Human only campaigns - good? bad? tips? ideas?

[DungeonKeeperUK]

What I did was to say that no elf is stronger than dexterous. So if you wanted to be a strong elf you had to invest your highest roll to dex and your second highest to strength. The dwarf had to be hardier than dexterous and so on. The bad news is that it limits your choices but the good news is that it creates distiction without breaking the mold, ie a score between 3-18.

Like the prinicpal behind that idea... nice.... DKUK like

 

[S'mon]

Partly, and part of it has to do with some of the appeal being able to play different races. I like elves, but I meet them all the time and happen to be one. And humans have their racial stereotype too(Short lived barbarians who are very adaptable). Also, how would you humans feel about playing in an orc-only campaign. That is what a human-only campaign is like to an elf.

You're not really an elf. You're just pretending to be one.

I can tell.

 

[S'mon]

I like the idea a lot, my own primary campaign world is human-dominated and 90%+ of the PCs are human, although I've allowed elves, half-elves, half-orcs and dwarves. An all-human world a la REH would be even better, especially with a Conanesque through Cthuluesque pulp dark fantasy feel. Probably a good idea to make the spellcasting classes rare as well, although at low levels they're weak enough that as PCs they don't harm a low-fantasy feel.

One thing I do in my low-magic game is use a lot of exotic variant demons that are weaker than the MM standard - mostly CR 2-3 with no DR, suitable for threatening low-level PCs without magic weapons.

 

[Humanophile]

My problem with open access to demihumans is twofold; open access the way the PHB grants almost forces a completely cosmopolitan campaign setting, and people tend to pick the best demihuman for the character they design instead of of the best for the concept. Not that either is wrong if that's the kind of game you want, but human only gives you the advantage of making the others feel... well, other. If I changed any rules, it'd be to give humans in your human only world different favored classes depending on region/culture, and force the bonus feat to be chosen from a regional list.

I'd be more than happy to play in a human only world if the chance came up (that's kind of an obvious), and I do think it'd be easier on most players than playing deminumans "wrong" or overly stereotyping (a suicidally reckless elf who managed to avoid death or any sort of injury before the game started, or a high pitched, kleptomanicial halfling). You'll have to be careful that you don't give your players too much chance to be rude, though, especially if you approximate real world cultures.

 

[Deedlit]

S'mon, Why do you not think I am an elf?
On another note, I dislike it when people think of any race by their stereotype. Sure, races have stereotypes, even humans. You just aren't aware of it because you are one. Elves are just as varied as humans, and any race has it's stereotype. Just because some humans fall back on racial stereotypes and use them to define their character when playing non-humans, doesn't mean we should be restricted to humans.

 

[Desdichado]

Deedlit:
On another note, I dislike it when people think of any race by their stereotype. Sure, races have stereotypes, even humans. You just aren't aware of it because you are one. Elves are just as varied as humans, and any race has it's stereotype. Just because some humans fall back on racial stereotypes and use them to define their character when playing non-humans, doesn't mean we should be restricted to humans.

That's a stereotype in and of itself. Who's to say that elves are as varied as humans? That just makes them too much like humans!

 

[kenjib]

[/color]
That's a stereotype in and of itself. Who's to say that elves are as varied as humans? That just makes them too much like humans!

Mr. Dyal, are you impying that elves can not be very much like humans? Why I do think that's a stereotype!

*poke in the ribs*

 

[xjp]

It is a stereotype, but that's the point -- stereotyping is OK!

All humans? If the group is cool with it then fine. It works well for certain settings. However, I think a lot of people like to mix it up and try all the standard races and classes in all sorts of permutations. They may feel limited by only being able to choose humans, no matter how you try to differentiate them. Poll the group. See what they think before you invest a lot of time into it.

 

[Deedlit]

We elves are varied. Though we may all have pointed ears, live long, like nature, and be good looking, our race contains everything from wild elves to aquatic elves(When was the last time you saw aquatic humans) to drow. Individual variation can also be great when they aren't even a different subrace.(Ever compared Dalamar to your average Silvanesti)
Humans may be adaptable and versatile, but all races have great variations.

 

[Ace]

He came one evening in April
— came like a whirlwind,
an earthenware jug
hanging from a belly-strap
flung round his neck.

Thats an intersting .sig, where did you get it?