Yeah, exactly. Creating backgrounds is already a normal part of D&D 5e.
Using backgrounds to build "cultures" is no big deal.
I think we're buying in to different assumptions here. I'll explain mine:
Current races are a mix of lineage and culture. Some of the racial benefits are from your lineage and some are from your culture. Then you get additional benefits from your background. So effectively you have three bundles of mechanics that determine your origin: lineage, culture, and background.
If races moving forward are only covering lineage, with the current model you only get two bundles of mechanics: lineage and background. So either the size and shape of those bundles needs to change, or we need to get a third bundle from somewhere else.
So, according to your point of view, there will be a loss of information. Missing is "race (culture)".
However. The emerging standard format for a race lacks a cultural trait anyway.
The way I look at it, I see calibration. I see no loss.
The races in the Players Handbook are unequal in power. In my eyes, the most powerful is Half-Elf, and the least powerful is Halfling. So, the Players Handbook lacks a standard format for a unit of measure to build an official race.
Now, Tashas presents the Custom Lineage, and this functions now serves as a standard format for the amount of power of an official race. This new format corresponds to the Variant Human in the Players Handbook − which character optimizers considers a potent choice of race.
CUSTOM LINEAGE
VARIANT HUMAN
(Tashas Cauldron)
(Players Handbook)
ALIGNMENT
Any Alignment
Any Alignment
LANGUAGE
Common plus Choice
Common plus Choice
ABILITY SCORES
+2 Any
+1 Any and +1 Any Other
CREATURE TYPE
Humanoid (Any)
Humanoid (Human)
SIZE
Medium or Small
Medium
SPEED
30 feet
30 feet
SKILL
Skill or Darkvision
Skill
FEAT
Feat
Feat
So, as one can see, the Custom Lineage and the Variant Human are the same unit of measurement.
I consider this the standard format. It is the measure of all lineages, whether some are overpowered or underpowered compared to it.
In light of the recent UA moving forward, we have something like:
Individual • Ability Scores • Alignment
Lineage • Size, Speed • Darkvision or Skill • Feat
Culture • Language • Background
So, there is no loss of information compared to the official format. What might be darkvision, might instead be a choice of skill. While a skill proficiency is normally understood as a cultural feature, perhaps here in the lineage it can be explained as an inborn capacity to learn. It is a choice of any skill. In any case, there is no loss of power for this standard unit of measurement for any official lineage.
Beyond the individual alignment and ability scores, and the lineage traits, the player also chooses a culture via a language and a background.
Skills are a Culture related ability so according to WotC Variant Human and Custom Lineage don't match up with the latest changes to Lineage. I am not certain what Feats would count as but most would most certainly not be natural gifts but learned abilities like skills.
Basically what I am saying is that Variant Human and Custom Lineage, in order to conform to the statement made by WotC would not have a Skill or Feat and would be nothing but size and speed. That means that they literally have nothing without Culture.
Skills are a Culture related ability so according to WotC Variant Human and Custom Lineage don't match up with the latest changes to Lineage.
I am not certain what Feats would count as but most would most certainly not be natural gifts but learned abilities like skills.
Yeah, the Custom Lineage skill proficiency seems at odds with the UA onward.
With regard to the human, the choice of a skill proficiency is awesome. It conveys how the human evolved to be able to learn new things, to be social forming a culture that a human can learn from. So, in the case of the human, the skill choice does convey an inborn genetic instinct. I would like it even more if the human has a choice of any proficiency: skill, tool, weapon, or armor. The access to a tool or even a weapon, also calls attention to how the human evolved to master tools.
I am ok with the human being an exception, whose flavor emphasizes learning, society, and tools.
With regard to the nonhuman lineages, I dont mind them being a bit dense compared to a human. Heh, a nature spirit of a tree pretty much wants to be a tree, and might seem less interested in learning how to not be a tree.
