revamp the 5e races, that will take some years to implement fully. So I suspect there is more to come, but I am less sure about what that will look like.
So, some clarifications to the meaning of "lineage" appears in a recent Unearthed Arcana (UA2021_GothicLineages.pdf). The UA confirms a number of the interpretations that I argued in this thread.
• A "lineage" is the broader category. A "race" is a narrower subset within a lineage. The UA clarifies the difference. • The race only refers to the features (the mechanics) that a player character uses. A race doesnt refer to non-player characters or monsters, which might exhibit different features.
In other words, a nonplayer elf character (such as one of the drow monsters) is a member of the elf lineage, but isnt a member of the elf race. In other words, when creating a Custom Lineage, it includes choosing a race. So a Custom Lineage elf, can select a Xanathars race feat, such as Fey Teleportation.
• A "creature type" is a "tag". A player character can belong to more than one creature. For example, a dhampir is both humanoid and undead.
In other words, a Custom Lineage can create an elf lineage that is both humanoid and fey. A custom gnoll lineage can be all three: humanoid, fiend, and beast, and can specify subsets, as demon fiend and hyena beast.
Also of note.
• Some lineages are the result of transforming an other lineage, such as an elf becoming a dhampir. If so, the new features replace the old features. But the old tags might remain.
• Possibly, player characters that arent humanoid might refer to legally playing familiars and other animal companions.
• Cultural traits are +2 ability score, language, and any proficiency (weapon, armor, tool, skill). The lineage trait itself is the Custom Lineage feat plus darkvision. • Apparently, the dhamphir and other UA lineages are equivalent to a half-feat, plus an additional +1 ability score.
Below are relevant quotes from the UA.
"Creature Type.
Every creature in D&D, including every player character, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature they are. Most player characters are of the Humanoid type. A race option presented here tells you what your character’s creature type is.
List of Types.
Here’s a list of the game’s creature types in alphabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways. For example, the text of the cure wounds spell specifies that the spell doesn’t work on a creature that has the Construct or Undead type.
Having More Than One Type.
Some creatures are of more than one creature type. If an effect works on at least one of a creature’s types, that effect can work on that creature. For example, if you are both a Humanoid and an Undead, cure wounds works on you, since the spell works on a Humanoid."
“Design Note: Changes to Racial Traits
In 2020, the book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything introduced the option to customize several of your character’s racial traits, specifically the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, and traits that give skill, armor, weapon, or tool proficiencies.
Following in that book’s footsteps, the race options in this article and in future D&D books lack the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, the Alignment trait, and any other trait that is purely cultural. Racial traits henceforth reflect only the physical or magical realities of being a player character who’s a member of a particular lineage. Such traits include things like darkvision, a breath weapon (as in the dragonborn), or innate magical ability (as in the forest gnome). Such traits don’t include cultural characteristics, like language or training with a weapon or a tool, and the traits also don’t include an alignment suggestion, since alignment is a choice for each individual, not a characteristic shared by a lineage.
Finally, going forward, the term “race” in D&D refers only to the suite of game features used by player characters. Said features don’t have any bearing on monsters and NPCs who are members of the same species or lineage, since monsters and NPCs in D&D don’t rely on race or class to function. Moreover, DMs are empowered to customize the features of the creatures in their game as they wish.”
The article explicitly clarifies “if you choose a lineage, you might have once been a member of another race, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits”. As such, I don’t see the logical argument by which you claim creating a lineage includes choosing a race or the possibility of having it qualify for feats with a racial prerequisite (other than the exact lineage).
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
The article explicitly clarifies “if you choose a lineage, you might have once been a member of another race, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits”. As such, I don’t see the logical argument by which you claim creating a lineage includes choosing a race or the possibility of having it qualify for feats with a racial prerequisite (other than the exact lineage).
Keep in mind the entire quote:
"Alternatively, you can choose one of the following lineages. If you choose a lineage, you might have once been a member of another race, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits."
The quote refers to choosing a dhampir lineage, a hexborn lineage, or a reborn lineage. If so, the race features of the new lineage replaces the race features of the previous lineage.
In other words, an elf who becomes a dhampir will no longer have the elf-race Fey Ancestry trait that resists charm. For these lineages, the transformation explicitly replaces the previous mechanics.
