I get it that many D&D players are accustomed to "racism", and are already comfortable with how the D&D tradition has used the word "race" as an essentialist approach to cultural traits.
Even so, a setting can supply a "typical" member with common traits as a default. Meanwhile, minorities with less common traits that are different are also known.
Consider height. A certain population of a species have an average height, but individuals can differ significantly from this average.
Wrote this up last night, but didn't get finished with it. Kind of relates to the latest string of replies. On the Culture side of things, I'd also switched over to Upbringing, so would agree on changing the general label for that aspect of these mechanics.
Racial simplification.
This is to chart out the intrinsic aspects of the available races. I'll stick to the PHB races, because the full list of races is very long.
Common Races
Dwarf
Lifespan: 350 years. Young until 50
Size: 4-5 feet tall, 150 lbs, Medium
Speed: 25 feet. Speed is not reduced by heavy armor.
Darkvision: 60 feet
Resilience: Advantage on saving throws against poison, and resistance to poison damage
Elf
Lifespan: 750 years. Young until 100
Size: 5-6 feet, slender, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Fey Ancestry: Advantage against being charmed, can't be magically slept
Trance: Don't need to sleep. Long rest in 4 hours
Halfling
Lifespan: 150 years. Young until 20
Size: About 3 feet tall, and 40 pounds. Small
Speed: 25 feet
Darkvision: None
Brave: Advantage against fear
Lucky: Can reroll a nat 1
Human
Lifespan: Under 100 years. Young until late teens
Size: 5-6 feet, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: None
Uncommon Races
Dragonborn
Lifespan: 80 years. Rapid development, adult at 15
Size: Over 6 feet, 250 pounds, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: None
Breath Weapon: 15 foot cone or 30 foot line, depending on dragon ancestor type
Damage Resistance: Resistant to the element type of dragon ancestry
Gnome
Lifespan: 350-500 years. Adult at 40
Size: 3-4 feet, 40 pounds, Small
Speed: 25 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Half-elf
Lifespan: 180 years. Young until 20
Size: 5-6 feet, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Fey Ancestry: Advantage against being charmed, can't be magically slept
Half-orc
Lifespan: 75 years, Young until 14
Size: 5-6 feet, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Relentless Endurance: Being reduced to 0 HP instead drops you to 1 HP, once per long rest.
Tiefling
Lifespan: Under 100 years. Young until late teens
Size: 5-6 feet, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Hellish Resistance: Resistance to fire damage
Now, these are not entirely balanced with each other.
Lifespan doesn't matter for balance. Size matters a little. Speed matters a little. Darkvision is situational. And then there's whatever 'extras' each race comes with. There's also the issue of attributes, but I'm setting that aside because any attributes provided can be balanced against each other separately from the other features.
A common feature among the races is some sort of advantage against a type of damage or status effect (charm, fear, poison, fire, etc). Those who are lacking that: Humans and Gnomes. There's also Half-Orcs, where it's debatable whether Relentless Endurance is in the same category.
Aside from that, Elves have Trance, Halflings have Lucky, and Dragonborn have a Breath Weapon.
To balance things out, each race should have two features alongside the basic Lifespan/Size/Speed/Darkvision. Lack of Darkvision should mean that there's room for slightly stronger secondary features.
So the first stage reconstruction would start with what needs to be added here.
I think the problem with Culture is it should not be in a core. It should be in a setting book. In Forgotten Realms, you would have the choice of culture from all the various regions: The North, Waterdeep, Calimshim, etc. There isn't Human culture or Elf culture. There's only the culture of where are you from. So while it would be nice to have Ancestry (what you are), Culture (where you were raises), and Background (what you did), I see the section on Culture being even more freeform than the existing Background section, which basically says "here's some examples or you can roll your own".
This is close to what the new Theros campaign does. Every character gets to choose a supernatural gift at 1st level, which is essentially a free (or extra) feat. The book lists 10 campaign-themed gifts, but also gives the option of simply taking a feat (with the DM's permission).
I've already decided that this is my new normal, that in every game I run, every character gets to take a supernatural gift or feat at 1st level.
Random idea but what if we just gave every player a free feat at level 1 and made up some Species feat, including some that are just '+2 to a stat tradtionally ascribed to them'?
I think the problem with Culture is it should not be in a core. It should be in a setting book. In Forgotten Realms, you would have the choice of culture from all the various regions: The North, Waterdeep, Calimshim, etc. There isn't Human culture or Elf culture. There's only the culture of where are you from. So while it would be nice to have Ancestry (what you are), Culture (where you were raises), and Background (what you did), I see the section on Culture being even more freeform than the existing Background section, which basically says "here's some examples or you can roll your own".
That’s fair, but I do think that cultures such as Agrarian, Plains Nomadic, and Mountain Industrial, can all be in a core book as example cultures even in such a setup
That’s fair, but I do think that cultures such as Agrarian, Plains Nomadic, and Mountain Industrial, can all be in a core book as example cultures even in such a setup
Do you mean that Plains Nomadic cultures (such as certain Native American tribes) are Non-Intelligence, while Mountain Industrial cultures (such as Swiss towns) get an Intelligence bonus?
