D&D 5E How much should Human features differ from Humans from Earth?

[Winterthorn]

I like the idea of subraces for humans, but I would base them off of the human variant in the PH where I would replace the feat with a special ability - specifically something other core races do not have, and that can be justified by the level of ambient magic in the setting. In fact I would stick to keeping human subraces as a feature of specific campaign settings and not something ubiquitous in the multiverse.

 

[transtemporal]

Well firstly, there are people with dark skin and blue eyes in the world today. It's really not that amazing.

Secondly, humans are a PoV race in fantasy games. They provide a frame of reference that we can (mostly) relate to. As soon as you change them, they aren't the PoV race anymore.

Thirdly, if you just want blue-skinned humans for novelty value... I would steer away from that. You'll be tempted to claim the blue-skinned women go bare-breasted to appease the volcano god Unga Bunga. (Yes, that happened in a game)

 

[Kobold Avenger]

I don't have the Dark Sun Boxed Set with me, but does anyone remember what it said in the description of Humans?

 

[Nevvur]

I don't have the Dark Sun Boxed Set with me, but does anyone remember what it said in the description of Humans?

4e:

Athasian humans come in all shapes and sizes, but they reflect certain predominant traits common to particular city-states. Humans in Draj, for example, have broad chins, bronze skin, and black hair that hardly ever grows on their faces. Humans from Gulg have dark brown skin and rounder features with thick, curly hair. Tyr’s humans are varied because that city-state’s population is a conglomeration of humans from throughout the world. Regardless of their origins, all humans are given to unusual traits— such as odd skin or eye color, exaggerated features, or lack of body hair—that might be effects of the magic that brought ruin to the land. Such traits are common and rarely elicit more than a glance.

2e:

Skin, eye, and hair color vary widely, though most Athasians humans have tanned, weathered exteriors.

I don't have the books for other editions.