D&D 4E Are humans balanced in 4e?

[Aldarc]

Even if humans do not have an appealing third at-will power, they are at least given access to a third at-will that they can easily trade away for a multiclass.

 

[Mistwell]

So, by the time you hit 7th level, that's at least three attacks in every battle that are probably accounted for by your encounter powers and in some battles you will also use a daily. (Theoretically, someone might use a standard action utility power too, but most characters will not have them). If combats are typically 5 rounds, that's only two rounds of at-will powers--or three if this is one of the combats where you spend an action point.

Except a lot of people report that encounters are lasting FAR beyond 5 rounds, particularly at higher levels. And that is not even counting encounters that happen with less than 5 minutes of rest between them. I think experience will show that at-wills continue in heavy use through almost all levels, and that your example will not hold up under a full 30 level career hard-look.

And with regard to the wizard and the hypothetical +Int/+Wis race, remember, you're not trading the third at-will for +2 Wis; you also get a racial encounter power in the deal.

Humans get a bonus to defenses, bonus feat, bonus skill, choice of ability to apply +2 to, bonus at-will, medium speed, medium weapon use, and some of the best racial feats in the game. I think humans will remain the best choice for most wizard types regardless of new races.

 

[Seule]

So, Humans are quite good for some classes/builds, not so good for others - which is true of all the races. Humans, though, can always manage a +2 to thier primary stat, so they can at least be viable with any class and virtually any build ('balanced' builds in split-primary classes, like the Star Warlock, for instance, are the exception).

I just wanted to comment on this.
Most of the Star Warlock powers, other than the at-will, use Charisma (Con comes in there too, but my unofficial survey showed more use Cha). Playing a Human Starlock lets you dump Con to boost Cha, and still have two useable at-will powers (of your three). This is the route I took in the starlock I was mocking up just recently, in my opinion the extra at-will lets Human starlocks be the only stat-specialized starlocks, which makes them very good.

--Penn

 

[Orcus Porkus]

The new Invoker (only preview level 1-3 available) is another class that becomes decisively more powerful if you choose human. See my build here.
While it's true that many combats are short, we've all seen grinding battles that go on forever. With a variety of at-wills at your disposal, those fights become much more enjoyable. Trust me, when you play an invoker and have to pick 2 at-wills only, the decision turns into a gigantic headache.

 

[Cas Liber]

Ah well, at least it is a far cry from the bad old days of 1e - when they had no extras and came over as crap...until one found out there was an arbitrary level and class restriction on most PC demihuman races....
Cas

 

[Stalker0]

Humans have lost the glory days of 3e, where nearly everyone I played with was human (extra feat was too good to pass up), but they are still competitive.

They seem to make very good wizards already, and as more at-wills and feats come out, the desire to play a human will increase.

Further, I still say they have some of the best racial feats...like action surge.

 

[BarkingDeathSquirrel]

Further, I still say they have some of the best racial feats...like action surge.

No doubt there, but Half-Elves get access to all those wonderful feats too.

Personally, I just gave humans a Daily Racial power ("Conviction") that gives them a free action point (that they must use before the end of the encounter...) when they roll a natural 20 on a saving throw. A nice bonus when it does come up, and certainly fits well within the current "theme" of humans in 4e.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Paladins--The Class most dependant on multiple stats in the entire game. Avoid like the Plague.

I totally disagree (as a player of a human paladin in a 4e game). The +1 to all defenses for being a human stacks with the +1 to all defenses for being a paladin and you can throw being able to use plate armor despite having a low STR on top of that.

This combined with a free feat to take toughness and durability at lvl 1 makes for a very tough nut to crack.

DS

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

I totally disagree (as a player of a human paladin in a 4e game). The +1 to all defenses for being a human stacks with the +1 to all defenses for being a paladin and you can throw being able to use plate armor despite having a low STR on top of that.

The only real down side is one useless At-Will.

When the Divine Power book is out, you will see the number of human paladins explode.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

The only real down side is one useless At-Will.

When the Divine Power book is out, you will see the number of human paladins explode.

I have used my third at-will exactly ONCE in my 7 levels of adventuring! I am thinking that I will eventually multiclass once something comes along that makes sense for my character to multiclass into so I can get something in the golfbag that will help. Either that or wait for the divine expansion book, gotta be something in there as you say.

I am also, by getting the free skill pick and using my freed up feat slot to purchase another skill, the party skill monkey. Diplomacize the good guys, Intimidate the bad ones, and even find traps better than the party rogue.

DS