How easily can "near-human" characters pass as human?

[Haiiro_okami]

I tend to enjoy playing characters that tend to fall into what I like to call the "near-human" category (those who might be human but carry the traits of something else in their ancestry), e.g. Changelings, half-elves, dhampirs, tieflings, etc. or those who can appear human (e.g. Kitsune) partially because it makes for some interesting roleplaying IMO, and because I tend to enjoy the little extra bits of flavor they might add. Recently joined a campaign while doing a number of firsts for myself (first changeling character, first chaotic good character, first cleric of a good deity...). Now, we were warned going in that this was going to be a very human-centric setting due to a revolt against the ruling elves by the humans and the establishment of a new regime sometime in the relatively recent past (I had essentially figured playing an elf or half-elf would get you a ton of racism from NPCs at BEST) figuring I would be fine since I wasn't an elf or a half-elf, and I was to all appearances (despite the heterochromia) human. Turns out, it was much worse than anticipated...most remaining elves are in "internment camps" (or some other euphemistic language...you get the picture) with an order of Paladins, Clerics, Rangers, and...what we're assuming to be Monks (we don't know much about them but from what we do know they seem to be either Monks or Ninjas) known as the "Purifiers" running the show. Turns out, humanity kinda gave everyone else the choice of "join us or die" during their rebellion against the elves...results varied. Long story short, Nazi jokes were made (and these aren't actually the villains of the campaign thus far, that goes to the necromancer(s) who just wiped out our home village).

So...despite knowing it was going to be a very human-centric campaign setting...we have exactly one ACTUAL human in the party...everyone else is varying shades of "near-human"

Party thus far (may or may not be adding another player or two soon);

Maeve Ravenwood; Changeling Cleric of Cayden Cailean and former proprietor of the village's finest drinking establishment. (myself...I enjoy making several references at the same time with character names...especially if they're "meaningful")

Alaine Gray; Dhampir Bard

Alexei; Skinwalker (Witchwolf) Hunter

Cardan; Suli Paladin (interestingly enough, he has the "Mostly Human" racial trait, is at least an associate of the Purifiers and doesn't actually know he's a non-human...)

Maxim; Human Fighter...our only actual human

Now, by description in the fluff from the assorted entries in the Advanced Race Guide and other assorted materials none of the above are obviously not human (excepting the Skinwalker when he's shapeshifted), though they are certainly a bit odd...So far, the DM has been reasonably kind to us in regards to anyone figuring out we're not human (Dhampir, Skinwalker, and Changeling are all perfectly aware they aren't). AFAIK (going off some alternate racial traits and other odds and ends) it'd require a Disguise check to seem human under RAW. Now, none of us have had to make disguise checks (except for a half-orc druid we picked up whom we didn't realize was a half-orc...long story) despite running into the...less tolerant populace away from our quiet little village so I'm assuming the DM is effectively handwaving things as long as we appear more or less human. Now, considering we're traveling with a caravan guarded by a bunch of Purifiers I can't help but be concerned...especially considering my character's mother is appearing to her in her dreams (if you know anything about PF Changelings...this is concerning) calling her to come to her saying the Purifiers will destroy her... (not keen on trusting a literal baby-eating monster though)

I can't help but wonder, does anyone know if there are any actual rules for this sort of thing or if anyone has general houserulings for this sort of thing? Has anyone else had to deal with a similar setup?

[Kurald Galain]

This is covered by the disguise skill (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/disguise/). Note that several races, such as Kitsune, get large racial bonuses to disguise checks to appear as humans. Half-elves have an racial option for that (Round Ears), and half-orcs have a race trait (Almost Human). Elves do not; those pointy ears must be pretty obvious.

[Haiiro_okami]

This is covered by the disguise skill (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/disguise/). Note that several races, such as Kitsune, get large racial bonuses to disguise checks to appear as humans. Half-elves have an racial option for that (Round Ears), and half-orcs have a race trait (Almost Human). Elves do not; those pointy ears must be pretty obvious.

Oh, I'm aware, it is a -2 penalty to disguise yourself as another race and there are certain features that would logically be more difficult to disguise...that's RAW, but as I interpret the fluff and descriptions of some of the "near-human" it doesn't quite make sense for them to be immediately identifiable as anything other than human.

[Kurald Galain]

Skinwalkers are true shapeshifters can explicitly pass for human, unless you have a magical means of telling them apart. Conversely, changelings and dhampir have an uncanny valley problem - they look mostly human but seem somewhat off in a creepy way; most people will instinctively feel something is wrong, even if they cannot tell you exactly why. This is also why they are commonly outcasts.

Suli fall in the latter group unless they have the "mostly human" option.

