Multiclassing:
Half Elfes - Multitalented: get 2 faf. classes, with the multitalernted mastery feat every class is a faf. class
I think the idea is that while Humans make a pretty good everything, there are specific races that are fantastic at certain classes. Half-Orcs and Half-Elves make great inquisitors, Elves make great wizards, Dwarves are good for most any fighter type etc...Plus dont discount improved vision, bonuses to things like perception and alternate race traits that are great for specific campaigns..
Sure you can make a good character from any class using a human, but there are certain races that fill a specific niche just a little bit better. Take my current inquisitor for example, sure I could have been a human and taken exotic weapon proficiency to get my weapon of choice, or I could take Half-Elf which gets me Ancestral weapon for the same net result and the other bonuses dovetail to the class just that little bit better.
Maybe its just me, but didn't you answer your own question?
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Aasimar.
Aasimar get two +2 bonuses to stats without any negatives. Various sub races make it pretty easy to customize to a specific class. With alternate race features you can even get a +4 and a +2, or a third +2 Stat, with DM approval. Aasimar can also be Small, picking up a +1 AC and +1 to hit. They gain wings and can fly for a feat after level 10. Some of the best racial SLAs in the game, and a feat that can bonus the base version spell Daylight to gain Sunbeam (7th level Druid Spell) as a SLA at 9th level.
Still want to be human? Just take the Scion of Humanity alternate race trait and you count as human.
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The reason? Dwarves. Both mechanically and for flavor, they're just awesome.
Sure, humans are a good, versatile race for pretty much anything. However, other races are better for specific classes/builds/whatever. People have already started to list some of these, it seems.
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Tiefling has a lot going for it, with all the heritages giving you different racial stat adjustments, 3 resistances to common elemental damage types (and I think racial feats to increase them if you want), plus cool racial feats (Armour of the Pit, I'm looking at you).
Depending on class choice, I think Tieflings are almost as versatile as humans. (And Oni-Spawn Tieflings make awesome choices for a Monk, because of +2 STR and WIS, as well as Armour of the Pit for +2 extra AC).
But to some extent, I agree with you. In D&D 3.5, I almost always chose Human, mainly for the bonus feat. So many of my builds really benefited from that extra feat. As for Pathfinder, they're still good, but the extra feat isn't as crucial since you now get a feat every odd level.
Darkvision
Effortless Trickery
suli, because you can light your arms on fire...ON FREAKING FIRE!
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The only time I ever choose to make a human is if I desperately need the bonus feat to get some kind of feat chain or combination in effect by a certain level without class dipping.
If I'm bitten by the optimisation bug as you say then there is very often a race that can specialize more into a specific role than a human can, by whatever combination of favoured class bonus, racial bonuses, ability modifiers or just plain funk you decide to use.
This.
That human bonus feat and extra skill rank per level are hard to pass up, especially for any feat starved build idea or skill starved class. Humans are always going to be one of the top choices for any build idea. But there are plenty of specific builds where human would be the second best race for the build, and another race would be better, as in the examples Rashagar pointed out.
Case in point: I recently made a "bad touch" cleric, and I was planning to go human, primarily because clerics need all the skill ranks they can get. Then I realized that half orcs can give up their darkvision for the same bonus skill rank every level. So compare the other advantages of human vs half orc. Humans get a bonus feat, which isn't really essential for this build, and not much of anything else. Half orc can get a +1 to every saving throw (Sacred Tattoo), +2 on Knowledge (Local) and whip proficiency (City Raised), and the half-orc favored class bonus to gain more uses per day of level 1 domain powers, on a build that revolves around its level 1 domain powers. No contest - half-orc works better mechanically for my specific build, as well as adding a distinct flavor that works well with a cleric of the pirate goddess. And thus begins the legend of Green Beard the Pirate. :P
Similarly, I have a buff based cleric who is a halfling for fluff reasons first, but the size bonus to AC and favored class bonus to his uses per day of the Luck domain power are perfect for the build.
And then there are racial archetypes, like my gnome bard who has the prankster archetype from the Advanced Race Guide.
I'll add my voice to the chorus. I often find it hard to not play a human. They're good at everything. However, there are plenty of builds that will benefit more from a specific race.
I just got finished proxy-playing a dual-cursed gnome oracle of life with the haunted and wrecker curses. I focused on the tank and save-or-die aspects of the build, so the +Con and +Cha was great, while the -Str was inconsequential. There weren't any extra feats I really needed, and I had enough skill points for my purposes. Meanwhile, the gnome alternate racial features of Academician, Eternal Hope, Darkvision, and (especially!) Pyromaniac came in handy time and again. Produce Flame once a day was wonderfully useful for a sprite that couldn't really use weapons.
