D&D 5E Humans: should they have any racial ability bonuses?

[BoldItalic]

It averages out. For every human adventurer who has +1 on everything, there is another human who got -1 on everything but stayed home because no-one wanted to play him.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

The key to changing all this would be to decide that humans are better at something than other races and build racial abilities around it. It seems like multiclassing would be a good fit for that in that it fits the fluff (humans will try anything), although I am not sure abilities to give for that.

Alternatively, play on the notion that humans can successfully reproduce with just about anything in D&D, and give all PC humans a notable bloodline (nonPC humans' bloodlines are so mixed up they don't get any goodies). A human with an elf bloodline gets X goodies (and no need for a half elf anymore), orc bloodline gives Y goodies (no need for a half orc anymore), Gith bloodlines gives psychic goodies, elemental bloodline gives Z goodies (no need for genasai anymore), etc. I have thought about that at times, but never pulled the trigger.

 

[pogre]

Restricting multi-classing to humans only is an interesting idea.

I'm not all that disappointed with humans as written though.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

I always liked the human baseline, and the +1 to everything never sat well with me. Nor does the lack of racial penalties. I mean, ultimately, what we have is the same thing, just with the baseline moved up by 1 point to make it appear more fair. It's just a comforting lie.

 

[Mistwell]

Now humans get +1 to all abilities.

But humans always were starting point in comparison to other races from abilities standpoint.

Yes in 5e you could argue that not getting +1 to an ability is a penalty, +1 is average and +2 is above average.

But, I do not like that everyone has to get +1 or +2.

Also I know that racials penalties(in 99% of cases) will not come back.


So...how to make humans with no racial bonuses to abilities?


Humans are described as adaptive and oportunistic and quick learners.


1; Games with feats

Racial traits: you gain two feats,
Languages: common, plus one extra language.

Don't do it! One feat works OK at first level. TWO? It's a rare day that I suggest something could break the game...but I think that could break the game, or at least seriously unbalance it, at levels 1-3. Mind you, those levels go pretty quick. So it's not that serious an issue for a long term campaign. But if you are putting a party through an adventure that carries them from levels 1 to level 3 or 4, which is pretty common, expect the humans to dominate. There are just too many feats that work synergistically with each other that will translate into unexpected power at those low levels. Like Polearm Master + Sentinel, for example.

2; games without feats,

Racial traits; 2 bonus skill proficiencies, extra saving throw proficiency, proficiency in death saving throws, 2 bonus proficiencies in tools or weapons,
Languages; common, 2 extra languages,

Seems like this could work. Extra save is pretty powerful. For the tools and weapons, I would add armor to that list and phrase it as maybe two of: weapon, armor, or tool proficiencies?

 

[ccs]

1; Games with feats

Racial traits: you gain two feats,
Languages: common, plus one extra language.

simple, elegant, and with right feat(s) you can get 16 in one ore two scores at 1st level.

Or maybe 2 19s if you get lucky on the dice rolls.
Remember, rolling for your stats IS the games default. You want to argue about it go see that other 50+ page thread.

 

[ccs]

The fact humans get +1 to everything can alternatively be described as everyone else getting -1 to everything.

Which is a much more popular way of implementing racial penalties than actual minuses.

Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app

Sure, you could say that. Won't make it true. But you could say it.

And who knows, if you repeat it oft enough you might convince other stupid people to believe it. Still won't be true though.

 

[cmad1977]

Ooh good! The thread just got dickish. I'm in!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[The-Magic-Sword]

For a different take, I use these humans in my campaign setting: http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/VJnO0-Ccx

This is partially because I give out 1 free feat at first level to everyone, and partially because I really don't like the jack-of-all-trades human, it makes humans too much of a default in the context of the world, I'd rather treat us as just another race with our own talents and flaws. It also adds another intelligence racial option, which is nice.

 

[Yaarel]

The feat Human is perfect. If you want to use the feat to boost an ability score, that as one of many Human options, is perfect too.