D&D's Controversial Orc Changes Explained

screenrant.com:

Orcs have long been seen as one-note villains in a lot of fantasy media, but ’ latest revision is attempting to change this long-standing trope. As any fantasy fan knows, the genre can suffer from a (somewhat ironic) lack of creativity at times. Even today, many fantasy creators cling tightly to genre conventions established by the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien, which makes any changes, like ’s new orcs, feel threatening or unprecedented to some.

That said, is far from the first fantasy property to challenge genre conventions surrounding a traditionally villainous race. Terry Pratchett's novel,, for instance, challenges readers to reconsider the mistreatment of goblins. With the growing popularity of in the last decade, it’s understandable that Wizards of the Coast would want to modernize some of the game’s elements, like the way orcs are depicted.

’ new 2024 manuals have presented orcs less like the traditional one-dimensional villains of traditional fantasy, and more like a fully-realized race of sentient beings. The 2024 , for instance, has depictions of orc families and re-frames their strength as a means to help them keep themselves safe while traveling. This stands in stark contrast to the traditional warmongering orcs, whose physical strength was more of an indication of their aggressive behavior.

This change comes in tandem with ’ reworking of its fantasy races for the new revision. Races, now called species, have been de-emphasized in character creation. Players now select their species after their class and background. This change helps hammer home the notion that a character’s past and personality are more important than what species they belong to. This allows players to play as an orc without it having any effect on their character’s morality or ability to interact positively with other party members.

’s orc changes are best understood within the context of the wider fantasy genre. In recent years, fantasy properties have been undergoing a bit of a reckoning