Race in D&D

“In a game based around “role playing,” players are encouraged to take on the part of elves, dwarves, half-orcs, assassins, and warlocks, yet it is assumed that in all these roles they will still be white.”

— Race in D&D [via notemily/anthropophagous]

I wrote a couple of different drafts of posts arguing why I feel this is inaccurate, but in the end it just comes down to me experience with an ethnically diverse player group leading to an ethnically diverse character group.

I will make this point though… Remember that terrible Dungeons and Dragons movie? Both the ‘loveable rogue’ character Snails and the elven ranger were played by black actors, and it didn’t seem odd to this D&D player. The only racial differences that I notice in D&D are those of human, elf, dwarf, gnome, halfling, and so on. Oh, and, Neverwinter Nights, a popular D&D based computer RPG included a black spymaster as an important plot character.

D&D is not as white as it seems at first glance. Look at the campaign settings like the Forgotten Realms, for a start. There’s a wealth of ethnic and cultural diversity in that setting, and I’d say it’s a lazy gaming group that doesn’t make use of that in their characters.

In Addition: I read the original link after I wrote this (I know, bad me), and I scoffed a little. Doesn’t sit well with me, really, mainly because a) it’s a game, and b) my experiences actually, you know, playing it.

1 year ago  /  6 notes  /  Comments