Better regular human

[Trask]

Does anyone have an idea for a better version of the regular human? I dont use feats and my players have complained a bit (and I think rightly) that the regular human is kind of bad in comparison.
I was thinking about tossing them an extra skill prof like half elves get, but I dont think thats enough.

Has anyone else worked on this? I was thinking maybe a 1/day power or a flat 10% bonus to all xp gains.

[Innocent_bystan]

Does anyone have an idea for a better version of the regular human? I dont use feats and my players have complained a bit (and I think rightly) that the regular human is kind of bad in comparison.
I was thinking about tossing them an extra skill prof like half elves get, but I dont think thats enough.

Has anyone else worked on this? I was thinking maybe a 1/day power or a flat 10% bonus to all xp gains.

Do you allow Point Buy? Humans get royally scr*wed over with the Standard Array, but with Point Buy those 6 extra stat points make a real difference.

If an upcoming campaign I'll be playing in, Humans are the only ones that can use Point Buy and/or the Spell Point Variant Rule. They're not really more powerful, but they're versatile on a whole new level (especially for spellcasters). Interest has never been higher.

[Honest Tiefling]

Consider the following:
+1 to three different scores
+2 skill
+1 expertise

I'm not exactly sure if that is exact right ratio for those abilities, but without the UA feats, it is hard to get expertise for non-rogue/bard characters. Another option would be to chose a general feat and slap it on as opposed to letting them have a selection. Lucky benefits a lot of builds, and could be altered or refluffed to be that humans have a vast array of experiences to draw upon to figure out how to get out of tight scrapes.

[Khrysaes]

There are some variant humans in one of the Plane Shift supplements. I think it s Zandikar.

Nope it is innistrad. You could use these as subraces or options instead of the variant human.

They aren't that balanced, but you could use them as guidlines.

For one, the Normal Human type that gets +1 to all stats, doesn't get a bonus skill.

Then the "Forest" type gets way more/better features than any of the other ones, although one of them gets 4 skills or tools, rather than 1.


Personally I would give All humans a +1 to any stat,

Then do subraces of humans, perhaps based on region, that gives a +1/+1 to two predetermined stats. This puts the human's stats inline with most other races with a +3 total, and at most a +1/+2. Mountain dwarf and Half elf get a +4 total, but they are strong.

Then Give all humans +1 skill of their choice, then maybe regional subraces have a specialty, gaining +1 predetermined skill. This gives the humans +2 skills total, which is comparable to many races, including half elf.

Then give the subraces some unique mechanic or advantage each. Some special ability or bonus that would be in line with the theme of the subrace.

For example:

The Imaskri, were a people that were force underground by the Mulanders until the spell plague when Abier, and Toril re combined. They lived in the under dark in Deep Imaskar and developed Darkvision and specialized in the Arcane, so perhaps give them Arcana as a skill, and a cantrip much like the high elf.

Or, The Illumians: These humans have a ring of luminous magical symbols constantly floating around their head, shedding of a bit of light. They can surpress the symbols, but lose the benefits that they gain when they do. One or Two of Six specific symbols are more prominent than the others, and confer a bonus for each one individually, and in combination.

Aesh (vigor): bonus on Strength checks and Strength-based skill checks.
Hoon (life): bonus on Wisdom checks, Constitution checks and Wisdom- or Constitution-based skill checks.
Krau (magic): bonus to caster level for all spells and spell-like abilities (up to a maximim value equal to the illumian's character level.
Naen (mind): bonus on Intelligence checks and Intelligence-based skill checks.
Uur (grace): bonus on Dexterity checks and Dexterity-based skill checks.
Vaul (soul): bonus on Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks.

I am not going to list the combinations, either look them up or come up with them on your own, there are a lot of possible combinations with any two of the six here. And of course these could influence the +1 to two stats that this human race gets, and their predetermined skill.

as a couple examples, for more you could come up with some based on the available racial feats from the 3.5 forgotten realms settings, or the other human subtypes in 3.5

This has a pretty good but not exhaustive list of races from 3.5 that may give you some ideas.
http://chet.kindredcircle.org/pdf/DnD3.5Index-Races.pdf

[Troacctid]

There are some variant humans in one of the Plane Shift supplements. I think it s Zandikar.

