D&D 5E Super Simple Racial Features

DND_Reborn · Jul 17, 2019

I want to streamline the races and bring them down to one core racial feature each. (For those who are tempted to ask "Why?" Because I want to. )

I am curious what people think is the core defining feature for each race? I would do a poll, but I would end up needing a poll for each race.

I've already reduced all races to a single +1 ASI. I am thinking of allowing a second +1 ASI, but you must then take a -1 somewhere else.

So, for Dragonborn as an example, is it the Breath Weapon or Energy Resistance? Or something you use as homebrew? Or something I forgot?

Dragonborn (breath weapon, energy resistance)
Dwarf (adv/resist poison, weapons & armor, tools, stonecunning, toughness)
Elf (perception, charm/sleep resistance, trance, weapons, speed 35)
Gnome (adv mental spells, illusions, speak with small beasts, tinkering)
Half-Elf (charm/sleep resistance, skills)
Half-Orc (menacing, relentless endurance, savage attacks)
Halfling (lucky, brave, nimble, stealthy, adv/resist poison)
Human (all ASI, variant skill, variant feat)
Tiefling (fire resistance, cantrip + 2 spells, wings)

I'm sure I probably missed a feature or two, so if you feel it would represent the core single racial feature, then let me know.

Anyway, as always thanks for any input you wish to share.

Hriston · Jul 18, 2019

Great assignment! I'm going to assume this is the first step in a redesign of the features in question because otherwise there'd be some balance issues. Also, I'm assuming we're leaving things like size, speed, and languages as is. I'm only going to consider features from the base races. Anyway, here's my list:

Dragonborn: Breath Weapon
Dwarf: Tool Proficiency/Stonecunning
Elf: Keen Senses
Gnome: Gnome Cunning
Half-Elf: Skill Versatility
Halfling: Lucky
Half-Orc: Menacing
Human: ASI
Tiefling: Infernal Legacy

lowkey13 · Jul 18, 2019

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DND_Reborn · Jul 18, 2019

Thanks for posting! I was beginning to think I wouldn't have any responses LOL. I'll make note of your choices on my spreadsheet.

To answer your points: yes, a bit of redesign for game balance and simplicity. I want to encourage players to choose race for reasons other than "what can I get" and by reducing the benefits for each race to a single core feature, which while useful will not be too powerful, I am hoping to accomplish that.

I am keeping every thing else the same, but made some changes to vision:

Darkvision races: Dragonborn, Half-orc, Tiefling (Darkness becomes dim, dim becomes normal)
Shadowsight races: Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes (Dim Light becomes normal, no help in Darkness)
Normal sight races: Half-elves, Halflings, Humans

lowkey13 · Jul 18, 2019

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Blue · Jul 18, 2019

Can I suggest that whatever single feature you give, it's a powerful one. As in more powerful then the existing. If all you get is one thing it should be something exciting and fun to use so that the the race has attraction. And not something that barely flavors play like a once per long rest ability.

The other side of it is my pet peeve that the designers didn't leave themselves enough power room to be able to introduce races that are, for example, size large. Or have some other powerful defining trait.

So instead of going for something situational and lackluster like poison resistance for dwarves, go big. Like maybe +2 proficiency when underground. Or reduce all B/P/S damage by proficiency (stacks with HWM). Can spend up to [CON mod] HD to heal as a bonus action per short/long rest. Reenvision them.

DND_Reborn · Jul 18, 2019

lowkey13 said:
Is the Darkvision / Shadowsight like the old Infravision / Ultravision?

Not really. IIRC both Infravision and Ultravision allowed you to "see" in the dark, but by different means. Infravision was sight by heat sources or something, as where Ultravision used any light that was at all present and magnified it to the point you could see.

Darkvision works RAW in 5E for us.
Shadowsight works more like Ultravision, magnifying the available light to a degree where you can see normally. However, there has to be a minimum amount of light (dim light) for it to work, in conditions less than dim light (considered "darkness" in 5E), it doesn't help at all.

We also removed the ranges. Sight is sight, but we do impose disadvantage on checks maybe beyond the listed range. So, if you were a Dragonborn with darkvision, your sight extends to the horizon or however far you can see, but beyond 60 feet you lose enough clarity that you have disadvantage. You are not, however, effectively blind beyond 60 feet.

DND_Reborn · Jul 18, 2019

Blue said:
Can I suggest that whatever single feature you give, it's a powerful one. As in more powerful then the existing. If all you get is one thing it should be something exciting and fun to use so that the the race has attraction. And not something that barely flavors play like a once per long rest ability.

Honestly, I had considered this and I might to a point, but probably not to the extent you're talking about. I want the racial features to be significant, but not over powering in any respect.

lowkey13 · Jul 18, 2019

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ART! · Jul 18, 2019

I recommend looking at 13th Age, because this is exactly how they handle racial features. You get one, but it "levels up" twice by the time you hit 10th level (which is where 13th Age caps things).