"I am human, and nothing of that which is human is alien to me." —Terrence, Heauton Timorumenos
"Hell is other people." —Jean-Paul Sartre, No Exit
I thought I'd write a post in defense of humanity.
By which I mean, I thought I'd tell you good people why I, personally, think that playing human characters—or designing game supplements which seem to elevate or center humanity—is something that is a fine, creative, interesting, and thoughtful thing to do.
I've noticed quite a few posts lately that raise a number of questions, criticisms, and even pleas, which, by way of asking for "more" (game elements) for one fantasy race or another take the time, en passant, to denigrate the choice that some players make in playing humans, or the choice the designers of the Pathfinder game and the world of Golarion have made in giving humanity pride of center place.
To be sure and clear, playing or designing for any other race can be a fine, creative, interesting, and thoughtful thing to do.
But I'm moved to write this because of the strain of thought that seems to suggest that playing or designing for humans is somehow "uncool," somehow boring or unchallenging or otherwise lesser.
I don't seek to win a point but to explain a choice. Humans are what all of us are. They are, paradoxically, what we know best and least. They satisfy us and mystify us in equal measure. They are, to paraphrase, the proper study of humankind. Which is to say that if (if!) one of the things we do when we play these games is explore and learn more about ourselves, then playing humans—mysterious, contradictory, wise, faltering, flawed, complex, and multifarious humans—is a fine and legitimate choice.
"Going against men, I have heard at times a deep harmony
thrumming in the mixture, and when they ask me what
I say I don't know. It is not the only or the easiest
way to come to the truth. It is one way." —Wendell Berry, "The Contrariness of the Mad Farmer"
It isn't that people don't necessarily like humans- most go with it in general, both due to familiarity and the bonus feat.
It is jsut that you tend to hear more from people dissatisfied since the people that are alright with it since everyone else just never thought enough about it to form a strong opinion.
At the same time...there are very good reasons why people might want to play other races, some of which actually touch on 'human' elements in a way that they might not if they played humans.
One of the key reasons people may wish to play nonhuman races is the degree of seperation- they are not 'humans' in a 'human life', they are a person with big old ram horns, red skin, and hooves. That allows them to feel a greater degree of separation from the everyday.
And sometimes, that degree of separation is ESSENTIAL for some people to feel comfortable in addressing extremely real situations. In my life in modern society, I have little experience with racism, and the idea that you would discriminate people based on skin color seems completely foreign to me. So if you throw that at me in a human only game, I might not react well as a player.
But it that skin color was red...on scales and goat horns? Yeah, I can at least conceptually understand it (if not agree with it), and I can touch on the kind of concepts that you hear about in those uncomfortable readings in history class (like 'sons of ham', if you ever studied any of the writings from the Antebellum South).
Also, you have to consider the symbolic importance you often find with various races. Many have a focus on some type of dualism, which is actually an important element for heroes. Born between two worlds, be it human or demon (where you belong to neither, and rejected by both), or human and angel (where you are burdened by the expectations both this world and the next to fulfill a role, yet restrained by your own mortal desires and weaknesses). Having this baked into the race can give you an angle during character creation that helps fuel your role as the hero of your campaign.
Overall, other races are a useful shorthand that can help players fit into roles, both within the society's setting and within the greater narrative as 'characters' that are typically expected to be 'heroes'.
PS- Still a bit mad about a kineticist build I had, where I had a geo half elf devoted to an elven goddess perfect for the role (Yuelral)...and then I realized that precise shot has point blank shot as a prereq, making it near impossible to use with anything other than human if you start prior to level 3 (not as bad for actual archers, since they have to have str, so they can switch hit before then; kineticists are pure dex adn con). Humans are powerful as a race...but exceedingly boring mechanically (that and a skill point vs- seeing farther in darkness, the ability to resist sleep and to some degree mind control, better perception). Glad Heroes of the wild gave the option to get rid of the boring skill point in return for lowlight vision, some class skills, and VERY conditional SLAs.
Humans ARE boring. Their only real mechanical advantage is the bonus feat; every other race has some sort of advantage over them, whether it's better stats, improved senses, or magical prowess. Hell, I prefer Half-Elves to Humans because they can do everything a Human can, PLUS they get all the stuff for being a Half-Elf and a sizable amount of Elf stuff (and with proper planning and building can get Drow stuff as well).
That being said, when I build a character, I choose whatever race and class fits the concept best while being mechanically sound, and in many cases Human fits the bill. Half the characters I've ever built have been Humans, and one of them was the most powerful character I've ever run (granted, he was a Half-Celestial, was 19th level, and was a gestalt - Gunslinger/Ranger specifically - but still).
