PHB - Human only?

[FreeXenon]

A PHB with humans as the only playable race? Would that actually constitute D&D?

I am not sure how that math adds up.

Nope, that is not for me.

 

[Nikosandros]

Personally, I think it would be an awful idea.

Let the entry in the MM be for elves, dwarves etc as NPC and monsters and let's have full info on PC from these races in the PHB.

 

[DMH]

How about going a step further and drop dwarves, elves, etc. and allow the DM to create his own races. Races with abilities are set in stone for a lot of people (why I have no idea) and this would kill that.

 

[Quartz]

A PHB with humans as the only playable race? Would that actually constitute D&D?

That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking if humans should be the only race in the PHB. After all, don't we expect the GM to own the DMG, PHB, and MM?

 

[Pygon]

Making the PHB human only makes the presumption that the only relevent race experiencing the fantasy world from the perspective of the "lead character" is human. That's certainly not the case.

 

[Wombat]

Got no problem with it.

Heck, most of my 3e games were human only, not by fiat from the GM, but by player choice.

Very few players opted for the standard extra races ... though litorians, faens, and sibeccai got some nods. Elves? Dwarves? Gnomes? Halflings? Half-anythings? Very little interest.

 

[FreeXenon]

A PHB with humans as the only playable race?

I'm asking if humans should be the only race in the PHB.

I understand what you are saying, however, we could call having Elves, Humans, Halflings and Dwarves a sacred cow, that I do not think that should be slaughtered. Many players only have the PHB and that is the only book they own. It would be very difficult or very inconvenient for players that only have the PHB to play anything other than Humans. These 'other' races are a staple of D&D since the very beginning and I think most people are used to having those options available even though they may choose to not use them. D&D is about options, not limitations.

The Players Hand Book is for Players and everything that is available to players (from a core standpoint) should be available in the PHB and they should not have to go roaming around for more options other than the plain vanilla Humans, which is also fairly presumptuous as to what the players will want to play or what the DM will make available.

The other books are books that the DM will most likely have. Some DM's do not want players to look at either the DMG or the Monster Manuals. That would put a serious hindrance on any form of potential options on those players.

Just my modest view.

Edit: Keep in mind, I am of the camp who rarely plays humans. They are hard to pass up, mind you, but I usually play other races. So, I do have a slight bias.

 

[Cadfan]

It wouldn't damage my fun, but it would damage my player's fun, so I wouldn't want this change.

 

[Nifft]

That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking if humans should be the only race in the PHB. After all, don't we expect the GM to own the DMG, PHB, and MM?

At the moment, my players all play human PCs.

I have no objection to an all-human game, but it's not what I think of when I think of D&D.

Cheers, -- N

 

[jeffh]

D&D plays fine with only humans. But such a change would not go over well with a lot of players, who if anything seem to want the game to move toward even weirder menageries than it already produces. Why, I have no idea.