D&D 5E PHB Races Redone

[LadyElect]

I’d be somewhat surprised if an official redo of the PHB races maintained 25ft speed alongside the small size. They seem to have done away with it given Goblin/Kobold and the customizable nature of lineages. Aarakocra was also an early print and offset with the fly speed anyway.

 

[Faolyn]

For the Halflings I'd give them something like this:

Nimble Stature. You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours and such creatures give you half cover against ranged attacks. When an attack misses you while a creature within 5 feet of you is granting you cover against that attack, you can use your reaction to have the attack target that creature instead of you.

That's cool but maybe kind of strong? Even though it's not an auto-hit to the covering creature.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

That's cool but maybe kind of strong? Even though it's not an auto-hit to the covering creature.

I thought of using the reaction on a hit to halves the damage and have the rest go the covering creature.

As written for now, it is similar to the feature of the Mastermind and Drunken monk, but a little weaker because it requires to be missed, not just targeting and then the to-hit roll is compared to the covering creature's AC.

 

[Eubani]

Targets in melee range already provide cover.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Right. Then maybe something akin to a 4e feat (IIRC)?

Underfooted tactics: Large or larger creatures within 5 feet of you gives you half cover against melee attacks.

or

Lost in the Crowd: When within 5 feet of 2 or more creatures of larger size than yours, you have half cover against melee attacks.

or

Brave Fellowship: When an ally within 30 feet fails a saving throw against the frightened condition, you can use your reaction to let the ally reroll the die. The ally must use the new roll.

When you use this ability, you can't use your Lucky racial trait before the end of your next turn.

 

[Eubani]

Right. Then maybe something akin to a 4e feat (IIRC)?

Underfooted tactics: Large or larger creatures within 5 feet of you gives you half cover against melee attacks.

or

Lost in the Crowd: When within 5 feet of 2 or more creatures of larger size than yours, you have half cover against melee attacks.

or

Brave Fellowship: When an ally within 30 feet fails a saving throw against the frightened condition, you can use your reaction to let the ally reroll the die. The ally must use the new roll.

When you use this ability, you can't use your Lucky racial trait before the end of your next turn.

I like the last one its more than just about their size and ties to the group. Too many things for Halflings speak to their size only.

 

[Rabulias]

I’d be somewhat surprised if an official redo of the PHB races maintained 25ft speed alongside the small size. They seem to have done away with it given Goblin/Kobold and the customizable nature of lineages. Aarakocra was also an early print and offset with the fly speed anyway.

Goblins and kobolds had 30 ft speeds in 3e, and in the 5e Monster Manual, so I don't see this as something they changed. You may well be correct though, as 3e gnomes and halflings had a base speed of 20 ft and 5e upped them to 25 ft.

 

[Scott Christian]

Right. Then maybe something akin to a 4e feat (IIRC)?

Underfooted tactics: Large or larger creatures within 5 feet of you gives you half cover against melee attacks.

or

Lost in the Crowd: When within 5 feet of 2 or more creatures of larger size than yours, you have half cover against melee attacks.

or

Brave Fellowship: When an ally within 30 feet fails a saving throw against the frightened condition, you can use your reaction to let the ally reroll the die. The ally must use the new roll.

When you use this ability, you can't use your Lucky racial trait before the end of your next turn.

These are good ideas.

Just to play devil's advocate, depending on how many racial feats they get, it should be remembered that many players have a hard time keeping track of these. I can't tell you how many times I have had to remind players (experienced players) that their racial feat could help them, and they only have 1 or 2 to remember. Then, when you starting making it more and more esoteric (such as the fear thing - which I like), you get a huge time lapse between uses, and a greater chance to forget you even have it. Where as, something like darkvision is used all the time so people remember.

Again, not against these ideas, and I really like reading them. But for table play, they could come off as sounding cool, but then be nothing but words on paper without being used.

 

[Eubani]

Racial feats may be something I will visit once the races are done, maybe even investigate some racial backgrounds and subclasses.

 

[Eubani]

Next on the list Humans +1 Stat all the way um ok we're removing stat bumps what's left......the discussion on what makes a human not a pointy eared human or short human or a short and grumpy human.

Two words I think are the key for going forward with human non stat driven mechanical design: Adaptability and Drive.