I find humans boring and bland like said above , only reason i ever play a human is because i cant deny the extra feat is quite good, if they didnt have this i would never have played even one single human in pathfinder.
Hell even my only current human PC "strongly dislikes" others humans.
I play Humans when concept appropriate.
I still can't get past the "Average Human" description people give though.
What the hell does an "Average Human" look like?
Like the vague image most people make when they are told to imagine a person.
One of the problems here is, when you aren't just copying a movie star or someone they know, people without training in art might not be able to really make an image of an interesting human on the fly. As such, they become nondescript and forgettable. Making characters that are visually compelling can be one of the harder aspects of animation.
Having nonhuman races gives enough that they can make a distinct caricature in their heads.
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Compiling hundreds of billions of photos, over ten years, the average human face looks like this.
I will keep that with me. If someone decides to tell me they look like an "Average Human", than I will say that's what they look like.
Does "Average Human" also dictate weaponry/wardrobe choices?
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Well, I suppose they would be forced to at least note their weapon, and if they are wearing one of the outfits outlined in the equipment section.
It could be an "Average Longsword" or an "Average Explorer's Outfit", but they have to be at least that specific.
I don't know what the Average Human Wardrobe of Golarion is though.
I think the term they are looking for is "nondescript," rather than "average."
Most of us are human and therefore may roleplay a different race to immerse oneself in a nonhuman experience.
Humanity itself is very diverse by choice. We segment ourselves into groups.
As for boringness, I cite Game of Thrones. A cast of interesting characters of the boring race. Not all fantasy went the LotR route of using race in lieu of characterization.
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I already spend 150 hours a week roleplaying a human being. That's why I like to make other choices for the part I have control over.
I already spend 150 hours a week roleplaying a human being. That's why I like to make other choices for the part I have control over.
What do you do for the other 18?
I guess you are counting RP sessions against that, so 3x6 weekly?
Jealous. I get six hours every two weeks.
:(
I like playing humans because it isn't TOO much of a disconnect. It's easier to imagine me being a wizard if I'm NOT a dwarf or flying snake or whatever is popular with caster builds these days...
Also, I do think (mechanically) humans suit me best.
I stick almost exclusively to pet-based classes, so Eye for Talent is awesome, and the extra feat is good too.
In my groups sessions there has always been one human character, normally of varying class but with a high charisma. They act as the face of the group as humans dominate the cities and places of authority.
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I prefer human characters: you have a much wider variety of options for how to develop and play a complex character.
That is not a common position so I'll explain why this is:
All non-human races either come with stereotypes or they don't. Dwarves, elves, and halflings probably come with the strongest stereotypes because they have the most exposure in myth, literature, and computer games.
Dwarves are supposed to be tough, taciturn, greedy, enjoy beer, be skilled craftsmen, and may come with a scottish accent.
Elves are supposed to be aloof, arrogant, have long hair, and generally be better than you. Most sources make them tree huggers too.
Halflings are supposed to be sneaky, fun loving, and have a liberal attitude towards laws of ownership.
If you are playing a non-human race, you can either play to the stereotype or play against it.
If you play to the stereotype, you can make a few tweaks (Warhammer Fantasy's dwarf slayers change a couple details, Dragon Age's dwarves added a few details, etc), but your choice of how you play the character is rather constrained and the stereotype attributes you use will tend to detract from the potential depth of the character. The answer to "why is he like that?" tends to be "Because he's an elf" rather than "because his cousin was killed by orc raiders when he was seven years old."
On the other hand, if you play against the stereotype, you have even more challenges. First, playing against type doesn't mean that the stereotype doesn't exist and affect your character. In fact, the "elf" type determines the "I'm not that kind of elf" character even more than it determines the "stereotypical elf" character. The elf playing to type can add some humility if he feels like it. The "not that kind of elf" has to play against the majority of the stereotype in order to avoid fitting into it. Second and more importantly, what does "not that kind of" elf get out of being an elf? Nothing except the obligation to constantly shout, "I'm a special snowflake--I'm not that kind of elf" to the world. All of the elfishness is lost when he plays against type, and he's just a human with pointy ears and a few attribute bonuses who is frustrated by the expectations of acting elfy. All of those fantasy races choose a narrow range of human behavior to create the stereotype and once you break out of it, you're just back to being human.
There are other races where the stereotypes are weaker or less well known--Kitsune, Oreads, etc. That doesn't really change matters though. To the degree that anyone knows the stereotype, the character you create has to fit into or defy it. To the degree that people don't know the stereotype, you're a human with a fox tail and some bonuses to enchantment spells. Typically the more unusual races offer ideal bonuses for a narrow range of builds, but don't offer the opportunity to play to a well-established type.