Maybe? The Custom Lineage can instead allow a choice between: darkvision, cantrip, or proficiency. If a nonhuman chooses the proficiency, they are more human-like. If a human chooses darkvision or an innate cantrip, they are more transhuman. In my eyes, in a world of magic, a human can choose a cantrip too, as a kind of innate gift or learned proficiency, thus the cantrip is as cultural as a weapon is. But at least more magical feels less like a typical human.
Regarding the feats. The main difference between the human and any other Custom Lineage is the choice of feat. And they can choose from the same feats. If the player chooses a naturalistic feat, the character concept will feel more like a reallife human. If one chooses a magical feat, it will feel more like an otherworldy being.
The feats need to be diverse, because now feats do the heavy lifting to distinguish any lineage. This is one of the reasons why I view it as vital that a Custom Lineage can take the Fey Teleportation feat or any other lineage feats, if the player wants.
I think trying to figure out what WotC plans to do going forward is a fun exercise, but it is quite clear that they don't really have any idea yet. The difference between what they have in TCoE and stated in the UA is kind of frustrating.
The UA Lineages work fairly well as a stand a lone "Race" option, but fall apart when you try to apply them to existing characters who already have a "Lineage". I don't think we will see template style Lineages going forward unless they figure out a way to over lap them with existing races/lineages in a balanced manner. BUT I think that they are a fair example of how to make a Lineage devoid of Cultural abilities but still be distinct and meaningful choices for the players to make.
That being said, I would still like to see either Backgrounds beefed up a bit or Culture made a separate choice.
I don't think we will see template style Lineages going forward unless they figure out a way to over lap them with existing races/lineages in a balanced manner. BUT I think that they are a fair example of how to make a Lineage devoid of Cultural abilities but still be distinct and meaningful choices for the players to make.
The chosen feat is the lineage "template". For example, one feat grants Fey Teleportation. In other words, this is the eladrin elf template. A player can choose this feat, thus be an eladrin at level 1. Or the player can choose the feat later at a higher level to magically acquire the eladrin elf capabilities.
Of course, the player can take the feat without being an eladrin. There can be a different character concept that also can teleport. But if a player does want to be eladrin, the mechanics are there to support that choice.
The UA Lineages work fairly well as a stand a lone "Race" option, but fall apart when you try to apply them to existing characters who already have a "Lineage".
The gothic lineages seem ok to me. I view each of these lineages as a transformation. The most obvious one is the Reborn, literally destroyed and rearranged. But also the undead Dhampir and fey hexblood, can be viewed as physiological transformations − into a Shadowfell spirit or a Feywild spirit, respectively.
I view this transmutation as retaining the former lineage but no longer exhibiting its racial traits. So I think of an elf becoming a dhampir to be something like: "humanoid (elf) and undead (dhampir)". Despite being an elven lineage, only the dhampir traits are now in effect in this new ghostly undead form.
High Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and a Cantrip
Sea Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and Friend of the Sea
Wood Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and Mask of the Wild
Half Elf - 2 Skills
Variant Human - 1 Skill and a Feat
etc
Every one of these is a loss as every one of these would normally gain the benefits of a Background on top of these abilities.
Here, the lineage IS the choice of a feat plus either darkvision or skill.
For the background, a half-feat background is worth about 4 proficiencies. This typically translates into two skills, then one or two tools depending on how good the asset is. If two skills and two tools, then the asset is a minor ribbon. I consider a cantrip as equivalent to a proficiency.
So, working with the DM, the normal 4-proficiency background can do any of the following.
• High elf - Wizard cantrip, skill, 2 weapons (choose 2 from longsword, shortsword, longbow, and shortbow) • Wood elf − Mask of Wild, skill, 2 weapons (but since Mask of Wild seems a minor ribbon maybe even add a Druid cantrip) • Drow elf − Sleep Poisoner tool (!), skill, 2 weapons (choose 2 from rapier, shortsword, and handbow) • Sea elf − Friend of Sea, skill, 2 weapons • Half elf − maybe choose 4 from skills and cantrips
High Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and a Cantrip
Sea Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and Friend of the Sea
Wood Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and Mask of the Wild
Half Elf - 2 Skills
Variant Human - 1 Skill and a Feat
etc
Every one of these is a loss as every one of these would normally gain the benefits of a Background on top of these abilities.
