D&D 5E The Human Problem Pt 1

[Yaarel]

Regarding race traits. Am I understanding correctly that the wing speed of certain races like fairy and aarakocra, lack "hover"? Thus in flight, these races fall if at 0 speed? If so, that would help balance it.

Meanwhile, the slot-3 spell Fly is fast at 60 feet plus hover. So wings are in some ways less powerful than the spell. That said, the Fly spell requires concentration and only lasts for 10 minutes. So, it is still difficult to understand wings as a race feature at level 1.

 

[Charlaquin]

In D&D the game tends to be humanocentric

I don’t think that’s really true. Some campaigns are, but I don’t think it’s even the norm anymore.

and the various humanoids are often portrayed as humans in funny suits with perhaps exaggerated human characteristics.

Necessarily so, since they are (usually) written and portrayed by humans.

 

[MarkB]

It seems like a "help! help! We're being repressed!" approach to humanity would, from a players' perspective, be just as humanocentric as one where they're the dominant species.

Why not just have humans being one among many races trying to get along in the world, doing no better or worse than any other? Better yet, have some towns, villages and even cities that are populated mainly by one race or another, but interspersed with each other, and on the nation level, organise nationalities by culture but not by race.

 

[Shiroiken]

While classic settings are human-centric, I don't think that's really the default anymore. There's been a trend over the last decade or so, not only away from humans, but away from all the classic demi-humans and other "normal" races.

If you want to do a nonhuman-centric setting, there's no reason why elves, dwarves, orcs, or any other race could be dominate. There's also the possibility of no singular race being dominant, with a delicate balance of power. You can argue about the racial abilities determining dominance, but in reality it comes down to two aspects: rate of reproduction and control of technology (or magic).

 

[cbwjm]

All to often, you have elves going into retreat from human encroachment, but with their knowledge of magic, I like to think that they could easily push back, keeping the humans on the grassy plains and out of the elven forests.

Dragonborn have the power of dragons behind them, I think they would also be tough for humanity to beat. I tend to think of them as an ordered society with imperial legions and a higher than average number of (draconic) sorcerers to combat the human armies and mages. Even if they did let some humans in, they would be second class citizens to the dragonborn, kobolds, and other scaled folk that might make up the Draconis Empire.

 

[Zardnaar]

All to often, you have elves going into retreat from human encroachment, but with their knowledge of magic, I like to think that they could easily push back, keeping the humans on the grassy plains and out of the elven forests.

Dragonborn have the power of dragons behind them, I think they would also be tough for humanity to beat. I tend to think of them as an ordered society with imperial legions and a higher than average number of (draconic) sorcerers to combat the human armies and mages. Even if they did let some humans in, they would be second class citizens to the dragonborn, kobolds, and other scaled folk that might make up the Draconis Empire.

You've read Midgard then?

 

[cbwjm]

You've read Midgard then?

Yes and no, I have the setting book, but have only just flicked through it. Is this how the dragonborn and elves are portrayed in it? Maybe I should have another read through it.

 

[RuinousPowers]

I think a part of the problem with getting away from human centric worlds is coming up with reasons that all the other races kept all the human medieval tropes.

 

[Zardnaar]

Yes and no, I have the setting book, but have only just flicked through it. Is this how the dragonborn and elves are portrayed in it? Maybe I should have another read through it.

The Dragon empire in the book is very close to what you wrote.

 

[Stormonu]

I don't think D&D assumes you are using all the various races in your game. Sure, they've given you backgrounds so you CAN fit them in where you want, but it's a bit foolish to assume they all exist at the same time in large numbers. I imagine most DM's stick to about 4-5 major non-human races and the rest are unavailable or one-offs.