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I'll submit the wild and unconventional notion that your character doesn't have to be the mechanically best option possible for the role you want to play, just that it needs to be capable of doing the job.
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I'll submit the wild and unconventional notion that your character doesn't have to be the mechanically best option possible for the role you want to play, just that it needs to be capable of doing the job.
You be crazy, Adamantine Dragon!
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I'll submit the wild and unconventional notion that your character doesn't have to be the mechanically best option possible for the role you want to play, just that it needs to be capable of doing the job.You be crazy, Adamantine Dragon!
Indeed I be. And if that isn't proof enough, I'll submit the vastly more insane notion that sometimes I deliberately play a less than optimal character because I like the challenge!
Indeed I be. And if that isn't proof enough, I'll submit the vastly more insane notion that sometimes I deliberately play a less than optimal character because I like the challenge!I'll submit the wild and unconventional notion that your character doesn't have to be the mechanically best option possible for the role you want to play, just that it needs to be capable of doing the job.You be crazy, Adamantine Dragon!
But then you have people tell you that are not being optimally sub-optimal .
The title says it all.Gnomes are cooler.
The only reason you need.
Gnomes are cooler? I like the Dungeon Bastard's response to that one.
Bane Weapons...
Asimar can be small with a +2 to strength and charisma which makes them the best mounted combat bunnies by far as well as having darkvision, energy resistance and immunity to person spells (such as vampire dominate).mmm, in what book is that?
blood of angels.
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blood of angels.Asimar can be small with a +2 to strength and charisma which makes them the best mounted combat bunnies by far as well as having darkvision, energy resistance and immunity to person spells (such as vampire dominate).mmm, in what book is that?
Not legal in PFS, in case anyone cares. Aasimar are required to be medium sized in PFS, though I think the rest of that is allowed.
Elves are better against spell resistance.
Small races can ride medium mounts along corridors.
Races with natural weapons can inflict massive melee damage from early levels.
Strix can fly.
The ultimate Game Mechanic is setting. If you're playing in a game set in Kyonin, for example, where the elves are xenophobic and, to put it bluntly, racist, you're going to have trouble getting around as anything other than an elf. Similarly play a game underground where the tunnels have a head clearance for dwarves at best, you're not going to want to play a human either. And think about Gandalf walking around in Bilbo's house. Possible for a short visit, but for an extended one?
How about "the gm doesnt use every single book and feat".
It might not be the case in every game, but its certainly a valid one in mine.
As people have mentioned, darkvision can be a terrific advantage in certain campaigns.
In my games fluff is always as important ,if not more so , than rules. So, yeah, perhaps the dwarves dont let humans into their fortress, or the elves cook humans on campfires...
Beyond that...well, once *any* game becomes expansion-book bloated, there's always something that can do everything if you look hard enough. Dont get me wrong, pathfinders a great game, but you've got to look at how many expansion books there are with class and feat options in them ....there's bound to be stuff you can abuse (shrug).
Personally, i'm not a great believer in classes and levels as a concept in rpgs being that great an idea. think pathfinder/d&d 3rd make up for some of its inherrent flaws by the use of feats , but its impossible to playtest every combination once they set themslves on a business model of bringing out new classes and feats in so many expansions (which is what many gamers desire and buy - and any company has to live on its purchases)
Overall i think paizo do a good job ... But yeah, there will be all kind of inconsistencies by now.
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...I always tend to look for natural weapons. The only way that humans can get those are through very specific feats (many of which can be used by other races for even more of attacks or are just silly like a human with kobold ancestry)
Also, kitsune are interesting since they can acquire Realistic likeness. That feat allows them to change into just about any one as a swift action. Just go around a corner to get some cover, and your pursuers suddenly lose you. It can be frightening.
Re: Kitsune & Realistic Likeness. As long as you can change your clothes as well that is. Reversible Cloak?...I always tend to look for natural weapons. The only way that humans can get those are through very specific feats (many of which can be used by other races for even more of attacks or are just silly like a human with kobold ancestry)
Also, kitsune are interesting since they can acquire Realistic likeness. That feat allows them to change into just about any one as a swift action. Just go around a corner to get some cover, and your pursuers suddenly lose you. It can be frightening.
Or just tear away clothes and a second set underneath. That is still within a decent action economy.
Catfolk can get scent, claws, climb speed with feats and alternate racial traits.
Lashunat have telepathy and useful spell powers.
Strix/Syrinx both can fly
Undine, Gillmen, and Merfolk have a swim speed.
Elves, Drow, Deugar, Androids, and Ghorans have immunities.
Kitsune have shapeshifting ability.
Grippli and Vanra have a climb speed.
The real question is why play human if you could play any of the cool races in pathfinder.