Humans - Most Powerful Race in 3e?

[Endur]

1/2 Orcs are Powerful

Don't let anyone tell you that 1/2 Orcs aren't powerful.

As Barbarians, they are king. Barbarians are all about strength. And the only way to get more strength is to play a 1/2 Orc (or some other non-standard race with a strength modifier).

At high level, the extra feat of a Human won't matter much. At high level, that +2 to strength is still a bonus in combat.

Although Dwarves get a host of bonuses, the extra movement of the lightly encumbered half-Orc barbarian, means the 1/2 Orc can charge twice as far as a dwarven fighter.

A Half-Orc with a two-handed great sword or great axe and weaing a chain shirt is a scary opponent. Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave.

 

[Endur]

Humor is how some power-gamers deal with the unintelligent Hulking Half-Orc. The Half-Orc can bumble around town and role-play like Inspector Clouseau or some other comedic character. The character may not be able to do higher order math except when buying powerful magic items from the local magic shop. But, there are other characters in the group that can do higher order math. The power gamer's goal is to have fun and splatter their enemies. A Humourous Hulk can accomplish that.

For instance. Someone makes a half orc in some campaign, and optimizes him for full str, full con, and everything else comes secondary. Power-wise, he might prove to be this hulking juggernaut (this is all theoretical).

But, roleplay-wise, he's as useless as an unintelligent earthworm, or a goblin. And so, when you get to parts where you have to walk in towns, barter with the shopkeeper, learn information, solve the mysteries of a campaign, he's a hinderance. But in combat he's the king.

 

[Numion]

For instance. Someone makes a half orc in some campaign, and optimizes him for full str, full con, and everything else comes secondary. Power-wise, he might prove to be this hulking juggernaut (this is all theoretical).

But, roleplay-wise, he's as useless as an unintelligent earthworm, or a goblin. And so, when you get to parts where you have to walk in towns, barter with the shopkeeper, learn information, solve the mysteries of a campaign, he's a hinderance. But in combat he's the king.

I play a half-orc optimized for STR (19 at 1st level). He surely isn't useless in non-combat situations. He's from a civilized orc society, it was just for the damn ravaging barbarian humans that he was born to an orc mother .. and he's a cleric, very mean with the falchion.

You're making pretty wide generalizations about the usefulness of half-orcs. They're not true. An elf can be a hinderance roleplaying-wise, if its the usual 'better than though' attitude some elves have. Mechanics aren't everything in those cases.

 

[Brother MacLaren]

Humans are probably the best choice for the druid, which is one of the most powerful classes. Unlike every other race, the human druid does not lose his racial abilities (bonus feat and bonus skill point) when wildshaped. The elven druid, as I understand it, *would* lose his low-light vision, immunity to sleep effects, his skill bonuses, and his +4 vs. Enchantments in wildshape.

 

[Mad Mac]

It's probably fair to say that humans are the most generally powerful race. They make for a very potent, "default" choice for any class, and I know I end up playing them whenever my character concept doesn't call for another race.

Dwarves are extremely powerful as well, but I think they end up getting played less because they're unpopular, badly stereotyped, and, when it comes down to it, the reduced movement is just annoying.

Gnomes make for very effecient spellslingers, but everyone hates gnomes, so they might as well be king at something.

I never used halflings much, but I don't consider them weak.

Half-elves have fallen a long, long, way since 2nd edition. They used to be almost as flexible as humans in terms of class choices, along with a good dose of elf power. Now they're just a weird, inferior, hybrid of their parents. Interesting how their loss of power has caused me to suddenly find the race concept utterly un-interesting even in a role-playing sense....I guess it's a good example of how mechanics support flavor.

I like Half-Orcs, even if they aren't the most powerful race on the block. They do fill the "Strong Guy" niche, which lends itself to a lot of fun archtypes.

Elves, Elves, Elves....from mighty to mediocre. I used to play Elves all the time, but I think I've gotten-over elves over the years, and their lowered power makes them even less attractive. I think the one niche Elves have really managed to hang unto is archer. Dex for Con is a reasonable trade for a ranged expert, and I personally find that Longbow proff very, very tempting when considering a Cleric, Druid, Monk, Rogue, or Bard. (Do Bards get Longbow now?)

 

[Buttercup]

I'd agree that humans are the most versatile, but I think dwarves are the most powerful. I always recommend that new players pick one of those races.

On the other hand, I'd love to know what the 3.0 developers were thinking when they statted out the half-elf. What a useless piece of crap race. I think I won't ever use half-elves again unless I beef the race up a bit.

 

[Sir ThornCrest]

humans have to buy blind fighting....well if they expect to fight at night

elves low light x 2 that of a human, a +1 with sword/bow + dex were talkin swashbuclin action here my friend....in our campaign the humans dominate a larger area than all other combined. Townes are easily 80% + human....almost anywhere.

Thorncrest

 

[Ravellion]

IMC there are very few prestige classes and only a few more than just the core feats. Humans are just fine.

I think what it boils down to is that when more powerful options appear, the human is more equipped to select them, as all other races have fixed traits.

Rav

 

[Staffan]

elves low light x 2 that of a human, a +1 with sword/bow + dex were talkin swashbuclin action here my friend....in our campaign the humans dominate a larger area than all other combined. Townes are easily 80% + human....almost anywhere.

I think you got the elves confused with their 2e counterparts there. 3e elves do not get +1 to hit with swords and bows. They get a free weapon proficiency in certain swords and all bows, but they don't get any other bonus with them.