[Geddy2112]

Now, none of us have had to make disguise checks (except for a half-orc druid we picked up whom we didn't realize was a half-orc...long story) despite running into the...less tolerant populace away from our quiet little village so I'm assuming the DM is effectively handwaving things as long as we appear more or less human.
From disguise "If you don’t draw any attention to yourself, others do not get to make Perception checks.If you come to the attention of people who are suspicious (such as a guard who is watching commoners walking through a city gate), it can be assumed that such observers are taking 10 on their Perception checks."

Disguise is pretty hard to see through, unless a character is being studied by an NPC, or is impersonating somebody, in which case the ability to disguise yourself becomes very difficult.

For the Skinwalker, they are okay. The changeling and Damphir should have enough charisma that even taking 10 on disguise they can normally wing it. The suli is protected by racial traits and the human is human. The damphir is a bard, so a rank in disguise should cover them fine, although the changeling might want to consider that or magic. Of course, just wearing heavy armor, clothing, helmets, and the like will cover your appearance well enough.

[Haiiro_okami]

Conversely, changelings and dhampir have an uncanny valley problem - they look mostly human but seem somewhat off in a creepy way; most people will instinctively feel something is wrong, even if they cannot tell you exactly why. This is also why they are commonly outcasts.

Suli fall in the latter group unless they have the "mostly human" option.

Huh, to be honest I hadn't quite thought of it in terms of the Uncanny Valley, that actually makes a ton of sense.

[Fizban]

A race which is described as mostly human except for some minor detail, disguising themselves as human, should qualify for the +5 bonus from minor features only. Which after the -2 for cross-race disguising leaves you at +3.

More problematic is that the Disguise skill is written from the perspective of impersonating people specifically, or hiding your identity. A "disguise" that consists only of tucking down your pointy ears leaves you plainly recognizable as yourself, but the skill use is the same as if you went full on. Neither disguise nor spot actually say what happens when someone beats your disguise check, other than that they "see through" or "detect" it. I guess this means they realize that part of your appearance is fake? If that's how it works, then even disguising minor features is ridiculously hard- not that that's all that unrealistic with faux-medieval materials and no training. It does remove the problem of recognizing people after they've polymorphed, you just tell that it's fake, somehow, but for this situation it doesn't really matter since all they'll care about is "not human," or rather "tried to conceal something."

The Pathfinder disguise entry specifically says that most people are taking 10, so depending on your DM's idea of generic guards, you might be fine. As a skill with a serious penalty for failure I'm pretty sure you can't take 10 on it, but nothing says there's a duration so as long as you never intentionally remove your disguise, one good roll should carry you until someone serious detects it. But if your first roll is bad that's it. If the DM's been handwaving, this should probably be translated into the assumption that you all rolled sufficiently high on your disguises.

Hiding the features directly with the old hooded cloak shouldn't even require a disguise check, but obviously won't work when the inquisitors demand you lower the hood.

[Kurald Galain]

A race which is described as mostly human except for some minor detail, disguising themselves as human, should qualify for the +5 bonus from minor features only.
That's not what "minor details only" means.


More problematic is that the Disguise skill is written from the perspective of impersonating people specifically, or hiding your identity.
Not at all; it gives explicit bonuses to the opposed check if you're trying to impersonate someone specifically.


Neither disguise nor spot actually say what happens when someone beats your disguise check, other than that they "see through" or "detect" it.
That's because that's a roleplaying thing. It depends on e.g. how loved or hated your actual race is, or how timid or aggressive this NPC is.

[Haiiro_okami]

Annnnd Word of Mod to the rescue

The bard can bluff her way out of a paper bag so it isn't impossible to just claim to be..."sickly" otherwise she might have been SOL, other than that; the changeling might have to wear a blindfold or something around the Royal Guardsmen or whatever (which is much, much higher level than us poor actually now homeless folks are likely to meet soon) but at bare minimum, as long as the Paladin vouches for us...we should be safe.

That being said, a Hat of Disguise now seems like a very reasonable investment.

[denthor]

In the game I play this came up. DM ruled look human if you act human no problems.

If you are knock-out at zero hit points and some uses the heal skill, -not spells- they have a chance to notice you are not all human. Eyes are able to see in the dark so the react slightly different than normal eyes.

[Haiiro_okami]

In the game I play this came up. DM ruled look human if you act human no problems.

If you are knock-out at zero hit points and some uses the heal skill, -not spells- they have a chance to notice you are not all human. Eyes are able to see in the dark so the react slightly different than normal eyes.

That's actually something I've always wondered...would races that get Darkvision have a Tapetum Lucidum in their eyes resulting in the "Glowing Eyes" you see when you shine a light into a Cat's eyes...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum

[stack]

That's actually something I've always wondered...would races that get Darkvision have a Tapetum Lucidum in their eyes resulting in the "Glowing Eyes" you see when you shine a light into a Cat's eyes...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum
Think that would be more like low light vision. I believe in at least one older version, darkvision was actually two separate abilities, infravision and ultravision. I suspect the were combined to streamline things. I could see all kinds of niche effects and "but I can see x" getting old. "I cast blinding blacklight" or something like that.