zeek0
2016-01-02, 08:03 AM
Why does an elf who was raised by halflings have elvish weapon proficiency? Is a half-elf who was raised by a half-orc tribe more terrifying in combat?
After some of my own ideas and reading this post by Angry DM (http://theangrygm.com/why-race-isnt-broken/), I decided to split biology and culture for my players - to be used if their character was not raised by their birth culture.
I tried to differentiate between traits that are biology, passed down, or gods-given abilities; and cultural abilities. Basically, splitting race and ethnicity.
Here is the end result. Players might choose one from each column:
Biology
Cultural Upbringing
Dwarf
+2 Con
Darkvision
Dwarven Resilience
Stonecunning
Armor doesn't slow you
25 movement speed
Dwarven Mountain Clanhold
+2 Str
Dwarven Armor Training
Tool Proficiency (brewer, smith, artisan)
Dwarven Combat Training
Language: Dwarven
Dwarven Hill Tribe
+1 Wis
Dwarven Toughness
Dwarven Combat Training
Language: Dwarven
Elf
+2 Dex
Darkvision
Keen Senses
Fey Ancestry
Trance
High Elven Enclave
+1 Int
Cantrip
Extra Langage
Elvish Weapon Training
Language: Elvish
Elven Forest Enclave
+1 Wis
Fleet of Foot
Mask of the Wild
Elven Weapon Training
Language: Elvish
Drow Underdark
+1 Cha
Darkvision (or Superior Darkvision)
Drow Magic
Drow Weapon Training
Sunlight Sesitivity
Language: Elvish
If Drow are raised outside of the Underdark they have neither Sunlight Sensitivity nor Superior Darkvision.
Halfling
+2 Dex
Lucky
Brave
Halfling Nimbleness
Small
25 Move Speed
Stout Farmland
+1 Con
Stout Resilience
Language: Halfling
Urban
+1 Cha
Naturally Stealthy
Language: Halfling
Human
+1 to two ablity scores
1 Skill Proficiency
Urban
1 Feat
This is culture feature is only available to Humans.
Dragonborn
As listed in PHB. Dragonborn are immutable; they gain no traits from being raised in a different culture.
Dragonborn do not raise outsiders in their culture.
Gnome
+2 Int
Darkvision
Gnome Cunning
Small
25 Move Speed
Hidden Gnomish Conclave
+1 Dex
Illusionist
Speak with Small Beasts
Language: Gnomish
Urban Tinker
+1 Con
Artificer's Lore
Tinker
Language: Gnomish
Half-Elf
+1 to 2 Ability Scores
Skill Versatility
Darkvision
Fey Ancestry
Urban
+2 Cha
Extra Language
Half-Orc
+1 Con
+1 St
Darkvision
Relentless Endurance
Half-Orc Tribe
+1 Str
Menacing
Savage Attacks
Language: Orcish
Tiefling
+1 Int
Darkvision
Hellish Resistance
Infernal Legacy
Language: Infernal
Urban
+2 Cha
Extra Language
Not every character would be described by this table, and can be tinkered with as needed. But if your player wants to play Spinney, the gnomish barbarian raised by the fearsome half-orc tribes of the Dardrekr Mountains, then I think that Spinney should be a bit stronger than the average gnome.
I took a look at it using this resource (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/2j6xbo/5e_guide_to_homebrewing_races/), and while it causes more fluctuations in balance, nothing is obnoxiously terrible.
Let me know what works/what doesn't, and what you think!
After some of my own ideas and reading this post by Angry DM (http://theangrygm.com/why-race-isnt-broken/), I decided to split biology and culture for my players - to be used if their character was not raised by their birth culture.
I tried to differentiate between traits that are biology, passed down, or gods-given abilities; and cultural abilities. Basically, splitting race and ethnicity.
Here is the end result. Players might choose one from each column:
Biology
Cultural Upbringing
Dwarf
+2 Con
Darkvision
Dwarven Resilience
Stonecunning
Armor doesn't slow you
25 movement speed
Dwarven Mountain Clanhold
+2 Str
Dwarven Armor Training
Tool Proficiency (brewer, smith, artisan)
Dwarven Combat Training
Language: Dwarven
Dwarven Hill Tribe
+1 Wis
Dwarven Toughness
Dwarven Combat Training
Language: Dwarven
Elf
+2 Dex
Darkvision
Keen Senses
Fey Ancestry
Trance
High Elven Enclave
+1 Int
Cantrip
Extra Langage
Elvish Weapon Training
Language: Elvish
Elven Forest Enclave
+1 Wis
Fleet of Foot
Mask of the Wild
Elven Weapon Training
Language: Elvish
Drow Underdark
+1 Cha
Darkvision (or Superior Darkvision)
Drow Magic
Drow Weapon Training
Sunlight Sesitivity
Language: Elvish
If Drow are raised outside of the Underdark they have neither Sunlight Sensitivity nor Superior Darkvision.
Halfling
+2 Dex
Lucky
Brave
Halfling Nimbleness
Small
25 Move Speed
Stout Farmland
+1 Con
Stout Resilience
Language: Halfling
Urban
+1 Cha
Naturally Stealthy
Language: Halfling
Human
+1 to two ablity scores
1 Skill Proficiency
Urban
1 Feat
This is culture feature is only available to Humans.
Dragonborn
As listed in PHB. Dragonborn are immutable; they gain no traits from being raised in a different culture.
Dragonborn do not raise outsiders in their culture.
Gnome
+2 Int
Darkvision
Gnome Cunning
Small
25 Move Speed
Hidden Gnomish Conclave
+1 Dex
Illusionist
Speak with Small Beasts
Language: Gnomish
Urban Tinker
+1 Con
Artificer's Lore
Tinker
Language: Gnomish
Half-Elf
+1 to 2 Ability Scores
Skill Versatility
Darkvision
Fey Ancestry
Urban
+2 Cha
Extra Language
Half-Orc
+1 Con
+1 St
Darkvision
Relentless Endurance
Half-Orc Tribe
+1 Str
Menacing
Savage Attacks
Language: Orcish
Tiefling
+1 Int
Darkvision
Hellish Resistance
Infernal Legacy
Language: Infernal
Urban
+2 Cha
Extra Language
Not every character would be described by this table, and can be tinkered with as needed. But if your player wants to play Spinney, the gnomish barbarian raised by the fearsome half-orc tribes of the Dardrekr Mountains, then I think that Spinney should be a bit stronger than the average gnome.
I took a look at it using this resource (https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/2j6xbo/5e_guide_to_homebrewing_races/), and while it causes more fluctuations in balance, nothing is obnoxiously terrible.
Let me know what works/what doesn't, and what you think!