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My Aasimar swears she's human. She also has an 8 wisdom.
More seriously, if the race adds something, for example, a half elf summoner having an imaginary friend because her human friends kept outgrowing her or an Halfling joining the pathfinder society because her son keeps beating up Pathfinders in the alley (First steps reference), then I tend to make them that race.
If not, especially if they have enough 'other' stuff going on, I tend to make them human.
My Aasimar swears she's human. She also has an 8 wisdom.
More seriously, if the race adds something, for example, a half elf summoner having an imaginary friend because her human friends kept outgrowing her or an Halfling joining the pathfinder society because her son keeps beating up Pathfinders in the alley (First steps reference), then I tend to make them that race.
If not, especially if they have enough 'other' stuff going on, I tend to make them human.
Vampire bite her, jumping back in pain and shrieking anguished cries
"That is normal. Totally normal. Nothing to see here"
Level increases from the dead vampire, going to level 11 and suddenly sprouting wings
"Perfectly normal. Move along."
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I think the term they are looking for is "nondescript," rather than "average."
I once had a character whose averageness/nondescriptness was basically his super-power. He was a janitor and was surprisingly fun to play. With the uniform and his cart, he could pretty much go anywhere with no-one even batting an eye. It's a shame he died in that coffee-brewer explosion.
I think the term they are looking for is "nondescript," rather than "average."I once had a character whose averageness/nondescriptness was basically his super-power. He was a janitor and was surprisingly fun to play. With the uniform and his cart, he could pretty much go anywhere with no-one even batting an eye. It's a shame he died in that coffee-brewer explosion.
The illusionist of the Viel actually gets an ability to be so average looking they become background lol.
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I will have to find images that exemplify the "Average" look, of each Core race.
Still, I have a hard time interacting with a PC, whose player can't tell me the PC's hair/eye/skin color.
I mean, some other PC tries to introduce the PC, and instead of "this tall, blonde strapping fellow", you have "this lump of human-shaped human".
I will have to find images that exemplify the "Average" look, of each Core race.
Still, I have a hard time interacting with a PC, whose player can't tell me the PC's hair/eye/skin color.
I mean, some other PC tries to introduce the PC, and instead of "this tall, blonde strapping fellow", you have "this lump of human-shaped human".
Those color based features are what I mean when things are 'vague'.
The various colors are the broadest and most noticable characteristics of a person, so they are easy to latch onto.
But for some, making the character feel 'real' might need more than that. What kind of hair (straight, curly, wavy?) Any particular wrinkles or other marks (particularly around the face; you usually only see mentions of a scar at best)? Shape of the face? Nose? What kind of build does he have (you'll find people defaulting to either Conan or 'average'). And all this is not even begining to get into clothes (which might end up even blander in description).
There are a lot of details that you might not readily think about. But they can have an effect on how 'real' your character seems. If they have a vague description...welll... what if you heard of a suspect on the news only described as a "tall, blonde, strapping fellow"? Could you identify them and call the police?
Going with a nonhuman race...well...it is a cheat for this problem. You can think of dozens of 'tall blonde fellows'....possible counting a dozen just going down the street on a busy day. But with huge horns, of hair made of flames? ...yeah, that only comes up from fantasy works, and those can still be rather limited in representation. If a new report mentions that kind of person is wanted by police, you can be PRETTY SURE that you should call the cops.
Well, even Tiefling vary wildly.
I mean, very wildly.
Yep. Thus, it is easier to realize that they are a blank slate.
Again- caricatures. Humans are a big complicated mess with infinite possibilities... but you might not realize that, and thus constrain yourself.
Humans are just as much blank slates...but it is less obvious for most of us. So we use the crude and broad strokes of deciding how many horns and claws and insect antennas the tiefling has.
It is also easier to remember skin color when it is one of the ones from the regular crayon boxes, instead of those creepy skin colored sets. Which could also connect to some theories of thought and language where people may have trouble distinguishing orange/red/pink because their language just puts it all under 'sunset colors'. I have a weird crook in my nose...but I couldn't name it for the life of me with the proper terms. So again...the weird stuff can be easier, since they are so distinct (goat horns, ram horns, elk horns- they all bring distinct images)
Non-human races also tend to let you get away with more exaggerated characterization, which can be fun. A human who drinks with every meal is sad and tragic. A dwarf who drinks with every meal is your dwarf PC's beloved grandmother, a paragon of dwarvenness and beloved by the whole clan.
