D&D 5E Human Standard vs Variant

[Azzy]

1e and 2e were considered 'humanocentric' because they allowed humans to do whatever and limited demi-humans. However demi-humans got cool abilities.. This was called balance. That left the house a long time ago. Humans are just the second class citizens of D&D now. I expect either super humans for characters or more expanse where humans are just.... boring.

yawn

 

[Azzy]

Given the changes to races we are already seeing, I am expecting Humans to also see changes when we get the revised edition in a few years, if not sooner. But I am kinda curious. I can't see the point in not playing the variant human when it is an option. Standard human is just so incredibly underwhelming for me.

NOTE: I do not answer if you never play humans or you never use the variant rule in games. I only care if you have the choice and actually make one. Also, not concerned with the Eberron Dragonmark humans, as that's a whole other thing.

Having played a normanl human, I see no reason not to go v.human every time going forward.

 

[le Redoutable]

boooh I would have been sooo glad if DnD 6E used the Major/minor stats where
you have one Highest stat
and
you have a lowest stat
( which would give room for 30 Races )
like
Kobold ===> Highest Int /lowest Str
Halfling ===> Highest Dex / lowest Str
or the like ( boooh )

 

[Li Shenron]

Always used the "variant" for my own characters because I find it much more interesting.

However, I use the standard human +1s for the pre-generated PCs I usually offer to players, as I mainly play with beginners, casuals or children.

So I must say that both have been very useful for me.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

boooh I would have been sooo glad if DnD 6E used the Major/minor stats where
you have one Highest stat
and
you have a lowest stat
( which would give room for 30 Races )
like
Kobold ===> Highest Int /lowest Str
Halfling ===> Highest Dex / lowest Str
or the like ( boooh )

Ability score penalties are generally unpopular. Even when the game only has racial bonuses and no racial penalties, many folks feel "punished" for not playing to type. Penalties are openly "you should not do X."

Part of the changes with 5e going from "races" to "ancestries" is stepping away from telling players what they are and aren't "supposed" to play. You want to play an orc wizard? Awesome, have at it. You want to be a kobold barbarian? Cool, show us what you can do. The designers are saying that they think it's better to embrace the variety that players might want, than it is to enforce archetypes on player characters.

I, personally, like the way 13th Age does racial stats. Every race has two possible options that can give +2, e.g. "Dragonic" characters can choose +2 Str or +2 Cha, while half-orc characters can choose +2 Str or +2 Dex. However, each class also offers a choice between two (or, in rare cases, three) stat bonuses: Paladin is +2 Str or +2 Cha, Wizard is +2 Int or +2 Wis, Cleric is +2 Wis or +2 Str, etc. You cannot get the same bonus from both your class and your race. So a Dragonborn Dragonic Paladin must take +2 Str and +2 Cha (as those are the options provided by both race and class), but a Dragonic Wizard can do +2 Str/+2 Int, +2 Str/+2 Wis, +2 Cha/+2 Int, or +2 Cha/+2 Wis. A half-orc Cleric can choose +2 Str/+2 Wis, +2 Str/+2 Dex, or +2 Wis/+2 Dex.

This way, every race still has an "identity" the way people ask for, but the rules support being a competent Wizard (etc.) regardless of your race. Every Wizard can be top-tier intelligence...but you also aren't required to be if you really don't want to be.

 

[le Redoutable]

boooh !

 

[Blue]

My guess (and it is a pure guess) is that "variant" human was supposed to be human, and then at a later point in the development process they made feats optional so they needed a non-feat version.

 

[abirdcall]

Calling it now: humans will get two backgrounds.

I'd like this.

 

[Voadam]

The two humans I have played have been standard.

Quicker mechanical build when making the characters for the game.

The first one was for one of my first 5e games so going through race, class, skills, backgrounds, and bardic spells known was enough things to flip through for the new mechanics to choose, I didn't want to read through the feats section as well when there was an easy 'add straightforward bonuses across the board' option.

The second was for a one-shot game where I was recreating the character at 15th level and I had enough option flipping with high level spell choices and my choice of three non-artefact magic items.

In one of my groups nobody takes feats. In another everybody does.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I can't see the point in not playing the variant human when it is an option. Standard human is just so incredibly underwhelming for me.

The only time I will play the standard human when my ability scores are mostly (or all) odd, so with the +1's they will be even. This allows me to use my feats for feats and not as much ASIs later on.

So, maybe 1 in 4 humans might be the standard human, most I play are variant.

Also, I should mention since we give all PCs a feat at level 1, I can still play a human (with a feat) and get six +1 ASIs, or a human with two feats and two +1 ASIs.