Nope it is innistrad. You could use these as subraces or options instead of the variant human.

They aren't that balanced, but you could use them as guidlines.

For one, the Normal Human type that gets +1 to all stats, doesn't get a bonus skill.

Then the "Forest" type gets way more/better features than any of the other ones, although one of them gets 4 skills or tools, rather than 1.
You realize they're just the same variant human from the PHB, but with pre-selected bonus feats, right?

[Khrysaes]

You realize they're just the same variant human from the PHB, but with pre-selected bonus feats, right?

Oh man... they are... That is.. well I mean it would still fit what he wants I guess.

What feat Kessig, with the dash and spring attack?. The breath of knowledge one is skilled with the human bonus skill being able to be a tool as well.

[Kane0]

+1 to three/four stats of your choice
+1 Skill proficiency
Expertise in one skill of choice
+1 Tool proficiency
+1 Language proficiency

Alternatively +1 to three/four stats and the benefit of that human feat from UA. Once per short rest they can choose to gain advantage on one check, save or attack.

[Citan]

Does anyone have an idea for a better version of the regular human? I dont use feats and my players have complained a bit (and I think rightly) that the regular human is kind of bad in comparison.
I was thinking about tossing them an extra skill prof like half elves get, but I dont think thats enough.

Has anyone else worked on this? I was thinking maybe a 1/day power or a flat 10% bonus to all xp gains.
Hi!
As someone else said, if you are allowing point-buy or stat rolls normal human is very fine as it is. Its original bonus distribution makes it somewhat a niche, but when that happens it shines brightly (example: some MAD multiclass or rolled stats with 3+ odd stats being >=15).

Otherwise I would suggest something like:
a) +2 in any two stats, one language
a) +1 in any three stats, one extra skill, two extra languages.

Or go as far as determining "subraces" in which the base gets +1 in two stats then subraces get either some 1/day spell or cantrip, or extra skills, or extra stats.

I'd suggest gathering more information from your players pertaining the cases in which they feel normal human is lackluster before starting putting some heavy time into designing an homebrew.

Good luck! ;)

[zazq]

The PHB Standard +1 All Stats Human with Standard 27 Point Point Buy can start off with:
16 16 14 12 10 09.

A Mountain Dwarf with Standard 27 Point Point Buy can start off with:
16 16 14 12 10 08 Darkvision:60, Adv:Poison, Res:Poison, Prof:Battleaxe, Handaxe, Throwing Hammer, Warhammer, Light Med Armor.

and that's totally worth -1 charisma.

Any other race (that gets +2/+1) with Standard 27 Point Point Buy can start off with:
16 16 14 10 10 08 and a pile of traits.

and if you really need a +1 mod in your 4th highest stat, then you must be MAD.

So that's the 'real' human trait, "+1 mod to your 4th highest stat" and that's crap compared to darkvision. if you actually want people to play humans, give them +2 to a stat, +1 to all others.

THEN THEY CAN START OFF WITH: 16 16 16 10 10 09, and that's human supremacy that.

[Draz74]

Give them three ability scores +1, a bonus skill, and the ability to give themselves advantage on one d20 roll per short rest.

(This is the same as using the Variant Human, but restricting the feat choice to the Human-specific feat, Human Determination, from UA.)

EDIT: I see Kane0 already suggested nearly the same thing 20 minutes ago ...

[Trask]

Give them three ability scores +1, a bonus skill, and the ability to give themselves advantage on one d20 roll per short rest.

(This is the same as using the Variant Human, but restricting the feat choice to the Human-specific feat, Human Determination, from UA.)

EDIT: I see Kane0 already suggested nearly the same thing 20 minutes ago ...


+1 to three/four stats of your choice
+1 Skill proficiency
Expertise in one skill of choice
+1 Tool proficiency
+1 Language proficiency

Alternatively +1 to three/four stats and the benefit of that human feat from UA. Once per short rest they can choose to gain advantage on one check, save or attack.

This sounds like a good solution. Thanks.
I still will consider the bonus XP for humans because it just sort of appeals to me somehow...but I can present both options to my players and let them choose which one they want. Thanks.