Pick and Choose Which Racial Features you Want

[strangebloke]

This is an idea I've had for a while. The premise is simple enough:

1. You use whatever method you like to generate character stats.
2. You pick your race, like normal,
-Each race has a pre-req. AKA, you need 13 DEX to be an elf, and 13 CON to be a dwarf.
-You get no modifiers from your race at all. No ability score improvements, no features.
3. You pick three feats/ASIs at first level.
-You can't improve any one stat by more than 2.
-All racial features are now racial feats. (for example: 'High Elf' is a feat Elves can take that gives them a cantrip and a +1 to INT. Darkvision is a feat that many races can take)

Obviously, there would need to be a lot of balancing work done here before this would actually be playable... although in principle I am fine with making race-exclusive feats to be a little better than the competition

Pros I see to using this system:
-Encourages players to pick a race and subrace because they think it's cool or they like the flavor, not just because "Dang it, I need +1 to INT"
-Avoids silliness like: "I'm a wood elf raised in the city by humans, but somehow I still learned how to hide in the forest perfectly."
-Allows for interesting and unique characters at level 1.
-vHumans are no longer a requirement if you want to have a neat level 1 character.
-If you want to play a simple character, you can skate by with 3 +2 ASIs to your three main stats.

Cons I see to using this system:
-Leads to greater homogenization of builds due to certain OP feats. (SS, GWM, PAM, Crossbow Expert, Magic Initiate, Elven Accuracy) Any implementation of this would need to tweak these feats a bit.
-Less new-player friendly, more "Trap" options.
-Can't play a clutzy elf or an anemic dwarf.
-Unsure of how this impacts the balance of SAD character concepts versus MAD ones.
-It's homebrew, which means you have to convince your players/DM to do this... always a hassle.

TL;DR: Make all racial features optional; allow players to customize/optimize to their heart's content.

Any thoughts or abuses that you can think of? Considering proposing this to my players for my next game.

[8wGremlin]

Have you come across Hyperlanes (Dnd 5e in space)
they have an interesting take on races.

first you pick a Culture and then a Physiology
You culture leads to your mental stats and skills focuses etc
and you Physiology leads to your physical stats etc...

for example:



Sly
Your culture is dedicated to hiding in the shadows,working outside of the light. They can be clannish withintheir own worlds, resorting to in ghting and even assas-sination. Your people work best among other species,operating in the black markets and other unseen crevicesof society.
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score raises by 1.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write the nativelanguage of your people, the common language in thegalaxy, and one additional language of your choice.
Secret Language. Besides their normal spoken and writ-ten language, your species has a secret way of commu-nicating through special organs or subtle twitches. Fewoutside of your species can penetrate this obscure form ofcommunication.
Shadow Culture. You are pro cient in your choice of theDeception, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth skill.


and



Reptilian
Your species is descended from lizards, snakes, turtles, dinosaurs,or other reptiles. You are cold-blooded, slow creatures who calculate their every move to conserve energy. You are protected byscales and possess excellent natural weaponry.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Age. Your species ages at about the same rate that humans do,reaching maturity around 16-18 solar years and living to be justunder a century without advanced medical technology.
Darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as ifit were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. Youcan’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Enhanced Vision. You have advantage on Perception skill rollsrelated to seeing details.
Natural Weaponry. You have either sharp teeth, large claws, or both. Your unarmed attacks deal 1d6 + Strength modifer slashingdamage.
Scaly Armor. You have a covering of scales that protects you,conferring an AC of 13 + your Dexterity modifer when you arenot wearing armor.
Size. You are the shape of a typical humanoid, making you Medium size.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.





It's not the same as your concept, but its a interesting concept that might help spurn some thought.

[bid]

I find it much easier to pick any (sub)race, but allow the racial attributes to go wherever you want. To separate attributes, of course.

Hello, Str+2, Con+1 tiefling.
Hello, Dex+2, Int+2 mountain dwarf.

[strangebloke]

Have you come across Hyperlanes (Dnd 5e in space)
they have an interesting take on races.

first you pick a Culture and then a Physiology
You culture leads to your mental stats and skills focuses etc
and you Physiology leads to your physical stats etc...

for example:

and

It's not the same as your concept, but its a interesting concept that might help spurn some thought.
This would require an incredible amount of work. It's essentiall a setting-speicific re-write of races overall. Interesting, but not what I'm looking for.

I find it much easier to pick any (sub)race, but allow the racial attributes to go wherever you want. To separate attributes, of course.

Hello, Str+2, Con+1 tiefling.
Hello, Dex+2, Int+2 mountain dwarf.
2 things:

First of all, this doesn't let people mix&match racial features, which is what I wanted to achieve. Secondly, this sort of overpowers some race selections. For instance, there aren't many builds that use both the +2 STR and the medium armor that Mountain Dwarves get by default. A race that gives +2 DEX, +2 INT and medium armor is the most optimal Wizard race I can think of.

so that opens up some options, but is also imbalanced.

[JNAProductions]

Only three feels a little restrictive. Might be tempting to go Dwarven Toughness, Tough, +2 Con, though, for ALL THE HP! :P

[strangebloke]

Only three feels a little restrictive. Might be tempting to go Dwarven Toughness, Tough, +2 Con, though, for ALL THE HP! :P
This is exactly the sort of thing that I want to make possible. A character who is functional, but also has a really humorous gimick.

3 is just the approximate number each race gets. High elves get way more, and vhumans and kobolds get less, but they're all pretty close. (Incidentally, pack tactics probably comes with the -2 STR or sunlight sensitivity stapled to it.)

Other fun ideas I've had include a goblin with two of the UA skill feats and the goblin coming action. Basically a rogue without sneak attack right out of the box.

[mephnick]

This might be a good opportunity to actually balance the Half-Elf or literally everyone is taking that as one of their choices if they think about it.

[Easy_Lee]

If I'm reading the OP correctly, I could play an "elf" hexblade and start with Elven Accuracy, Great Weapon Master, and Savage Attacks from Half-orc. Yeah, okay, careful with that, strangebloke.

[strangebloke]

This might be a good opportunity to actually balance the Half-Elf or literally everyone is taking that as one of their choices if they think about it.
Yeah this was sort of my thought. Munchkins will still probably pick races for purely mechanical reasons, but I really want to get away from the "I have to play an elf if I'm playing a ranger" nonsense.


If I'm reading the OP correctly, I could play an "elf" hexblade and start with Elven Accuracy, Great Weapon Master, and Savage Attacks from Half-orc. Yeah, okay, careful with that, strangebloke.
You couldn't grab Savage Attacks since you aren't a half-orc, but I get the drive of your point. My assumption is that all custom races will be better than all of the current races, simply because you'll pick things that help your character.

As to the feats you listed, however, I view that as a general problem with feat balance overall, and not a specific problem with my idea. As I note in the OP, I'd have to do a fair bit of balancing work to make sure that nothing stands out as the clear over-powered option.

Personally, I think I'd make elven accuracy into a full feat and change GWM/SS to scale off of proficiency. I know that some don't like this fix, but I think it is the most minimalist tweak that makes the feats sorta balanced.