Dungeons and Dragonsis removing the term “race” from its lexicon effective immediately. This change has come alongside the playtesting forOne D&D,Dungeons and Dragons’evergreen evolution of5th Edition.
Across the fantasy genre, the term “race” is often used to describe entirely different types of creatures, from elves and humans to goblins and orcs. First used byJ.R.R. Tolkien inLord of the Rings, “race” has become the standard terminology used by most fantasy games, includingDungeons and Dragons.
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ButDungeons and Dragonsis finally taking a step away from the problematic terminology. ThoughDungeons and Dragonshas been trying to move awayfrom the term “race” since the release of5th Edition, it still relied on the outdated term when referencing the game mechanic. As of its most recentOne D&Dplaytest, and for all future content, it will be using the term “species” in place of “race.” Wizards of the Coast released a blog post explaining its reasoning and process.
The term “race” is problematic in fantasy because of its outdated origins. In the real world, race has been historically used to divide and oppress different groups of people. In fantasy, race goes from a social construct to real, physical differences, unwittingly giving teeth to the discrimination present in both places. As the father of modern fantasy, Tolkien’s use of the word “race” unwittingly codified the terminology for the settings that came after–includingpopular games likeWorld of Warcraft.
Most players are happyDungeons and Dragonsis making this move away from outdated terms like “race.”Dungeons and Dragonshas made some tone-deaf blundersin recent history, so the transparency and attention shown in its blog is a welcome change. Though it is only one step on the journey of making it truly inclusive of all people, removing the term is a smart move for the world’s oldest TTRPG.
That said, players aren’t ready to congratulateDungeons and Dragonsfor making this change yet. Other games, like Paizo’sPathfinder, are leaps and bounds ahead ofDungeons and Dragonsin terms of equity and inclusivity, and players think Wizards of the Coast needs to catch up. Others are not charmed by the term “species,” as it sounds a bit scientific in comparison toPathfinder’s“ancestry.”Dungeons and Dragonsis seeking feedbackon its diction, so players who would rather see another word should be sure to make their opinions known during the nextOne D&Dplaytest survey when it opens on December 21.
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