D&D 5E Super Simple Racial Features

[DND_Reborn]

In my ideal d&d, racial features would purely be innate amd mot cultural. For example what if your dwarf grew up on a mountain plain in a nomadic human tribe? Why should they have stone cunning?

So I like the slimming down approach very much.

That actually gives me a good idea. I think I might focus the core feature more on the idea of biology instead of culture.

Like you said, a dwarf raised by elves would still likely have his resistance to poisons, but not likely stonecunning or dwarven weapon training. Similarly, an elf raised by tieflings would retain fey ancestry and keen senses for perception, but not elven weapon training, etc.

Great, now I have to rethink this!

 

[aco175]

Curious if you are changing the ability modifiers for each race as well? There seems to be some connection to abilities and having higher stats in some of them. There is another thread about doing away with racial bonuses and just giving each PC a standard +2 to something of the player's choice.

Halfling- I can see moving through larger monsters spaces cooler than lucky.
Dwarf- Stonecunning is more classic, but kind of never comes up, I would go with weapon and armor proficiency.

 

[CubicsRube]

That actually gives me a good idea. I think I might focus the core feature more on the idea of biology instead of culture.

Like you said, a dwarf raised by elves would still likely have his resistance to poisons, but not likely stonecunning or dwarven weapon training. Similarly, an elf raised by tieflings would retain fey ancestry and keen senses for perception, but not elven weapon training, etc.

Great, now I have to rethink this!

Imhoping that was an excited "great"

 

[CubicsRube]

Actually in that note I personally feel that cultural aspects is better recognised by specific backgrounds and background features. A dwarven mason background could have stonecunning as their feature (even if it's a halfling who learnt from dwarves) and a human raised by elves as an elven ranger might have advantage to hide in the forest and have elven weapon training.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Curious if you are changing the ability modifiers for each race as well? There seems to be some connection to abilities and having higher stats in some of them. There is another thread about doing away with racial bonuses and just giving each PC a standard +2 to something of the player's choice.

Halfling- I can see moving through larger monsters spaces cooler than lucky.
Dwarf- Stonecunning is more classic, but kind of never comes up, I would go with weapon and armor proficiency.

Yep, changed them some but kept most of the same flavor:

Dragonborn: WIS +1 (DEX -1/ ANY +1)
Dwarf: CON +1 (CHA -1/ ANY +1)
Elf: DEX +1 (CON -1/ ANY +1)
Gnome: INT +1 (STR -1/ ANY +1)
Half-Elf: ANY +1 (ANY -1/ ANY +1)
Half-Orc: STR +1 (INT -1/ ANY +1)
Halfling: CHA +1 (WIS -1/ ANY +1)
Human: ANY +1 (ANY -1/ ANY +1)
Tiefling:Human: ANY +1 (ANY -1/ ANY +1)

The way it works is this: you get the first bonus. You can take a ANY +1, but must then take the listed penalty.

Example: You want to play a Dragonborn. You gain a +1 to Wisdom. If you want another +1 to Wisdom or some other ability score, you must accept a -1 to Dexterity.

I might eventually simply insist on the pairings (ex. WIS +1/ DEX -1) and give a ANY +1. Half-Elf, Humans, and Tieflings would then get up to ANY +2, if they accept a -1 someplace else.

Imhoping that was an excited "great"

Yep!

Actually in that note I personally feel that cultural aspects is better recognised by specific backgrounds and background features. A dwarven mason background could have stonecunning as their feature (even if it's a halfling who learnt from dwarves) and a human raised by elves as an elven ranger might have advantage to hide in the forest and have elven weapon training.

Exactly, which is why biological features would work better. Background bonuses might be something coming in the future... I would like to see more done with backgrounds anyway.

 

[GreenTengu]

Here is what I would do for them, and some of these are not going to match what is in the books at all.

Dragonborn
Add your con bonus to your base AC instead of your armor if it would be higher than your armor.
Advantage on rolls to rolls on Persuasion with Kobolds, Dragonborn and Dragons.

Dwarf
Save vs. Poison and resistance to poison.
Tool proficiency.

Elf
1 Cantrip - can be from the Druid list (wood elf) or Wizard/Cleric list (high elf/drow).
Ranger's Natural Explorer trait for Forests (or Underdark if a Drow)

Gnome
Free Cantrip from any class.
Animal Companion of ECL 1/8th or loer.

Half-Elf
Extra skill
1 Cantrip from Bard class

Half-Orc
Extra skill
Relentless Endurance

Halfling
Lucky
Double proficiency on Stealth checks

Human
Extra Skill
Extra Tool Proficiency

Tiefling
Cantrip from the Warlock Class
Advantage on rolls to rolls on Persuasion with Fiends.

Aasimar
Cantrip from the Cleric Class
Advantage on rolls to rolls on Persuasion with Celestials.

Genasai
Cantrip of appropriate element.
Advantage on saves/Resistant to that element

Goliath
+1 hit point per level
Ranger's Natural Explorer trait for Mountains

Firbolg
1 Cantrip from the Druid class
Ranger's Natural Explorer trait for Forests

Orc
Rage as though you were equal level Barbarian once per day
Ranger's Natural Explorer trait for Tundra

Kobold
Add your con bonus to your base AC instead of your armor if it would be higher than your armor.
Tool Proficiency

Lizardfolk/Tortle (yes, identical traits for the two but maybe different attribute bonuses)
Add your con bonus to your base AC instead of your armor if it would be higher than your armor.
Ranger's Natural Explorer trait for Swamp

Yuanti
Cantrip from the Wizard Class
Poison save/resistance

Goblin
Double proficiency on Stealth
Animal Companion ECL 1/8th or less

Hobgoblin
1 Battle Master Maneuver and Superiority die that starts at d6 and increases in size as though you were equal level Fighter
Reroll 1 failed save once per long rest

Bugbear
Grapple as if you were Large size
Ranger's Natural Explorer trait for Forests

Aarakocra
Basic unarmed attack as equal level Monk
Can fly when unarmored, can't attack (other than basic unarmed attacks) or cast spells while flying

Kenku
Double proficiency on Deception checks
Can copy others' voices and handwriting

Tabaxi
Basic unarmed attack as equal level Monk
Double proficiency on Athletics checks

Gith
Free Cantrip from any class
Can speak telepathically (but not read another's thoughts)

Triton
A water-based Cantrip
Can breath underwater


Also, to simplify things-- all races can choose one of the following
* Extra tool proficiency or language
* Dark Vision 60'
* Dark Vision 120' and Sunlight Sensitivity


You'll notice that I simplified the whole "magic" thing by having any race that naturally casts spells to just choose the appropriate cantrip on their own, any races that is meant to be able to survive on its own in the wild the Natural Explorer trait for that environment, any race with a tough scaly/shell hide the Barbarian's armor ability and otherwise assign a level 1 class trait (or closest approximation) whereever possible and allow it to scale to level just like Cantrips do.

But basically instead of having their own complex rules, it would probably be better if the races just pull from the same basic pool of rules represented in those first couple class levels in the classes.

 

[CleverNickName]

Cool idea. My two coppers:

Dragonborn: Breath Weapon
Dwarf: Stonecutting (but I would beef it up a bit)
Elf: Speed 35'
Gnome: Illusions
Half-Elf: Charm/Sleep Resistance
Half-Orc: Menacing
Halfling: Brave
Human: All ASI
Tiefling: Cantrip