D&D 5E Ban Variant-Human! Impact?

[clearstream]

Very little impact other than the number of humans in a game would probably drop significantly.

I think standard is pretty “meh”, so I usually give them two skill proficiencies like half-elves get. Makes sense to me, otherwise why do half-elves get two? They should inherit something from their human side.

I don't use Variant Human. Instead I use this change to basic human -

Humans gain the “Schooled” racial trait, which reads as follows—"You gain one feat. The feat can be actor, athlete, linguist, prodigy or tavern brawler.”

 

[Ashrym]

Given that statistics released demonstrated most characters were humans and not using feats at low levels it doesn't seem like feats are driving the choice regardless. Banning variant humans won't cause a mass exodus of humans if they aren't playing humans for the feats anyway.

The issue isn't having the feat so much as some of the feats available and matching them up to the build concept. Allowing variant human and restricting the feat choices makes sense to me.

Compared to the half-elf (the most broken race IMO), it is still a bit less.

lol, the first thing I thought when I saw the title was, "I'd probably play more half-elves."

 

[DND_Reborn]

lol, the first thing I thought when I saw the title was, "I'd probably play more half-elves."

For any build where you want a decent or better CHA, it is really hard to beat IME.

 

[clearstream]

there's dm vs player challenge rating and that can easily be scaled by the DM. No issue there. There's intra party balance and that isn't necessarily scalable by the DM - though sometimes he can put more focus on a different pillar than is currently being focused on which can help but isn't a silver bullet of balance.

Character overshadowing is my key objection to Variant Human. GWM, SS or PAM in tier-1 is way over the curve.

And it places a burden of a DM who wants to use the official material they have purchased to tune everything up a notch if they want a game difficulty above easy. The bang-for-buck on Variant Human just isn't in the right place.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I don't use Variant Human. Instead I use this change to basic human -

Humans gain the “Schooled” racial trait, which reads as follows—"You gain one feat. The feat can be actor, athlete, linguist, prodigy or tavern brawler.”

I remember you mentioning the Schooled feature in another thread. For tables where variant humans benefit too much from feats, this is a nice option IMO.

 

[clearstream]

What feat gives you as much as:

+1 to an ability score, flight at-will (50' or 25' speed, depending on armor), proficient with your unarmed strikes which do 1d4 damage, two additional languages? (Aarakocra)

+1 to an ability score, darkvision, advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects, a free attack cantrip (poison spray), two bonus languages, and the ability to use animal friendship and suggestion with snakes? (Yuan-ti pureblood)

+1 to an ability score; darkvision; proficient with two martial weapons, proficiency with light armor; a +5 (or slightly less) bonus to an attack, ability check, or save once per short rest, and a bonus language? (Hobgoblin)

I would say each of those is worth more than a feat for a LOT of character concepts. And I could keep going like that for a long time. Variant humans don't dominate the game - not even for optimizers. They are a fine choice for some concepts, but not the only reasonably optimized choice for pretty much any character concept in terms of optimization.

I think those splat-book races are a bad choice for making a balancing argument. They're very often themselves OP, and not everyone uses/has access to them. I feel like it is defensible to narrow the argument to core.

 

[clearstream]

I remember you mentioning the Schooled feature in another thread. For tables where variant humans benefit too much from feats, this is a nice option IMO.

Thanks The idea is to narrow it to whatever set of feats that the table finds reasonable and flavourful.

You probably noticed that I've focused on feats that grant an extra +1 on a stat, with some flavourful side-benefits. On top of basic human that makes it five stats getting +1, and one stat getting +2, which in play works out well for most characters. Prodigy (from Xanathar's) does not give a point, but I think Expertise is fairly priced at a stat-point and I think players value having the option of gaining it. Again, quite flavourful.

 

[Zardnaar]

Default human probably needs a tweak rather than +1 on everything two floating +2's and two +1's.

SAD classes like two good scores

Others like 3 scores while MAD type ones need 4.

Just because if 5E design.

Just don't expect to see any humans if you don't allow the variant.

 

[Aaron L]

I use a Houserule (from the Feats of Heroism PDF from DM's Guild, a booklet which I make very good use of) where every character gets a bonus Feat at 1st, 10th, and 20th levels; this way every character gets to start out with a Feat, which I very much like to provide character customization options. Because I use this rule I don't allow the standard Variant Human (so that no one is able to begin with 2 Feats) but instead provide a different Variant that gives +1 to 5 ability scores and 1 bonus Skill.

(The way I figure it, the standard Human gets +1 to six scores and the Variant Human gives up 4 of those +1s for a bonus Feat and Skill, so that must mean the Feat and Skill combined equal four +1 ability score bonuses, and since a bonus Skill isn't as powerful as a bonus Feat then the Feat must be worth +1 to 3 scores, and the bonus Skill must be worth +1 to one score. So, my variant Variant Human gets +1 to five ability scores, and one bonus Skill. I wanted to keep this option available since I consider the bonus Skill to be almost as important for character customization as the bonus Feat, and eliminating the Variant Human altogether would remove this bonus Skill option along with the bonus Feat.)

In order to keep the monsters competitive with PCs and remain the appropriate CR I also give all monsters a bonus Feat. I usually just give them the Tough Feat but sometimes use another appropriate Feat, something like Blade Mastery (or another of the Unearthed Arcana Weapon Mastery Feats, for creatures like Hobgoblins or other monsters known for their discipline or weapon skill) or I'll give them the Magic Initiate Feat to create an unusual and interesting variety of monster. Simply adding the Magic Initiate Feat to a common monster, giving it 2 good Cantrips and a useful 1st level spell, can turn a standard creature into a very memorable NPC!

Give a simple Goblin Boss the spells Sacred Flame, Toll the Dead, and Shield of Faith, and he becomes his tribe's Witchdoctor; give a Hobgoblin Warlord Eldritch Blast, Create Bonfire, and Hex, and he becomes the dangerous leader of the Hobgoblin Cult of Arioch!

 

[S'mon]

I like having mostly human PCs, and I like how the Feats boost warrior types more.