But Custom Lineage is something different.
You can have Custom Lineage that is a humanoid that is both fey (elf lineage) and undead (vampire lineage). Then you pick whatever Custom Lineage feat best expresses this character concept. You have total control over the origin (specifically the lineage) of your character.
Also keep in mind. The same elf lineage can have different mechanics. The elf entry in a Monster Manual, can be completely different from the elf entry in a Players Handbook. But both are members of the same elf lineage. Its just the mechanics that differ.
Likewise, the Custom Lineage can also be of the elf lineage, but will have different mechanics, depending on the choice of feat.
The article explicitly clarifies “if you choose a lineage, you might have once been a member of another race, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits”. As such, I don’t see the logical argument by which you claim creating a lineage includes choosing a race or the possibility of having it qualify for feats with a racial prerequisite (other than the exact lineage).
Keep in mind the entire quote:
"Alternatively, you can choose one of the following lineages. If you choose a lineage, you might have once been a member of another race, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits."
The quote refers to choosing a dhampir lineage, a hexborn lineage, or a reborn lineage. If so, the race features of the new lineage replaces the race features of the previous lineage.
In other words, an elf who becomes a dhampir will no longer have the elf-race Fey Ancestry trait that resists charm. For these lineages, the transformation explicitly replaces the previous mechanics.
But Custom Lineage is something different.
You can have Custom Lineage that is a humanoid that is both fey (elf lineage) and undead (vampire lineage). Then you pick whatever Custom Lineage feat best expresses this character concept. You have total control over the origin (specifically the lineage) of your character.
Again, that’s what you say but the rules as written - including the new ones - don’t support. Where does anything say your custom lineage gets to count as another lineage (never mind multiple ones)?
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It is right in the damn book. You do not pick a race, you are not a race in the game, instead you are a set of traits. Those traits are confined to the list following the above text. But you indeed are NOT any of the game's races because you chose a set of traits INSTEAD of taking on one of the game's races.
That's a funny way of saying a custom lineage can allow a player to create an elf (only elves can have the Mark of Shadow) with the Mark of Shadow, except they don't have the Mark of Shadow.
A player saying his character has the Mark of Shadow except this particular Mark doesn't work like every other Mark of Shadow isn't arguing anything. He's creating a character, and that's fine. However, nothing in the rules says this character counts or should count as having the Mark of Shadow subrace. It's just a character with a Mark that looks like it's the Mark of Shadow, but evidently it's something else.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
You left out some of the pertinent rules.
This lineage comes with a kin, being a race. At first level, your custom lineage is a choice of race.
The lineage can be a biological race, such as high elf, but it can also be non-biological, such as a Dragonmark, or so on. The player has full control to be creative about where the character comes from and the overall character concept.
he / him
Guys, I really don't think there is any reason to continue with this thread anymore.
1) At first, it seemed like the OP is not sure how to read the rules, he got his answer. It is not the answer he hoped for and he is obviously stone set on his interpretation of the rules. There is thus really no reason to repeat the same things that were already said for 6 pages.
2) Op said he is a DM -> he can houserule this however he wants it.
3) OP was given a link where to ask the only people that can give him AUTHORITATIVE answer, whether he uses it is just his own decision.
None of this is in the book. You made this up. It is not a rule.
If is (which it is not) provide an exact quote and page number. Don't add any words of your own.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
You are right. I am sorry for my part in continuing the conversation. Going forward I will ignore this thread.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
I left out ZERO rules - the following part of that text box is in fact the traits you take on INSTEAD of being on of the game's races. It is written in plain English in the above quotes text. End of story. Good bye.
All of your points are once again incorrect because you fail to read and use the words correctly. Kin does not mean what you think it does, AND the text explicitly says you are NOT one of the game's races.
The thing is, you're interpreting this as the character being mechanically part of this 'kin' and looking at all the examples in the thread you're basically saying that by the RAW I can use Custom Lineage to create a humanoid (half-elf, shapechanger, Mark of Detection) character that qualifies for any and all mechanics that require the character to be elf, human, half-elf or shapechanger or have the Mark of Detection, without necessarily having much of anything in common with any of those three races and certainly without having the Mark of Detection or being able to change shape.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
My 2 cents before running away.
