Blog (A5E) Level Up: Origins List

As we near our final manuscript for the first three chapters of Level Up, here's a quick look at our near-final list of heritages, cultures, backgrounds, and destinies. The first chunk of the book will be going into layout soon, and we thank you for all the vital playtest feedback you’ve given us. Note that the below is not the layout of appearance of the final book!

This list may change slightly, but it is near-final. As you can see, many cultures have become ‘general’ cultures, but also the handful of core legacy 5E cultures have been preserved as unique cultures in their own right (i.e. a wood elf is different to a forest gnome, despite them both living in woods, and they exist alongside the generic wildling culture).

Continue reading...

 

[tetrasodium]

Those who listen to this week's podcast might know about a secret change to that list!

got a link?

 

[Morrus]

got a link?

www.enworld.org

 

[tetrasodium]

derp, I was eating a big slice of leftover pie I shouldn't have been eating as one slice & not thinking.

Interesting swap tiefling>planetouched moving it away from asmodius metaplot support towards their roots focused on the individual pc. monk>adept sounds like it will be a very nice change as well, likewise with barbarian>berserker & such can't wait to see it
The spell changes/rare spell stuff sound especially interesting too... the more I listen the more "ooh I can't wait to see" stuff comes up.

 

[Morrus]

 

[jaynay27]

Ooooh - Wait a sec - Tiefling has now changed to planetouched...does that mean Aasimar are now being included? Crosses fingers

 

[Faolyn]

I have to say--it now almost seems weird to have things like Hill Dwarf in there, in comparison to the nonracial traits.

"So, tell me about yourself. Where did you grow up?"

"I'm a hill dwarf."

"Yes, but where did you grow up? What was it like?"

"...It was hilly."

(Not that I'm against the more standard ancestry traits at all. It's just amusing to compare them.)

 

[Faolyn]

Ooooh - Wait a sec - Tiefling has now changed to planetouched...does that mean Aasimar are now being included? Crosses fingers

And genasi. And, potentially, modron/slaad-touched.

 

[Morrus]

I have to say--it now almost seems weird to have things like Hill Dwarf in there, in comparison to the nonracial traits.

"So, tell me about yourself. Where did you grow up?"

"I'm a hill dwarf."

"Yes, but where did you grow up? What was it like?"

"...It was hilly."

(Not that I'm against the more standard ancestry traits at all. It's just amusing to compare them.)

Yeah, they should have unique cultural names. But the core subraces are part of D&D's DNA.

 

[Faolyn]

Yeah, they should have unique cultural names. But the core subraces are part of D&D's DNA.

Well, it's quite possible that this will be popular enough that it takes off, like Pathfinder did, and you'll get more leeway after a while.

 

[Xethreau]

Can we find a word without so much racist imperialist subtext? The past was very bad and in a game that is supposed to be fun for all it would be nice to find a word without so much baggage.

I know Morrus already gave us a warning in the conversation, but if I can say one thing about this (which I hope will be nearly the last word, otherwise I will delete the comment).

I know the people who worked on this background, and they understand where you're coming from and put a lot of effort into bringing your points to the forefront of the conversation. The archetype that the "Settler" embodies is someone who lives at the very edges of a kingdom or empire--it is an inherently imperialist archetype. If someone could rename their way out of having the type be imperialist, they would be a better writer than me. (I would strongly welcome specific suggestions!)

What I can say is, while we can't escape the imperialism, we can at least try to be anti-imperialistic. The point about "not being the first people on the land" was well taken and was, again, put at the forefront in our conversation about that archetype.