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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Chris_Nightwing" data-source="post: 6082851" data-attributes="member: 882">It's tempting to make humans without any ability modifiers, I have to say, so that they remain the baseline and other races have a little advantage over them. The problem lies with ability increases as you gain levels though - if another race can start with a 17, whilst humans can start with only a 16, then they have an advantage between levels 4 and 7. This is really down to the way that ability modifiers are so damned critical though.So let's go with the premise of flexibility - humans are adaptable. Give them just a +1 modifier for an ability of their choice. This is stronger than having a fixed ability modifier, or indeed a choice of two, for the other races.Next up, let us avoid discussions of feats and skills since their roles in the basic game are uncertain. The other races currently get a weapon tweak (which needs changing) - perhaps we can offer humans a weapon tweak. Allow them to pick one weapon, and they get proficiency or an increased damage dice with it. Many humans live in rural communities where they have to defend themselves, even in urban areas there will often be a militia or etiquette reasons to know how to swing a sword. Even a cloistered cleric or schooled mage has reason to be more familiar with the weapon of their god or how to properly wield a staff.The other traits of dwarves, elves and halflings are a mixed bag - various skill or condition effects. Trying to think about what general traits human communities share I see an obvious affinity towards the domestication of animals that doesn't fit the other three races - horses and dogs being prominent in both urban and rural environments. But it's not an affinity with nature type ability, it's more that humans can train animals that lend themselves to be trained. I think there's also a strong tendency to make things, whether fine crafts or useful implements. Humans are also highly sociable, but that's a trait apparently also shared by halflings, and it only really applies within human communities they are already familiar with.So perhaps we can offer a choice that displays flexibility - whatever background you choose if playing with backgrounds, give humans their choice of trade, be that a craft or service, with which they either have advantage or get whatever bonus 'skills' offer in the basic game (I recall them suggesting you get an ability based on class whose checks you're better at), beyond their normal 'skills'.Is that enough? Well it's very flexible, but in theory you would be no better than another race that fits the right class, but you have a broader range of abilities. Another tempting power might be to tweak their saving throws - whilst elves don't charm easily and halflings don't scare, humans.. could be hard to kill? Death saving throws exist and could be tweaked. That would be a useful feature, no?Anyway, in summary, there are some things we can offer that don't go beyond the basic game. I say a +1 to any ability, a weapon tweak, a skill or skill-like tweak and a saving throw tweak.</blockquote>

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