Speculation

[Angelalex242]

It is evidently NOT the case that standard NPCs of a race do not get the racial perks PCs do.

So...how would the world change if they did? If every single NPC in the world had the racial abilities PCs got?

For added fun, normal humans have been booted out, and all humans are variant humans with feats and an extra skill.

Does that mean every shopkeeper might have Observant to keep theft down? They just might, if they're human...

[CheddarChampion]

I don't know where you got that idea...
In the monster manual there's some writing about adding on racial abilities to make one of the humanoid npc's another version for another race.
Other creatures have similar abilities to pc races (orcs & aggressive, kobolds & pack tactics) but others don't (goblins & fury of the small, hobgoblins & saving face).

That said human shopkeepers would take Wis +1, Cha +1, proficiency with perception/insight/persuasion.
Half Orc guards could guarantee it takes at least 2 hits to go down.
Humans would often take magic initiate for utility spells (if they qualified).
Don't start a fistfight with any race that gets natural attacks.
Tortles are very tough to actually hit.
Races with powerful build excel at physical labor.

[Rukelnikov]

It is evidently NOT the case that standard NPCs of a race do not get the racial perks PCs do.

So...how would the world change if they did? If every single NPC in the world had the racial abilities PCs got?

For added fun, normal humans have been booted out, and all humans are variant humans with feats and an extra skill.

Does that mean every shopkeeper might have Observant to keep theft down? They just might, if they're human...

I basically dod that.

In the setting I made for my 5e adventures, the PCs started in a region where the most common race is Aasimar, like 85% population are Aasimars.

It was fun how "casual" damage was something so trivial for this ppl. Every single person can heal 1 pt of damage a day. Cut my finger, I'll heal myself. A rock fell on Timmy!! Onlookers go to the rescue healing him (as long as he didnt die :P). Adventurers begging free heals were not uncommon either.

On the same vein, all my moon elves are capable of casting some cantrip, forest gnomes can cast minor illusion, hobbits are brave and stealthy. Removing those takes the identity out of the race.

[Angelalex242]

Well, if every member of a species got their racial abilities, and all humans were vumans…

Then humans rule the military world due to all their armed forces having the relevant feat for their unit type.

If all your cavalry has mounted combat, all your crossbowmen have crossbow expert, all your archers have sharpshooter, all your pikemen have polearm master...the list goes on.

They have whole friggin units of soldiers with the relevant feat to be good at it. Ultimately, that's probably gonna win the day most of the time.

[Kane0]

I basically dod that.

In the setting I made for my 5e adventures, the PCs started in a region where the most common race is Aasimar, like 85% population are Aasimars.

It was fun how "casual" damage was something so trivial for this ppl. Every single person can heal 1 pt of damage a day. Cut my finger, I'll heal myself. A rock fell on Timmy!! Onlookers go to the rescue healing him (as long as he didnt die :P). Adventurers begging free heals were not uncommon either.


The hi-five healing house!

[Particle_Man]

Well, if every member of a species got their racial abilities, and all humans were vumans…

Then humans rule the military world due to all their armed forces having the relevant feat for their unit type.

If all your cavalry has mounted combat, all your crossbowmen have crossbow expert, all your archers have sharpshooter, all your pikemen have polearm master...the list goes on.

They have whole friggin units of soldiers with the relevant feat to be good at it. Ultimately, that's probably gonna win the day most of the time.

Wherever he is now, I think that Gary Gygax would approve of this human domination.

[solidork]

After annihilating a bunch of Gnolls with Fireball, I pointed out that doing the same thing against a bunch of Half Orcs (who would all survive with 1 HP) would be much more annoying.

There was also a point where we took advantage of a gnome NPC being able to cast Minor Illusion to show us what a building we were looking for looked like instead of just describing it to us.

[Naanomi]

Dragonborn would be brutal... breath Weapon is often underwhelming on an adventurer, but when every farmer and shopkeeper can turn it on you... I wouldn’t want to be a grunt soldier invading Dragonborn territory

[Angelalex242]

Dragonborn would be brutal... breath Weapon is often underwhelming on an adventurer, but when every farmer and shopkeeper can turn it on you... I wouldn’t want to be a grunt soldier invading Dragonborn territory

Smart dragonborn territory would also include environment to match their type. Silver and White Dragonborn should be living in really cold areas (and they can ignore the cold), Red and Gold Dragonborn live in volcanic areas, Brass Dragonborn live in the middle of a desert, Green Dragonborn are basically like dwarves, except they prefer forests, Copper and Black Dragonborn may have unique places to live where their acid resistance is what makes life possible there, and I'm not quite sure what to do with blue and bronze dragonborn, as electricity doesn't tend to be a passive thing. Unless there's a 'mountain of endless lightning' somewhere.