Do you mean that Plains Nomadic cultures (such as certain Native American tribes) are Non-Intelligence, while Mountain Industrial cultures (such as Swiss towns) get an Intelligence bonus?
Do you mean that Plains Nomadic cultures (such as certain Native American tribes) are Non-Intelligence, while Mountain Industrial cultures (such as Swiss towns) get an Intelligence bonus?
This is why I would like to keep culture in the background section and keep races separate. As a game mechanic we can create a race that gets a bonus to an attribute, or a penalty. It seems that when we keep trying to make them Earth races and cultures and not part of the game.
So, some of the races need additional benefits to balance out the intrinsic things I could pull from the PHB.
The following already have resistances and traits that bring them up to 'neutral' levels.
Elf: Neutral
Halfling: Neutral. Lucky is strong enough that it absorbs the balance of lacking Darkvision.
Dragonborn: Neutral? Breath Weapon is roughly equal to a 1st level spell that scales up with level. Is it enough for trait+Darkvision?
The following need a trait. All of them have Darkvision, so the traits should mostly be 'normal' strength.
Dwarf: Maybe Dwarven Toughness (+1 HP per level) as universal, instead of only Hill Dwarves?
Gnome: minor trait (resistance for the race is relatively strong)
Half-Elf
Half-Orc
Tiefling: Infernal Legacy? Since it's described as being a factor of their demonic heritage, may not require training. It's more sorcerer-like.
And humans have no built-in trait, resistance, or Darkvision, so need something that compensates for that.
Human: resistance, trait, darkvision
The problem is, it's hard to come up with additional traits that could be considered intrinsic to the race. At best, you might go the Dragonmarks route, where each person is marked with a Dragonmark at birth, and that gives them benefits such as stat increase and skill proficiencies. However Dragonmarks are large enough packages that they outweigh how much room is allowed for an additional trait. So that would be unbalanced in a different way.
That would be part of the reason why races were combined with subraces/cultures, since that gave freedom to add things like extra proficiencies or whatever.
I think for humans and half-humans (half-orcs and half-elves), I can add an innate curiosity that can be applied to learning skills. It's an appropriate match to how humans are portrayed relative to other races in fantasy, and matches existing racial bonuses. Variant human gets 1 skill, half-orc gets 1 skill (Intimidation), and half-elf gets 2 skills. Half-elves are considered slightly overtuned, so I'll make that a common +1 skill proficiency each.
Of course humans don't get Darkvision, while the other two do, so maybe give humans 1 additional skill proficiency. Or actually... OK, this is just a tentative idea, but maybe allow humans to choose a second Background? Call the trait Wanderlust. It provides more skill options, so replaces the skill curiosity trait.
I'm not sure whether that's all balanced, but I'm fairly comfortable with the differences at the moment. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts.
After this, I'll look more into the Backgrounds.
Common Races
Dwarf*
Lifespan: 350 years. Young until 50
Size: 4-5 feet tall, 150 lbs, Medium
Speed: 25 feet. Speed is not reduced by heavy armor.
Darkvision: 60 feet
Resilience: Advantage on saving throws against poison, and resistance to poison damage
Dwarven Toughness: +1 HP per level
Elf*
Lifespan: 750 years. Young until 100
Size: 5-6 feet, slender, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Fey Ancestry: Advantage against being charmed, can't be magically slept
Trance: Don't need to sleep. Long rest in 4 hours
Keen Senses: Proficiency in Perception
Halfling*
Lifespan: 150 years. Young until 20
Size: About 3 feet tall, and 40 pounds. Small
Speed: 25 feet
Darkvision: None
Brave: Advantage against fear
Lucky: Can reroll a nat 1 for attack/ability/save rolls.
Human*?
Lifespan: Under 100 years. Young until late teens
Size: 5-6 feet, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: None
Wanderlust: You may choose 1 additional Background. You may only choose equipment from one of the backgrounds.
Uncommon Races
Dragonborn*
Lifespan: 80 years. Rapid development, adult at 15
Size: Over 6 feet, 250 pounds, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: None
Breath Weapon: 15 foot cone or 30 foot line, depending on dragon ancestor type
Damage Resistance: Resistant to the element type of dragon ancestry
Gnome*?
Lifespan: 350-500 years. Adult at 40
Size: 3-4 feet, 40 pounds, Small
Speed: 25 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Gnome Cunning: Advantage on Int/Wis/Cha saving throws vs magic
Half-elf*
Lifespan: 180 years. Young until 20
Size: 5-6 feet, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Fey Ancestry: Advantage against being charmed, can't be magically slept
Curiosity: You gain 1 additional skill proficiency.
Half-orc*
Lifespan: 75 years, Young until 14
Size: 5-6 feet, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Relentless Endurance: Being reduced to 0 HP instead drops you to 1 HP, once per long rest.
Curiosity: You gain 1 additional skill proficiency.
Tiefling*
Lifespan: Under 100 years. Young until late teens
Size: 5-6 feet, Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Darkvision: 60 feet
Hellish Resistance: Resistance to fire damage
Infernal Legacy: Thaumaturgy cantrip, Hellish Rebuke at level 3, Darkness at level 5