Here, the lineage IS the choice of a feat plus either darkvision or skill.
For the background, a half-feat background is worth about 4 proficiencies. This typically translates into two skills, then one or two tools depending on how good the asset is. If two skills and two tools, then the asset is a minor ribbon. I consider a cantrip as equivalent to a proficiency.
So, working with the DM, the normal 4-proficiency background can do any of the following.
• High elf - Wizard cantrip, skill, 2 weapons (choose 2 from longsword, shortsword, longbow, and shortbow) • Wood elf − Mask of Wild, skill, 2 weapons (but since Mask of Wild seems a minor ribbon maybe even add a Druid cantrip) • Drow elf − Sleep Poisoner tool (!), skill, 2 weapons (choose 2 from rapier, shortsword, and handbow) • Sea elf − Friend of Sea, skill, 2 weapons • Half elf − maybe choose 4 from skills and cantrips
The Mountain Dwarf is weird.
Current High Elf - Cantrip, 1 skill, 4 weapons before add in the Backgrounds 2 Skills and 2 Tools and a Ribbon ability.
Basic math says that your High Elf is missing 2 skills, 2 Weapons and 2 Tools
So what you are saying is that Backgrounds need to give more than they currently do in order to compensate for the lack of Cultural abilities in future Lineages, because there are no Backgrounds that give anything more than 2 skills and 2 tools/languages.
So what you are saying is that Backgrounds need to give more than they currently do in order to compensate for the lack of Cultural abilities in future Lineages, because there are no Backgrounds that give anything more than 2 skills and 2 tools/languages.
I'd be nervous going in that direction.
To me, Backgrounds have to do with a character's history up to the point of the first game session, and should be a layer separate in-born abilities or the culture a character comes from.
I completely agree with this. I would want Backgrounds to stay as they are (adding Farmer) and have a separate character creation step be selecting a culture.
I actually liked Yurie's idea of make Culture Feats and everyone gets one for free at first level.
High Elf Lineage • Darkvision • High Elf Feat −• Ability Score: +1 Any −• Proficiency: Fey Resilience (versus Charm) AND Trance (versus Sleep) −• Proficiency: Wizard Cantrip −• Proficiency: Perception skill −• Proficiency: 1 weapon
I consider language, and the additional high elf language, not negligible but different and belonging in a separate design space. I consider resistance to Charm to be negligible and highly situational, but Trance is close enough to be worth swapping for a skill, thus together the two are worth a proficiency. There is room for 1 weapon, but weapons belong in culture.
For the high elf feat, instead of Perception and weapon, maybe have an innate Detect Magic per long rest.
So what you are saying is that Backgrounds need to give more than they currently do in order to compensate for the lack of Cultural abilities in future Lineages, because there are no Backgrounds that give anything more than 2 skills and 2 tools/languages.
What I am saying is:
Custom Lineage / Variant Human is the standard.
Therefore, races that are overpowered compared to this standard need to have traits deleted, and races that are underpowered compared to this standard need to have traits added.
(I dont really care if a race is a bit more powerful, such as the Half Elf having three proficiencies too many. But I do care that there is a standard.)
So what you are saying is that Backgrounds need to give more than they currently do in order to compensate for the lack of Cultural abilities in future Lineages, because there are no Backgrounds that give anything more than 2 skills and 2 tools/languages.
What I am saying is:
Custom Lineage / Variant Human is the standard.
Therefore, races that are overpowered compared to this standard need to have traits deleted, and races that are underpowered compared to this standard need to have traits added.
