Dread wrote:
I am waiting with bated breath for a couple more "balanced" magic using guilds...
I will agree with you insofar as this thread is hijacked, and to comment on the intended subject I think it would be a great thing indeed if other races saw more use. Whether or not another guild possibly opening helps that remains to be seen. I don't think the issue can be called fixed if we just go from all goblins to all goblins and elves.
My opinion is that by adding this guild it will help fill a gap that has been missing from Genesis for a long time... which will help with the bigger picture balance of the game.
The race discussion is one that has been around since Genesis begun. How it was explained to me, was that race was never meant to be cosmetic, that your racial choice should be meaningful. If I had a dime for every time it was discussed _how_ race stats should be attributed, i'd have a lot of dimes! In my opinion, I don't think that is going to change.
But there are other issues outside of stats which are restricting certain races being chosen... a big one being limited playstyle choice for certain races. In the past, dwarves didn't have any option to play a traditional dwarf. Their options were either being a gladiator, or angmar. A lot had to rely on roleplaying through the rockfriends. That was the big driver for me developing the Neidar Clan, to provide a playstyle for dwarves that suited that race.
Gnomes and elves are highly suited to magical guilds, but compared to combat guilds their options are highly limited.
Gnomes and hobbits are currently two races lacking options more broadly. Krynn created a kender occupational guild that is based on the hobbit race, but that is a really niche race, and doesn't satisfy those hobbits who would prefer to play a more traditional halfling rogue role.
Gnomes have been stereotyped as tinkers and inventors largely by the only gnome racial guild in the game. This doesn't suit everyone's tastes. I know Faerun are looking at expanding the options for both gnomes and halflings.
And yes, stats will play a role in people's racial choices. However I think since the creation of the Ogres guild it has opened a window of possibility that highlights that racial base stats don't necessarily have to be set in stone, and possibly racial guilds could play a large role in catering to play styles.
Could racial base stats change depending on racial guild decisions? Could a gnome base character who decides that want to be a deep gnome and join the respective racial guild find themselves more physically inclined than mental - more like a dwarf? Or an elf who decides to become a drow or wild elf finds themselves more physical but less wise? I think that could be a fun addition, particularly for those neglected races... and could soften some of the angst around the "balance" of certain races. But that sort of thing is for the admin to consider whether it aligns with the broader direction they want the game to go in.