D&D 5E Homebrewing Humans

[SubDude]

The base human really doesn't excel at anything, getting a nice, evenly distributed +1 to all stats. This doesn't really reflect how humans specialize in real life.

The current solution to this, the Variant Human, becomes almost the only way to play a human, and I'd like to do away with it as an option while still encouraging players to consider playing the human race.

So I come to you, my brain trust, to bounce an idea off. What potential problems and pitfalls am I not thinking of here? What are your thoughts on these house rules? Is it too much?


1. There are no Variant Humans.
2. Humans gain +2 to one trait and +1 to two different traits.
3. Humans may gain +1 to a fourth trait if they take a -1 on one of their last two traits.
4. Humans gain proficiency in a skill of their choice.
5. Humans gain an additional ASI at level 7.

 

[ad_hoc]

That is far too strong.

The simplest solution is to have the Variant Human take the Prodigy feat.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

That is far too strong.

The simplest solution is to have the Variant Human take the Prodigy feat.

That is also what I would suggest. I might also suggest gaining proficiency with one simple or martial weapon in addition.

 

[5ekyu]

Ooops, sorry... Misunderstood title and was looking for recipes.

Carry on.

Sent from my [device_name] using EN World mobile app

 

[Sunseeker]

This doesn't really reflect how humans specialize in real life.

If I were looking for a life-sim, I'd go to work.

I don't see how the variant human doesn't represent specialization. This seems like a convoluted response to simply not liking a free feat at level 1.

Specialist humans are the variant human. Two +2's to any two stats represents specialized physical or mental conditioning, and a feat represents specialized training.

It's a rather simple and elegant solution. Your alternative is complicated, clunky and forces players to wait till level 7 to get one of their features, which no other race is required to do. So much for specialization right? Waiting longer than everyone else to get their racial feature.

If you don't like feats, give humans one anyway. It will make them notably more specialized than anyone else, their racial feature would then become the ability to specialize beyond the capabilities of anyone else.

 

[schnee]

In this edition, a +2 to a stat is really, really burly. With Bounded Accuracy, that seems a bit too tempting to min/max into something overpowered.

If I were still into powergaming, I'd take that over any other race. It would let me pull off a really MAD build, and those extra ability score boosts together would outweigh the drops in the other stats. Add to that the extra ASI at 7th, and at 8th level when the second one came online I'd be monstrous.

My evidence is that we have a player that rolled really well - like, superhuman - and she's outshining other people at the table like she's levels above. She even has high stats in the abilities that are traditionally the 'weak' saves for her class, so she'll be really dominant until late tiers.

So, I think it's a bit too strong.

 

[Phineas Q. Conundrum]

I think if you look at other races you'll find this one is pretty strong. I would nix number 3; everyone I know would just use that and reduce their intelligence even lower. Int 8 parties are bad enough. Perhaps the skill proficiency could become one or more tool proficiencies?

 

[dregntael]

If you don't like feats at level 1 but you still want to give humans some more choice, how about just taking the variant human and replacing the feat by a +2 to any stat? So then you'd get:

- +2 to one stat, and +1 to two other stats
- Proficiency in one skill of your choice

That seems balanced yet quite attractive for a lot of builds compared to +1 to all stats.

 

[TiwazTyrsfist]

Personally, I think humans are fine mechanically.

For my homebrew setting, I'm thinking of creating specialized cultures among humans for flavor reasons.

My basic plan is: Start with Variant Human
You get +1 in a specific stat, and +1 to any stat
You get proficiency is a specific Skill (or one skill from a small set of 2-3)
You gain proficiency in a specific weapon.
You gain a single tool or vehicle proficiency from a small set (2-3)
You gain a specific Feat, or one from a small set.

For Example
(Sailor Culture)
+1 Dex, +1 Any
Prof in one skill from (Athletics, Perception, Survival)
Prof with (Shortsword or Scimitar [haven't decided yet, which is more similar to a Cutlass])
Prof with one of the following (Cartographer tools, Carpenter tools, Navigator Tools, Water Vehicle)
Feat: Athlete


I'm planning to make a number of these, representing a number of major human cultural groups in my setting.
Themes will be like the sailors above, or Magic focused, mercantile focused, highly militant, etc.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

The base human really doesn't excel at anything, getting a nice, evenly distributed +1 to all stats. This doesn't really reflect how humans specialize in real life.

Ability scores, Class and Skill choice is how the game reflects how humans specialise in real life.

The current solution to this, the Variant Human, becomes almost the only way to play a human, and I'd like to do away with it as an option while still encouraging players to consider playing the human race.

I've seen a fairly even split between standard and variant humans. Nothing like one option being "almost the only way to play a human".

So I come to you, my brain trust, to bounce an idea off. What potential problems and pitfalls am I not thinking of here? What are your thoughts on these house rules? Is it too much?


1. There are no Variant Humans.
2. Humans gain +2 to one trait and +1 to two different traits.
3. Humans may gain +1 to a fourth trait if they take a -1 on one of their last two traits.
4. Humans gain proficiency in a skill of their choice.
5. Humans gain an additional ASI at level 7.

These are very powerful in terms on min/max potential: - Which is what the variant human tends to cater to. I'd say that these are definitely unnecessary.