Lineage is, indeed, about your biological race. D&D has also included your culture as part of your racial stat block. That's why dwarves get proficency with stoneworking, blacksmith or brewery tools. Culture, not a biological quirk.
I'd see absolutely no problem with having a custom lineage for a Dragonborn with Dex, darkvision and a variant Dragon Fear feat, then take the UA Dragon Monk path.
Taking a Dragonmark as part of a Custom Lineage would be a bit much, considering all the benefits that come with the Mark are far more than a feat offers, but being from a Dragonmarked house? Absolutely. Having a mutated mark ( I believe those were a thing in 3e ) represented by some other feat? Absolutely doable.
Going crazy and saying you're a wild mix of things? The only one that can say "no" is the DM. As it should be. In either case, I'm not sure what the appeal would be - racial feats still have an opportunity cost (spending your ASI on them), racial locked weapons are super rare and still require a attunement slot. Social connections are defined by background. The number of mechanics that actively interact with race are few, far between, and, as far as I can tell, generally meaningless.
This is how I read it too. You might be skinning yourself as an elf, but technically, you are Custom Lineage. I would not allow racial feats using Custom Lineage.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
RAF - of course go for it
RAW, no kin does not mean race. It doesn't mean race in Tasha's, the dictionary, nor in common usage. It has a couple meanings but it boils down to mean "part of a group". So in reality, "whether you resemble your kin" actually means whether you resemble your group. Your group could be grouped by ancestry, but might not be. (Sources? Just google kin, there's tons of virtual trustworthy dictionaries out there, here's merriam webster)
You, of course, are not the same as your group. Just because my champion fighter is part of the same group as a wizard does not mean I suddenly can grab a feat that requires spellcasting. My kin might be spell castors, but I certainly might not be. Now replace wizard with elf, and spellcasting with "being a elf"
RAI, i feel like if they wanted it to work with race they would of used race instead of some weird never-used-before word like "kin".
Again, RAF go for it. Breaks nothing and it's kind of weird to say your elf-lookalike can't grab a elf feat.
if I edit a message, most of the time it's because of grammar. The rest of the time I'll put "Edit:" at the bottom.
Umm.... that very link to Merriam Webster has the very first definition as "a group of persons of common ancestry : CLAN" followed with "one's relatives" for the second definition.
It seems like the very dictionary you linked is kind of disagreeing with you.
Basically it just defines every time of group, the whole common ancestry thing is tied to some sort of Celtic definition. Considering it also mentions a group that doesn't involve ancestry in every single version of the definition including the first one it's safe to assume the dictionary agrees that it means a group of people in general.
if I edit a message, most of the time it's because of grammar. The rest of the time I'll put "Edit:" at the bottom.
I think WotC have intentionally left if vague, to put it in the DMs hands. Since you are a DM, decide whether your players can create a customer "elf" or "half-elf" that can take the eleven accuracy feat.
It does seem like WotC is avoiding difficult rules questions for Tashas. Heh, for example, Crawford has been on vacation, and on return, his tweets are mostly shmoozing.
Perhaps they are thinking thru an errata update to clarify rules? Or perhaps, they will leave it ambiguous (like Stealth), because different DMs handle it so differently?
Then again, many of the reviews for Tashas are: the racial options are a good start but there needs to be more. So, probably there will be more customization (more feats) and more clarification for how to go about it?
My impression is, there is a big plan in the works, to revamp the 5e races, that will take some years to implement fully. So I suspect there is more to come, but I am less sure about what that will look like.
he / him
So, some clarifications to the meaning of "lineage" appears in a recent Unearthed Arcana (UA2021_GothicLineages.pdf). The UA confirms a number of the interpretations that I argued in this thread.
• A "lineage" is the broader category. A "race" is a narrower subset within a lineage. The UA clarifies the difference.
• The race only refers to the features (the mechanics) that a player character uses. A race doesnt refer to non-player characters or monsters, which might exhibit different features.
In other words, a nonplayer elf character (such as one of the drow monsters) is a member of the elf lineage, but isnt a member of the elf race.
In other words, when creating a Custom Lineage, it includes choosing a race. So a Custom Lineage elf, can select a Xanathars race feat, such as Fey Teleportation.
• A "creature type" is a "tag". A player character can belong to more than one creature. For example, a dhampir is both humanoid and undead.