(I dont really care if a race is a bit more powerful, such as the Half Elf having three proficiencies too many. But I do care that there is a standard.)
LOL
Custom Lineage/Variant Human are definitely not the "Standard" considering that the latest UA looks nothing like them and WotC also clearly said that Skills and Learned abilities will not be included in future Lineages so their latest creation (Custom Lineage) doesn't even fit this criteria.
So what you are saying is that Backgrounds need to give more than they currently do in order to compensate for the lack of Cultural abilities in future Lineages, because there are no Backgrounds that give anything more than 2 skills and 2 tools/languages.
I'd be nervous going in that direction.
To me, Backgrounds have to do with a character's history up to the point of the first game session, and should be a layer separate in-born abilities or the culture a character comes from.
I completely agree. Backgrounds are a done deal in 5e, they're not going to change, and should not for the purpose of continuity and realism. Where you are raised will determine different proficiencies from what job you used to have (Background should be your previous job, Culture should be which society you were raised in).
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Custom Lineage/Variant Human are definitely not the "Standard" considering that the latest UA looks nothing like them and WotC also clearly said that Skills and Learned abilities will not be included in future Lineages so their latest creation (Custom Lineage) doesn't even fit this criteria.
The UA is doing two things. One describes the gothic lineages. Two mentions Tashas.
The UA is "following in the footsteps" of Tashas. Unlike Tashas that includes the ability score improvements in the lineage design space, the UA article now removes the ability score improvements from the lineage design space.
So there is now a separate ability score improvement design space that is: +2 Any and +1 Any Other.
If so, then possibly the ability score +2 Any has also been removed from the Custom Lineage design space.
Thus:
• Ability Score Improvement Design Space: +2 Any and +1 Any Other • Custom Lineage Design Space: Feat plus Darkvision or Skill
If the Custom Lineage has effectively gained an additional ability score +1, then both this updated Custom Lineage and the Dhampir are roughly the same unit of measure.
ABILITY SCORES
ABILITY SCORES
+2 Any
+2 Any
[[ +1 Any Other ]]
+1 Any Other
CUSTOM LINEAGE
DHAMPIR
Skill or Darkvision
Darkvision
Feat
Dhampir Feat
(An extra-good feat)
Extra Speed +5 feet
• 3 Proficiencies
Vampiric Bite • on Hit • Prof Times per Day • Harm 2.5 + Con • Heal 2.5 + Con
• 3 Proficiencies
Climb Speed L3 Spider Climb at Will
• 4 Proficiencies
Note, where the standard feat is about 8 proficiencies, the Dhampir feat seems more like about 10 proficiencies. Some feats are better than others and the Dhampir feat that includes extra speed, spider climb, and vampiric bite, seems like an extra-good feat.
In any case, the gothic lineages possibly suggest that the Custom Lineage is now considered: Ability Score +2 and +1, then feat and darkvision-or-skill.
(Background should be your previous job, Culture should be which society you were raised in).
I doubt WotC would impose cultural essentialism. It is sort of like saying everyone from the German culture has higher Intelligence while every one from the Polish culture has higher Charisma. It is just asking for controversy. Even if the culture just refers to proficiencies, to say that one culture has arcana, but an other culture has proficiency with clubs, is already the problem that WotC is trying to correct by removing exactly this from the races.
By utilizing a deck of backgrounds to build any culture, there is no essentialism, because one can add in new backgrounds into the culture, and every culture is fluid. Moreover, two very different cultures can use a background, and the character with the background in the context of one culture is just as competent as the character with the same background in the context of a different culture.
In this thread, a "culture" is the language (the group) plus an assemblage of backgrounds. But a unique character can still belong to this culture by speaking the language, despite having an unusual background within that culture.
Because a background is approximately a half-feat, it is mechanically balanced if a player uses a feat gained while leveling to add an additional background, in addition to a +1 score improvement.
