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

[Thorin Stoutfoot]

I want my demi-humans!

A game without a Dwarf just isn't the same. Of course, with a login like Thorin Stoutfoot, what do you expect me to say?

 

[WSmith]

I would love all human campaign, but do think either regional feats (which might be easier) or changes to the baseline would be in order. If you have the Dungeon/Polyhedron with Pulp Heroes, check it out for character creation on how they differentiated various upbringings and cultures by stat modifiers and such.

 

[kenjib]

Thorin: Yeah, hehe. It is quite different without some of those strong character archetypes that races provide. I like all of the demi-humans but thought something different might also be fun.

WSmith: Unfortunately I don't have that issue. How did it work? Also, what do you think of those cultural bonuses I described above - to summarize since that post was a bit too long I gave each culture 3 skills that related to their way of life. Each character picks a primary culture which they consider to have been their main influence during their formative years. For each of those three skills they get two advantages:

1. +1 racial bonus - I did this instead of giving them ranks in the class so it would better benefit people who take a class that uses that skill (e.g. a barbarian who comes from a culture with wilderness lore).

2. the skill is always a class skill for that character - I did this so so that those who take classes who don't have this skill still show some of their heritage (e.g. a wizard who comes from a culture with wilderness lore still has a bit of wilderness savvy thanks to his upbringing).

Culture also determines favored class. Do you think that works?

 

[WSmith]

Without giving too much away cause it isn't OGL, There are several different backgrounds, or "origins" your character comes from. The All Americian is the standard 1 xtra feat / 4 extra skill points at 1st level type human. But then the other origins are given other "origin" (insert: race) benefits inplace of the standard. Here are just a couple of examples of those varriants from the standard human of the PHB:

Aristocrat: +2 CHA, -2 STR, +2 origin bonus to Knowledge (high society) and Profession (management)

Cloistered: +2 WIS -2 CHR, free feat Skill emphisis (skill focus but +3 instead of +2) , rigouious traning grants a +2 origin bonus to REF, FORT, or WILL.

On the Run: +2 origin bonus to spot, listen, bluff; +1 luck bonus to all saves

Primative: +2 origin bonus to Handle animal checks; +4 origin bonus to Wilderness lore checks; free feat Weapon Proficiency (primative).

It is not all inclusive, (Erik Mona if you are reading, I still love Pulp Heroes ) but I think you get the flow.

Heck, you could even go the easy way, and take the races like dwarf, elf, halfling, etc., remove the names and physical descriptions like X feet tall, pointed ears etc., and give them names to the certain cultures you establish. It would take a little tweaking (size S characters get a bonus to hit and AC, so that might need some kind of compensation there)

Hope that helps.

 

[GreyOne]

Bump again.

 

[Cullain]

I've been in some very interesting/fun D&D games where everyone had to be a human. But you really must ask your players what they want beforehand. I know a number of players who play D&D for the element of the fantastical, and would be greatly dissapointed if it was not there.

Cullain