Ah, i see. As a person that usually goes to the half-elves for his first several PCs in every edition so far, i was most curious as to what makes your half elves not as good as the other races. Have you made a home brew variant half elf that is different from the ones in current rules?
Well, half-elf has generally sucked in most versions of the rules (that is, not 5e), but as I said, people play it anyway.
My half-elf is this:
HALF-ELVES
Medium: As Medium creatures, half-elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Half-elf base land speed is 30 feet.
+2 racial saving throw bonus against spells that cause sleep or fatigue, and against all enchantment spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: A half-elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
+1 racial bonus on Handle Animal, Balance, Listen, Perform, Search, and Spot checks.
1 extra destiny point.
Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered to be both an elf and a human. For example, half-elves can take both human and elf racial feats.
Automatic Languages: Common or Elven; Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages).
Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass half-elf takes an experience point penalty, his highest-level class does not count.
Full Elf:
ELVES
+2 Dexterity or Intelligence or Charisma (player’s choice); –2 Constitution.
Medium: As Medium creatures, elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Elf base land speed is 30 feet.
Elves receive Light Sleeper as a bonus feat, and have a +2 racial saving throw bonus against spells that cause sleep or fatigue.
+2 racial saving throw bonus and against all enchantment spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: An elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Natural Affinity: An elf always treats Empathy (Animal) as a class skill, and may make skill checks untrained.
Weapon Proficiency: Elves receive Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the longsword, rapier, and shortbow as bonus feats. Elves treat the longbow as a martial weapon rather than as an exotic weapon.
+2 racial bonus on Balance, Listen, Perform, Search, and Spot checks.
An elf that merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.
Automatic Languages: Elven. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Common, Draconic, Goblin, Seelie, and Sylvan.
Favored Class: Wizard or Shaman. A multiclass elf’s wizard or shaman class, whichever is taken first, does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing.
Full Human
HUMANS
Medium: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Human base land speed is 30 feet.
1 extra feat at 1st level.
4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level.
1 extra destiny point.
Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages)
Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass human takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
Comparing the Half-Elf to the human, they get an advantage that is generally weaker than the feat Iron Will, while the human can select any feat that they want. They get the equivalent of 6 bonus skill points, while the Human gets 4 bonus skill points and 1 additional skill point per level after the first where ever they like. Otherwise, they are pretty similar. Low-light vision is ok, but not enough to make up for the advantages in flexibility that the human has.
Comparing the Half-Elf to the Elf, the Elf gets the flexibility to boost Int, Dex or Chr to a starting 18 fairly cheaply, and regardless of class automatically has access to some of the best weapons in the game. They also get pretty much all the advantages of a half-elf, but start with effectively 10 bonus skill points instead of 5 and Light Sleeper as a bonus feat. They also automatically get access to a powerful normally class restricted skill, and a big advantage on their perception by being able to passively search the environment. Against all of these advantages, the half-elf can basically only claim an additional destiny point, cheaper build cost if you want a high Con, and better flexibility when multi-classing. Destiny points and perhaps slightly better Con are nice, but don't quite make up for everything they give up.
Now granted, it's close. I've made the Half-Elf as good as I can make it as a compromise between the two races' respective stat blocks. But it's still a bit weak. The only real advantage it has is that any build that used both Human and Elf racial feats would be a natural fit for the class. Otherwise, it's hard to build something in the race that wouldn't be ever so slightly better with another race.