In other words, a Custom Lineage can create an elf lineage that is both humanoid and fey.
A custom gnoll lineage can be all three: humanoid, fiend, and beast, and can specify subsets, as demon fiend and hyena beast.
Also of note.
• Some lineages are the result of transforming an other lineage, such as an elf becoming a dhampir. If so, the new features replace the old features. But the old tags might remain.
• Possibly, player characters that arent humanoid might refer to legally playing familiars and other animal companions.
• Cultural traits are +2 ability score, language, and any proficiency (weapon, armor, tool, skill). The lineage trait itself is the Custom Lineage feat plus darkvision.
• Apparently, the dhamphir and other UA lineages are equivalent to a half-feat, plus an additional +1 ability score.
Below are relevant quotes from the UA.
"Creature Type.
Every creature in D&D, including every player character, has a special tag in the rules that identifies the type of creature they are. Most player characters are of the Humanoid type. A race option presented here tells you what your character’s creature type is.
List of Types.
Here’s a list of the game’s creature types in alphabetical order: Aberration, Beast, Celestial, Construct, Dragon, Elemental, Fey, Fiend, Giant, Humanoid, Monstrosity, Ooze, Plant, Undead. These types don’t have rules themselves, but some rules in the game affect creatures of certain types in different ways. For example, the text of the cure wounds spell specifies that the spell doesn’t work on a creature that has the Construct or Undead type.
Having More Than One Type.
Some creatures are of more than one creature type. If an effect works on at least one of a creature’s types, that effect can work on that creature. For example, if you are both a Humanoid and an Undead, cure wounds works on you, since the spell works on a Humanoid."
“Design Note: Changes to Racial Traits
In 2020, the book Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything introduced the option to customize several of your character’s racial traits, specifically the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, and traits that give skill, armor, weapon, or tool proficiencies.
Following in that book’s footsteps, the race options in this article and in future D&D books lack the Ability Score Increase trait, the Language trait, the Alignment trait, and any other trait that is purely cultural. Racial traits henceforth reflect only the physical or magical realities of being a player character who’s a member of a particular lineage. Such traits include things like darkvision, a breath weapon (as in the dragonborn), or innate magical ability (as in the forest gnome). Such traits don’t include cultural characteristics, like language or training with a weapon or a tool, and the traits also don’t include an alignment suggestion, since alignment is a choice for each individual, not a characteristic shared by a lineage.
Finally, going forward, the term “race” in D&D refers only to the suite of game features used by player characters. Said features don’t have any bearing on monsters and NPCs who are members of the same species or lineage, since monsters and NPCs in D&D don’t rely on race or class to function. Moreover, DMs are empowered to customize the features of the creatures in their game as they wish.”
he / him
The article explicitly clarifies “if you choose a lineage, you might have once been a member of another race, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits”. As such, I don’t see the logical argument by which you claim creating a lineage includes choosing a race or the possibility of having it qualify for feats with a racial prerequisite (other than the exact lineage).
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Keep in mind the entire quote:
"Alternatively, you can choose one of the following lineages. If you choose a lineage, you might have once been a member of another race, but you aren’t any longer. You now possess only your lineage’s racial traits."
The quote refers to choosing a dhampir lineage, a hexborn lineage, or a reborn lineage. If so, the race features of the new lineage replaces the race features of the previous lineage.
In other words, an elf who becomes a dhampir will no longer have the elf-race Fey Ancestry trait that resists charm. For these lineages, the transformation explicitly replaces the previous mechanics.
But Custom Lineage is something different.
You can have Custom Lineage that is a humanoid that is both fey (elf lineage) and undead (vampire lineage). Then you pick whatever Custom Lineage feat best expresses this character concept. You have total control over the origin (specifically the lineage) of your character.
he / him
Also keep in mind. The same elf lineage can have different mechanics. The elf entry in a Monster Manual, can be completely different from the elf entry in a Players Handbook. But both are members of the same elf lineage. Its just the mechanics that differ.
Likewise, the Custom Lineage can also be of the elf lineage, but will have different mechanics, depending on the choice of feat.
he / him
Again, that’s what you say but the rules as written - including the new ones - don’t support. Where does anything say your custom lineage gets to count as another lineage (never mind multiple ones)?
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