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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Indaarys" data-source="post: 9148795" data-attributes="member: 7040941">Ive found that you can better represent biological diversity by making stat increases variable. Ie, instead of flat numbers, roll extra dice down the line. It's much closer to the variability these species would actually have and helps eliminate at least some of the correlations people make with IRL racial divides. I also think species specific abilities do need to derive from biology; any other desirable ability that can't be rooted in biology either needs to be rooted in (and explicitly presented as) a cultural ability, or simply dropped as non-viable. For example, my Goblins and Orcs both share a common trait of being biologically immune to magical fear, and as such being uncannily brave. This is because they are essentially humanoid tree seeds, that take root when they pass away, and so death for them is more a metamorphosis than a termination of life. They can only really feel fear when they're able to recognize that their bodies might not survive whatever danger they face. But, with some allowances for an assumed human-like brain development, this doesn't mean that there aren't going to be individuals that would be cowards, or those that might have some kind of mental illness going on that inflicts anxiety or even genuine fear at times.</blockquote>