Such ongoing work experience, sotospeak, gives a sense of continuing education and personal development. It is a flavorful way to pick up new proficiencies.
Because a background is approximately a half-feat, it is mechanically balanced if a player uses a feat gained while leveling to add an additional background, in addition to a +1 score improvement.
Such ongoing work experience, sotospeak, gives a sense of continuing education and personal development. It is a flavorful way to pick up new proficiencies.
I think it is only fair to let you know that I completely disagree with everything you have posted in this thread, however I don't want to derail what you have going so I will not be participating in this particular discussion from this point forward. I wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors.
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She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
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Skills are a Culture related ability so according to WotC Variant Human and Custom Lineage don't match up with the latest changes to Lineage. I am not certain what Feats would count as but most would most certainly not be natural gifts but learned abilities like skills.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Basically what I am saying is that Variant Human and Custom Lineage, in order to conform to the statement made by WotC would not have a Skill or Feat and would be nothing but size and speed. That means that they literally have nothing without Culture.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Yeah, the Custom Lineage skill proficiency seems at odds with the UA onward.
With regard to the human, the choice of a skill proficiency is awesome. It conveys how the human evolved to be able to learn new things, to be social forming a culture that a human can learn from. So, in the case of the human, the skill choice does convey an inborn genetic instinct. I would like it even more if the human has a choice of any proficiency: skill, tool, weapon, or armor. The access to a tool or even a weapon, also calls attention to how the human evolved to master tools.
I am ok with the human being an exception, whose flavor emphasizes learning, society, and tools.
With regard to the nonhuman lineages, I dont mind them being a bit dense compared to a human. Heh, a nature spirit of a tree pretty much wants to be a tree, and might seem less interested in learning how to not be a tree.
Maybe? The Custom Lineage can instead allow a choice between: darkvision, cantrip, or proficiency. If a nonhuman chooses the proficiency, they are more human-like. If a human chooses darkvision or an innate cantrip, they are more transhuman. In my eyes, in a world of magic, a human can choose a cantrip too, as a kind of innate gift or learned proficiency, thus the cantrip is as cultural as a weapon is. But at least more magical feels less like a typical human.
Regarding the feats. The main difference between the human and any other Custom Lineage is the choice of feat. And they can choose from the same feats. If the player chooses a naturalistic feat, the character concept will feel more like a reallife human. If one chooses a magical feat, it will feel more like an otherworldy being.
The feats need to be diverse, because now feats do the heavy lifting to distinguish any lineage. This is one of the reasons why I view it as vital that a Custom Lineage can take the Fey Teleportation feat or any other lineage feats, if the player wants.
he / him
I think trying to figure out what WotC plans to do going forward is a fun exercise, but it is quite clear that they don't really have any idea yet. The difference between what they have in TCoE and stated in the UA is kind of frustrating.
The UA Lineages work fairly well as a stand a lone "Race" option, but fall apart when you try to apply them to existing characters who already have a "Lineage". I don't think we will see template style Lineages going forward unless they figure out a way to over lap them with existing races/lineages in a balanced manner. BUT I think that they are a fair example of how to make a Lineage devoid of Cultural abilities but still be distinct and meaningful choices for the players to make.
That being said, I would still like to see either Backgrounds beefed up a bit or Culture made a separate choice.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
The chosen feat is the lineage "template". For example, one feat grants Fey Teleportation. In other words, this is the eladrin elf template. A player can choose this feat, thus be an eladrin at level 1. Or the player can choose the feat later at a higher level to magically acquire the eladrin elf capabilities.
Of course, the player can take the feat without being an eladrin. There can be a different character concept that also can teleport. But if a player does want to be eladrin, the mechanics are there to support that choice.
The gothic lineages seem ok to me. I view each of these lineages as a transformation. The most obvious one is the Reborn, literally destroyed and rearranged. But also the undead Dhampir and fey hexblood, can be viewed as physiological transformations − into a Shadowfell spirit or a Feywild spirit, respectively.
