D&D 5E Format to Create a Race

[TiwazTyrsfist]

This, BTW, is why I HATED the Unearthed Arcana for Eberron races they put out at 5e launch, because the races end up being MASSIVELY under-powered compared to core races.

 

[Yaarel]

I'd just like to say, in your analysis, I'd personally Upgrade the High Elf Cantrip from "Proficiency" to "Trait", on the basis that, while the other cantrips races get are fairly minor, things that do a utility function, that sort of thing, a High Elf can select ANY wizard cantrip, and therefore select something combat useful. Especially since a combat cantrip would scale with the HElfs character level.

Actually, I initially did rank Wizard Cantrip as a trait, but then downgraded it to proficiency. The reasoning is, by 5e design, a cantrip is equivalent to a weapon proficiency. So, by definition, a cantrip is a proficiency. Unfortunately, cantrips are unequal in power, with some more powerful and some less. The most powerful cantrips are probably Minor Illusion, Vicious Mockery, and Guidance. Minor Illusion is one of the Wizard Cantrips. These are comparable to a good weapon proficiency. It seems to me, the only cantrip that might be worth a trait is Eldritch Blast, but the Wizard lacks this anyway.

Also, I think you're under valuing the Feat in the Human Variant. You trade away 4 +1's to Atts for One Feat and One Skill Proficiency.

And yet, EVERY human character I have encountered in AdvLeag is Human Variant, and they are one of the most commonly played races.

This tells me the ROI for a Feat is BETTER than +1 to your 4 other attributes.

It seems like feats should be equal to +2 to Atts, since you give up your att advancement to buy them at later levels, but largely it doesn't work out that way.

The feat Human is more powerful than the standard Human. The standard Human is terribly underpowered.

Also note, the two highest ability scores that are used most often are worth several times more than the remaining four ability scores. The last ability score can actually be safely dumped, so adding +1 to it is of negligible worth.

Trading the four lowest ability scores for a feat is a steal.



By design, a feat is equivalent to a +2 to the primary ability score increase. In other words, a feat is worth about two traits or two +1s.

Unfortunately, feats are unequal. Some feats are more powerful, like Great Weapon Master and Sharpshooter. But most feats are meh, and seem worth less than the +2 increase to the primary ability score.