Core Human Racial Traits

[W E Ray]

I don't like how Humans (and H-Elfs & H-Orcs) get a +2 to any one Ability Score -- which is better than a +2 to two Scores with a -2 to one Score.

I figure if I can get a balanced Human at +2 to two Scores and -2 to one Score, it would serve as a template to "fix" H-Elf & H-Orc and make the Races more equal.

I wanted to share my proposal and see what the other Lords of the Boards say.

Human

+2 to one Physical Ability Score and +2 to one Mental Ability Score
-2 to one Ability Score

1 Bonus Feat

1 extra Skill point each Level

1 extra Trait from any type

1 extra Language in addition to Common (can choose any non-secret language)

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So, my thoughts on this are that, because a Player can better customize his Ability Scores (and the extra Trait & Language), more Players will choose Human.

BUT -- I don't think that those Human Racial Traits make a better Race than Dwarf or Elf.

Thoughts?

[Jiggy]

W E Ray wrote:

+2 to any one Ability Score -- which is better than a +2 to two Scores with a -2 to one Score.

This is not always true. For instance, presume a 20pt buy:

For a +2/+2/-2 race, you can get the following:
18/16/14/10/10/08
For a human, you can get:
18/16/12/10/10/08

Or if you want it a bit more min-maxed, you get this:
18/18/10/10/10/08
Versus a human's:
18/18/11/10/07/07

Basically, it all depends on whether or not you highly value both of the race's boosted abilities. If you do, then they're a better value. If you only value one, then it's a wash at best.

Quote:

Human

+2 to one Physical Ability Score and +2 to one Mental Ability Score
-2 to one Ability Score

1 Bonus Feat

1 extra Skill point each Level

1 extra Trait from any type

1 extra Language in addition to Common (can choose any non-secret language)

lolwut?

Do you mean that the player can choose WHICH stats get the boosts/drop?
Dumb Human Fighter version 1.0
STR 18 (16+2)
DEX 11
CON 18
INT 07
WIS 10
CHA 07

Dumb Human Fighter version 2.0 (your suggestion)
STR 18 (16+2)
DEX 11
CON 18 (16+2)
INT 07
WIS 15
CHA 05 (07-2)

Congratulations on handing him a better Will save at no cost.

Quote:

So, my thoughts on this are that, because a Player can better customize his Ability Scores (and the extra Trait & Language), more Players will choose Human.

Do you NEED more players to choose Human? Around here, every PFS table of random players has at least one human, if not more.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but your suggestions are a buff, and humans don't need buffing.

[W E Ray]

Yeah -- I just found the other Thread and thinking about it more, I think you're right.

I guess to get it the way I'd like it, I'd have to considerably improve the other Racial Traits. And in that way lies madness.

[Thomas LeBlanc]

Jiggy wrote:

Around here, every PFS table of random players has at least one human, if not more.

At our FLGS we are lucky to have 1-2 non-humans per 6 players. And that 1-2 is either elf, dwarf, or half-elf. I play the only gnome of the 7 groups, 1 half-orc, and no halflings.

[cartmanbeck]

Thomas LeBlanc wrote:

Jiggy wrote:

Around here, every PFS table of random players has at least one human, if not more.

At our FLGS we are lucky to have 1-2 non-humans per 6 players. And that 1-2 is either elf, dwarf, or half-elf. I play the only gnome of the 7 groups, 1 half-orc, and no halflings.

Yeah, it's definitely sad that the smaller races get no love. For my players, I think the 20ft base move speed is the biggest thing that makes them go "eww". Of course with dwarf it doesn't affect their decision as much cuz of the medium and heavy armor not changing the speed. I dunno... I wish I could convince them to use gnomes and halflings more.

[W E Ray]

I don't understand why anyone would ever play a Small PC except for the occassional arcane caster.

[cartmanbeck]

W E Ray wrote:

I don't understand why anyone would ever play a Small PC except for the occassional arcane caster.

See? My players are size-ist also. I think a Rogue or Ninja can benefit a lot from being small, but yeah, a Barbarian should never be small (weapon size is definitely painful for melee characters) and even an archer... yeah just spellcasters, and even then it's just for flavor.

[Luminiere Solas]

@jiggy

it's +2 Physical +2 mental -2 any other

Not +2 any ideal pairing -2 any dump stat

So +2 STR/+2 CON/-2CHA wouldn't fly, but i would allow it anyway.

Just like i would allow +2STR/+2DEX/-2CHA

the most overpowered combination would be

+2 Con/+2 Casting stat -2 dump stat which is the dwarf/gnome combo.

[W E Ray]

*looks again at Jiggy's post

Oh, yeah -- you screwed up big, man -- your Ability Score arrays are all way off.

+2 one Physical
+2 one Mental
-2 one

That's the proposal

(Even still -- I dunno the more I think about it / compare it)

[Jiggy]

Whoops, my bad!

So more like this:
STR 18 (16+2)
DEX 12
CON 17
INT 07
WIS 15 (13+2)
CHA 5 (07-2)

Hm... Yep, still broken. ;)

If you want to slightly nerf humans, try adding a -1 to one stat of the same type (physical or mental) as the one chosen for the +2.

[Luminiere Solas]

what's wrong with buffing humans?

the extra stat bonuses play on thier versatility. and would help prove why humans are the dominant sentient species.