I view this transmutation as retaining the former lineage but no longer exhibiting its racial traits. So I think of an elf becoming a dhampir to be something like: "humanoid (elf) and undead (dhampir)". Despite being an elven lineage, only the dhampir traits are now in effect in this new ghostly undead form.
I estimate the backgrounds are worth about a half-feat, albeit can be extra good.
Why does the background need to be a full-feat? Give an example of something that you want a culture to do, that a background cant already do?
he / him
I will give you an existing in game culture that a Background can't do.
Mountain Dwarf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, 2 Armor Proficiencies, and 1 Tool (Possibly Stonecunning)
Rock Gnome - Artificer's Lore and Tinker
Drow Elf - 3 Weapon Proficiencies and a Skill
High Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and a Cantrip
Sea Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and Friend of the Sea
Wood Elf - 4 Weapon Proficiencies, a Skill and Mask of the Wild
Half Elf - 2 Skills
Variant Human - 1 Skill and a Feat
etc
Every one of these is a loss as every one of these would normally gain the benefits of a Background on top of these abilities.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Here, the lineage IS the choice of a feat plus either darkvision or skill.
For the background, a half-feat background is worth about 4 proficiencies. This typically translates into two skills, then one or two tools depending on how good the asset is. If two skills and two tools, then the asset is a minor ribbon. I consider a cantrip as equivalent to a proficiency.
So, working with the DM, the normal 4-proficiency background can do any of the following.
• High elf - Wizard cantrip, skill, 2 weapons (choose 2 from longsword, shortsword, longbow, and shortbow)
• Wood elf − Mask of Wild, skill, 2 weapons (but since Mask of Wild seems a minor ribbon maybe even add a Druid cantrip)
• Drow elf − Sleep Poisoner tool (!), skill, 2 weapons (choose 2 from rapier, shortsword, and handbow)
• Sea elf − Friend of Sea, skill, 2 weapons
• Half elf − maybe choose 4 from skills and cantrips
The Mountain Dwarf is weird.
he / him
Regarding a background that grants armor proficiency (relating to mountain dwarf):
• shield proficiency
• light armor proficiency
• medium armor proficiency (prereq light)
• heavy armor proficiency (prereq medium)
Possibly one background can grant all armors, but at least a background can grant both light and shield, or both light and medium.
he / him
Current High Elf - Cantrip, 1 skill, 4 weapons before add in the Backgrounds 2 Skills and 2 Tools and a Ribbon ability.
Basic math says that your High Elf is missing 2 skills, 2 Weapons and 2 Tools
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Notice the Half Elf
Ability Score: +2 Any
Lineage
• Feat: +1 Any and +1 Any Other
• Darkvision
• [DELETE: 2 skills]
• [DELETE: Fey Ancestry]
Background
• Fey Resilience (versus Charm), Trance (versus Sleep), choose 2 skills
he / him
So what you are saying is that Backgrounds need to give more than they currently do in order to compensate for the lack of Cultural abilities in future Lineages, because there are no Backgrounds that give anything more than 2 skills and 2 tools/languages.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
I completely agree with this. I would want Backgrounds to stay as they are (adding Farmer) and have a separate character creation step be selecting a culture.
I actually liked Yurie's idea of make Culture Feats and everyone gets one for free at first level.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
Ability Score: +2 Any
High Elf Lineage
• Darkvision
• High Elf Feat
−• Ability Score: +1 Any
−• Proficiency: Fey Resilience (versus Charm) AND Trance (versus Sleep)
−• Proficiency: Wizard Cantrip
−• Proficiency: Perception skill
−• Proficiency: 1 weapon
I consider language, and the additional high elf language, not negligible but different and belonging in a separate design space. I consider resistance to Charm to be negligible and highly situational, but Trance is close enough to be worth swapping for a skill, thus together the two are worth a proficiency. There is room for 1 weapon, but weapons belong in culture.
