Thirteen Things I’d Like to See from D&D Next (Part 3)

9.  Deep gnomes

I love svirfneblin.  I thought that it was beyond weird that they never got support from 4e, especially considering what a huge part the race plays in R.A. Salvatore’s work, work that has become the absolute bedrock of the D&D playable world.

I don’t argue that deep gnomes need to represent a major part of the D&D landscape or that they should be particularly common.  But.  There is a whole sub-class of Players out there who want to venture through the Underdark, time yesterday, and for those folks, svirfneblin are utterly essential.  I myself fall into that camp sometimes, which is why I’d like to see deep gnomes get a little love this time around.

10.  Shadow magic

Because Shadow Magic isn’t--or at least shouldn’t be--the same things as Arcane Magic.  My two cents is that Shadow Magic is kind of combination of magicks, a sub-class of arcane magic that is fueled at least partially by divine, unholy sources.  

And, I mean, come on!  That’s a rich vein for storytelling right there.  All we need is a little bit of support.

11.  A Shadow Dancer subclass or prestige class

While we’re talking about Shadow Magic, let me add in my desire to see the Shadow Dancer sub-class or prestige class come back.  

What’s a Shadow Dancer, you ask?  Well, my thought is that a Shadow Dancer is a Rogue who knows just enough Shadow Magic to get herself in trouble.  She can leap between shadows and maybe use a bit of magic to Hide, and maybe at higher levels, she learns to wield some kind of Shadow Blade.  Anyway, this is the kind of thing that I’d like to see.

12.  Cambion as a playable race

Because everybody wants to play Hellboy, no?

A cambion is the unholy offspring of a mortal and a devil or demon, similar to a Tiefling but neither as pretty or as smart.  I think of cambions as being strong, Hellish beings, cursed by their heritage, and possessed of wings.  But who knows?  I mean, yeah, you could just play a Tiefling and call it a cambion, and I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that, but I always think of cambions as carrying swords, and most of the Tiefling-type classes aren’t really built for melee.  

13.  Support for Astrology, Tarot Cards, and other specific forms of Divination

Because astrology and tarot card readings can both be wonderfully cryptic, making Divination as much art as science.  Besides which, I don’t think D&D gives enough support for superstitious nonsense.  I mean, there are gods and goddesses, demons and devils, but in the world of D&D all of that stuff is real.  I want support for something that might just be nonsense, for the PCs’ superstitions, for their intuition and crazy-assed beliefs.

What do you think?  Is that a bridge too far?