1) I like this. I wouldn't run it/them as I'm just not that interested in grit. But as I've said from packet #1, I want the game and its modules to have all the things. It costs me nothing to ignore something, but for those who want a feature, it's more difficult to create it.
Yep. Sounds like a good deal all around. Optional rules, just as it should be.
2) I also generally like this*. Playing an "abnormal" race/class combo should (IMO) be sub-optimal, but no so much so that it's punishing.
I agree with this, too, for the most part. Though, personally, I'd be okay with later, more uncommon races being more restricted (or even completely restricted from certain things, like arcane magic).
3) I like this too. While I don't care for the specific human racials, I like the simplicity.
I can get behind the simplicity, but I don't much like the human racials, either. I'd always kinda hoped they'd focus on Intelligence for humans; their big thing seems to be adaptation. Humans are everywhere: in every terrain, in every climate, mixed with every race, etc. In past editions, they've been given free skills and / or feats because they adapt, etc. Why not give them something similar, with an Int bonus to represent that adaptive nature?
Obviously, it's been to keep humans as a baseline race, but that seems to be gone with "everything gets +1", so maybe it's more about "we don't want more human Wizards than other classes"? Not sure. At any rate, I'd still rather see that done, but I understand why they want humans simple, and can appreciate that, even if I don't like the current racials. Good post; sent some XP your way (it said "Good post", since nobody can see it). As always, play what you like