Not everything has to be Game of "Take It All Seriously Dammit" Thrones, yo. ;D
Comments that refer to fantasy races as a "crutch" or "lazy" are highly reminiscent of comments that dismiss fantasy—or "genre fiction" in general—as being less "intelligent". I've actually never seen anybody who criticizes other players for playing humans. I have, however, heard a lot of the comments I just mentioned.
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What the hell does an "Average Human" look like?
I think you are over-thinking the term, I mean I believe that most people know what someone means when they say that somebody "looks average" (their individual mental images of "average" undoubtedly differs, but they would have one).
For example, if you were to witness a crime, and the police ask you what the person who committed the crime looked like, and you said to that officer: "he looked average", the officer taking your report would more than likely assume that you meant he was of average height, average weight, average build, etc. The officer would then try to get more specific details from you (e.g. such as his clothing), but he knows what "average" looks like (and would use the term "average" in his report)...
I've played humans, I've played other core races, I've played more unusual races, I've been allowed to play dragons or angels for Rifts or super hero games.
Groups that I have played with varied widely with what races and concepts are allowed, and I have never felt the need to "defend" playing humans or non-humans before.
Focusing more on my past Pathfinder experiences, the groups I have GMed for have all been made with mostly humans with a few core races sprinkled in. This happens even when any oddball races are allowed (so long as they are equivalent in ability to core or PFS races). Everyone is happy. The player that always plays elves gets to play her elven PC, and the player that always plays the human can play his human PC.
My only problem would be with the people trying to play things that should not be available. No, you can't play a time lord unless we are playing a Doctor Who or a supers campaign. No, you can't play a Highlander Immortal in our Pathfinder game. No true vampires unless we are playing a supers or White Wolf game. If you want anything goes, save it for when I run a Rifts or a supers campaign. This can include humans being off the table if the game is set up for nonhuman play (White Wolf game, please play the monster available rather than a common human. Jadeclaw, no Christopher Robins in an anthropomorphic world. If the default of a game means you play an alien or a robot, then play an alien or a robot - not human).
I already spend 150 hours a week roleplaying a human being. That's why I like to make other choices for the part I have control over.
Yeah but no? I mean, we aren't role playing our lives. We're living as humans -- well, most of you are -- and going about our day to day lives. No one is excited to role play as a tiefling or cat person or whatever and go about their day to day grind. Well, ok, some convention attendees might, but other than them no.
I role play to role play something other than a person doing what I do now. Race certainly plays a part in it, but this whole "I am a human already I have to be different or it is too much like real life" is something that just perplexes me.
By that sort of logic, I'd expect that members of the military might hate to have fights in game because they do that in real life (or at least many do.) You eat and drink and walk and look at things in real life, so if you do that does it somehow lose the immersion factor?
Just say you like to play things that are off the wall or strange or furry or fanged or whatever you happen to enjoy. You don't have to qualify it with saying how you don't like to play humans because you are a human. We're all humans -- well, most of you are -- it isn't like someone's going to say "I hate playing a tengu after breaking my beak all week at work as a tengu!"
Well, even Tiefling vary wildly.
I mean, very wildly.
Tieflings and Aasimar come with a handy chart of "Pick your weird features" that makes it a bit easier.
I will have to find images that exemplify the "Average" look, of each Core race.
Still, I have a hard time interacting with a PC, whose player can't tell me the PC's hair/eye/skin color.
I mean, some other PC tries to introduce the PC, and instead of "this tall, blonde strapping fellow", you have "this lump of human-shaped human".
Yeah, I don't get that. No real distinguishing marks, no hair color, no eyes, plain clothing, all that comes across as not caring, at least to me. If you aren't putting any effort into the character, why should I interact with you?
Yeah, I don't get that. No real distinguishing marks, no hair color, no eyes, plain clothing, all that comes across as not caring, at least to me. If you aren't putting any effort into the character, why should I interact with you?I will have to find images that exemplify the "Average" look, of each Core race.
Still, I have a hard time interacting with a PC, whose player can't tell me the PC's hair/eye/skin color.
I mean, some other PC tries to introduce the PC, and instead of "this tall, blonde strapping fellow", you have "this lump of human-shaped human".
Are you discriminating against invisible men?
Are you discriminating against invisible men?Yeah, I don't get that. No real distinguishing marks, no hair color, no eyes, plain clothing, all that comes across as not caring, at least to me. If you aren't putting any effort into the character, why should I interact with you?I will have to find images that exemplify the "Average" look, of each Core race.
Still, I have a hard time interacting with a PC, whose player can't tell me the PC's hair/eye/skin color.