For the high elf feat, instead of Perception and weapon, maybe have an innate Detect Magic per long rest.
he / him
What I am saying is:
Custom Lineage / Variant Human is the standard.
Therefore, races that are overpowered compared to this standard need to have traits deleted, and races that are underpowered compared to this standard need to have traits added.
(I dont really care if a race is a bit more powerful, such as the Half Elf having three proficiencies too many. But I do care that there is a standard.)
he / him
LOL
Custom Lineage/Variant Human are definitely not the "Standard" considering that the latest UA looks nothing like them and WotC also clearly said that Skills and Learned abilities will not be included in future Lineages so their latest creation (Custom Lineage) doesn't even fit this criteria.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master
I completely agree. Backgrounds are a done deal in 5e, they're not going to change, and should not for the purpose of continuity and realism. Where you are raised will determine different proficiencies from what job you used to have (Background should be your previous job, Culture should be which society you were raised in).
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
The UA is doing two things. One describes the gothic lineages. Two mentions Tashas.
The UA is "following in the footsteps" of Tashas. Unlike Tashas that includes the ability score improvements in the lineage design space, the UA article now removes the ability score improvements from the lineage design space.
So there is now a separate ability score improvement design space that is: +2 Any and +1 Any Other.
If so, then possibly the ability score +2 Any has also been removed from the Custom Lineage design space.
Thus:
• Ability Score Improvement Design Space: +2 Any and +1 Any Other
• Custom Lineage Design Space: Feat plus Darkvision or Skill
If the Custom Lineage has effectively gained an additional ability score +1, then both this updated Custom Lineage and the Dhampir are roughly the same unit of measure.
ABILITY SCORES
ABILITY SCORES
+2 Any
+2 Any
[[ +1 Any Other ]]
+1 Any Other
CUSTOM LINEAGE
DHAMPIR
Skill or Darkvision
Darkvision
Feat
Dhampir Feat
(An extra-good feat)
Extra Speed +5 feet
• 3 Proficiencies
Vampiric Bite
• on Hit
• Prof Times per Day
• Harm 2.5 + Con
• Heal 2.5 + Con
• 3 Proficiencies
Climb Speed
L3 Spider Climb at Will
• 4 Proficiencies
Note, where the standard feat is about 8 proficiencies, the Dhampir feat seems more like about 10 proficiencies. Some feats are better than others and the Dhampir feat that includes extra speed, spider climb, and vampiric bite, seems like an extra-good feat.
In any case, the gothic lineages possibly suggest that the Custom Lineage is now considered: Ability Score +2 and +1, then feat and darkvision-or-skill.
he / him
I doubt WotC would impose cultural essentialism. It is sort of like saying everyone from the German culture has higher Intelligence while every one from the Polish culture has higher Charisma. It is just asking for controversy. Even if the culture just refers to proficiencies, to say that one culture has arcana, but an other culture has proficiency with clubs, is already the problem that WotC is trying to correct by removing exactly this from the races.
By utilizing a deck of backgrounds to build any culture, there is no essentialism, because one can add in new backgrounds into the culture, and every culture is fluid. Moreover, two very different cultures can use a background, and the character with the background in the context of one culture is just as competent as the character with the same background in the context of a different culture.
In this thread, a "culture" is the language (the group) plus an assemblage of backgrounds. But a unique character can still belong to this culture by speaking the language, despite having an unusual background within that culture.
he / him
Because a background is approximately a half-feat, it is mechanically balanced if a player uses a feat gained while leveling to add an additional background, in addition to a +1 score improvement.
Such ongoing work experience, sotospeak, gives a sense of continuing education and personal development. It is a flavorful way to pick up new proficiencies.
he / him
I think it is only fair to let you know that I completely disagree with everything you have posted in this thread, however I don't want to derail what you have going so I will not be participating in this particular discussion from this point forward. I wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors.
She/Her Player and Dungeon Master