D&D 5E Human racial bonus in 5E

[Agamon]

Doesn't this just beg the question? There is no corresponding differential between adventuring/non-adventuring elves, dwarves, and halflings.

Who's to say non-adventuring demihumans get the ability bonuses of PCs?

But I'm just saying that the problem, some say, is that it screws with the human average, making human somehow super human. But it doesn't, it only affects a very small percentage of the population. Adventurers are a cut above.

Now, let's assume that everyone in the world does get PC bonuses (that's very 3.x in thinking, but let's roll with that for argument's sake). The average of 3d6 is 10.5. If there's an entry for Human in the MM, it won't have stats that say 11.5. I guess the question is, if it's 12, then yeah, humans are better than they were before. While this is a quibble I have no problem with, there are apparently people who do, so you may have to house rule. If it's 11, then it really isn't any different than before.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

Now, let's assume that everyone in the world does get PC bonuses (that's very 3.x in thinking, but let's roll with that for argument's sake).

I just wanted to point out that it's not just 3.x thinking, but goes back for as long as racial modifiers have existed. The concept of PCs being better than the average is reflected in the various options for ability score generation (for example, rolling 4d6 drop the lowest instead of 3d6).

 

[Agamon]

I just wanted to point out that it's not just 3.x thinking, but goes back for as long as racial modifiers have existed. The concept of PCs being better than the average is reflected in the various options for ability score generation (for example, rolling 4d6 drop the lowest instead of 3d6).

PCs were built that way, not NPCs, which was my point. 3.x was the edition that said everyone was built the same way.

 

[MerricB]

I just wanted to point out that it's not just 3.x thinking, but goes back for as long as racial modifiers have existed. The concept of PCs being better than the average is reflected in the various options for ability score generation (for example, rolling 4d6 drop the lowest instead of 3d6).

The weird thing is that it didn't quite apply in AD&D - NPCs of other races had additional bonuses, which were the only way a halfling could have a Con score of 19... PCs couldn't attain it by just rolling their stats!

So NPCs could have higher stats that PCs!

Cheers!

 

[Wolfskin]

Well, the Human Commoner entry in the playtest's Bestiary has nothing but 10s in its ability scores, so I'd say 5e assumes PCs are extraordinary specimens.

I don't quite understand what use is the Human Commoner in the Bestiary, though.

 

[MerricB]

Well, the Human Commoner entry in the playtest's Bestiary has nothing but 10s in its ability scores, so I'd say 5e assumes PCs are extraordinary specimens.

I don't quite understand what use is the Human Commoner in the Bestiary, though.

Having a human commoner is actually really useful for showing a basepoint for the game. It is a very good way of demonstrating to players and DMs how superior to the average commoner player characters are. (Well, mostly). It's also very rare that you have a campaign with no commoners at all, so having a example of what they're like helps... especially if you have one of those real old school parties that loves slaughtering commoners to get their way. Like in the Knights of the Dinner Table.

Hang on, did I say old school? Nah - you'll find players like that in every age of gaming!

Cheers!

 

[Agamon]

I don't quite understand what use is the Human Commoner in the Bestiary, though.

Torches and pitchforks...a mob of townsfolk can be scary in the flattened math of 5e.

 

[diaglo]

Originally Posted by Wolfskin View Post
Well, the Human Commoner entry in the playtest's Bestiary has nothing but 10s in its ability scores, so I'd say 5e assumes PCs are extraordinary specimens.

I don't quite understand what use is the Human Commoner in the Bestiary, though.

since the birth of D&D in 1973 and print in 1974 humans and everything else you encounter is a monster. only the PCs are not.

Read more: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...-notice-all-of-this-stuff/page8#ixzz35nH07vwa

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I don't quite understand what use is the Human Commoner in the Bestiary, though.

The common housecat needs a nemesis, of course.

 

[Wolfskin]

The common housecat needs a nemesis, of course.

Ah, Farmlands & Housecats, the very low end of the D&D experience!