I mean, some other PC tries to introduce the PC, and instead of "this tall, blonde strapping fellow", you have "this lump of human-shaped human".
Yes! Because someone will say "I can see invisible people what do you look like?" And then what?
This is why I made height, weight, hair and eye charts ages ago so people that didn't have any sort of strong feeling one way or the other could roll it out. It helped that most of the group at that time were VERY interested in such things and kept meticulous notes on PCs, NPCs and so on.
Are you discriminating against invisible men?Yeah, I don't get that. No real distinguishing marks, no hair color, no eyes, plain clothing, all that comes across as not caring, at least to me. If you aren't putting any effort into the character, why should I interact with you?I will have to find images that exemplify the "Average" look, of each Core race.
Still, I have a hard time interacting with a PC, whose player can't tell me the PC's hair/eye/skin color.
I mean, some other PC tries to introduce the PC, and instead of "this tall, blonde strapping fellow", you have "this lump of human-shaped human".
Yes! Because someone will say "I can see invisible people what do you look like?" And then what?
This is why I made height, weight, hair and eye charts ages ago so people that didn't have any sort of strong feeling one way or the other could roll it out. It helped that most of the group at that time were VERY interested in such things and kept meticulous notes on PCs, NPCs and so on.
And including bright purple, neon pink, and rainbow on the rolls can at least give them something interesting to write off.
"My mother ate a gnome while she was pregnant. We don't really like to talk about it. "
You can inject as much personality into a human character as you want. My current character is an 18 year old, red-headed drunken pirate princess with 17 brothers, on a quest to find her missing father.
She travels with a pet panther, and adventures in a fancy noble dress (the GM has generously allowed me to incorporate a steel corset into it that functions as a chain shirt for armor).
She alternates between worshipping Besma, Cayden and Irori (as the mood strikes her).
I chose human because I like the flexibility the race has (favored class bonus in all the classes, right?). Also because when i was looking for pictures of red-headed pirate princesses, there were very few non-human images available. :D
She's a blast to play, and it turns out, the most powerful character in the party other than the tweaked half-orc fighter-thug. Hunters do NOT need to be tweaked to be awesome.
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I don't know. This thread seems to me to be veiled racism.
All kidding aside, I've always looked at each historical cultures' imagery of other races with fascination. Real-life attempts from our past to dehumanize foreigners via distorted characterizations almost seems absurd or sophmoric through the modern-day eye. Have you ever looked at the races of PF and thought, "Where in Earth's history have I seen this race depicted?"
Personally I think I look pretty similar to mister average from that image composite. And, although I shouldn't be anymore, I'm still surprised when I am the target of a derogatory racial comment. I have a knack for forgetting that my race is different until somebody else points it out.
Its also intriguing to look at some of the races we can role-play in PF and ask what fictitious historical events made the race I've chosen, become different and to ask why that difference resonates with me. I'd much rather role-play fictitious racism than the real deal.
I'll play every race if I get the chance; there's too much appealing backstory not to. The diversity of racial options can only enhance the role part of role playing, which can also be a great mechanism for learning where the lines blur or vanish between being human or humanoid and/or acting humanely.
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Joon Zang was just your average everyday chinese... person living in a nondescript town that is somewhere on earth, but nowhere that actually exists based on its surprisingly perfect racial equality. Everyone passing through the town only had one comment "what? yeah, yeah I just drove through that place. nothing interesting there in the slightest." Coming this christmas: Deck the halls with guts and slaughter cuz this town is far from the perfect average it portrays. Joon Zang leads the entire town of androgenous beings to asassinate the country of Austria. ONE. UNIQUE. PERSON. At a time. Joon Zang: "Your lack of average disgusts me, but I can also relate." -gunshot-
I'd have to second the thought on the stereotypes, and having to play either with or against them. The game mechanics coming in on it don't help, either. Maybe I *DO* want to play a halfling battlerager who rushes into battle with her earth breaker. Or an elf who isn't exactly the sharpest sword in the hilt (although I've yet to get the hang of playing actual idiots).
Ultimately, humans aren't defined by their race, while a halfling or orc would stand out, with 'aww, cute little orc' or 'RUN! ANGRY HALFLING!' (or vice versa). Even halforcs and halfelves end up on this -- they're most often styled as half human half whatever.
If your race is the most interesting thing abut your character, your character is boring.
But... What if all my feats and traits are race based?
If your race is the most interesting thing abut your character, your character is boring.But... What if all my feats and traits are race based?
Depends on the race. There's a nice argument a few boards over about humans picking up magic tails and fox shape abilities from a kitsune in their Racial Heritage.