D&D 5E What's wrong with a human-centric fantasy world?

[Roadkill101]

Nothing wrong with a human-centric pc based campaign world. It's a matter of Player buy-in, so if the OP can get a group to go for it, I can't see any major issues (after all the game is supposed to function just fine with regard to an all one pc race style of play, pc's of all one class is a little different).
As a player, most of my characters tend to be human. I use class to get my variation in what the character can bring to the party.
My campaign is designed to reward a human-centric pc world in the form of speedier class advancement.
I like race to bring to the table a more or less unique skill or ability set (via flavor over crunch), similar to a B/X feel such as dwarves having a better than average chance to detect shifting walls or Elves ability to be stealthy when alone and not in metal armor...(or an Advantage using such in 5e terms).

 

[Ancalagon]

The world/multiverse of KSBD would definitely make an interesting campaign world!

There is an rpg out for it. I strongly considered buying it just for the setting...

 

[Inchoroi]

Oh, there is one thing about a human-centric world. If you try to make different human ethnicities into D&D mechanical races and then try to get feedback on it, the internet will flip out and assault you with claims of racism.

 

[robus]

Oh, there is one thing about a human-centric world. If you try to make different human ethnicities into D&D mechanical races and then try to get feedback on it, the internet will flip out and assault you with claims of racism.

Reasonably so IMHO. For a human centered world, backgrounds are what should provide ability score boosts.

 

[Inchoroi]

Reasonably so IMHO. For a human centered world, backgrounds are what should provide ability score boosts.

I don't necessarily agree that it would be reasonable to assume a person is racist because they suggest that magic, as well as a fantastical, magically-active world, would have an effect on a specific culture's human occupants! That being said, Backgrounds would be a way to do it, instead of modifying or creating new races.

 

[billd91]

I don't necessarily agree that it would be reasonable to assume a person is racist because they suggest that magic, as well as a fantastical, magically-active world, would have an effect on a specific culture's human occupants! That being said, Backgrounds would be a way to do it, instead of modifying or creating new races.

It's more a question of linking differences in abilities to human characters because of the color of their skin or their cultural identity and why you might think it's appropriate to do so.

 

[cbwjm]

I think it's fine to differentiate human cultures with different abilities. I created a few rough outlines so that a seafaring/reaving culture gains bonuses to str/con, a magocratic society has a bonus to int/cha, etc. Each culture also gains some additional skills and features. The thing with them is that they represent cultures not a single specific ethnicity. You could have two rival magocracies fighting it out with the same bonuses but with very different cultural fluff.

 

[the Jester]

I want to try and push these non-human races out of the common and restore a tiny little bit of wonder about them, not jeopardize a player's desires. What would be wrong with this?

Nothing, though it won't suit all players' playstyle. Many really want to be nonhuman. But that's fine, as long as your group is suitable.