- Take the basic Race traits, reduce the ability bonus to +1 in the largest bonus provided, gain subraces in tittle only for role play purposes, and gain a feat of your choice.
Its not perfect and if your comparing to each other they don't seem balanced but if you remember Human variant is 2 ability score choices, 1 skill, and 1 feat I think they are generally better but, so are the current race subclasses and human variant is still the #1 pick. That said they don't have the flexibility of human variant or the strength of bonuses provided by the original subraces, and by limiting them to one attribute +1 they will only get 2 stats at 16 if they pick a feat that provides that. I believe this will mean that the majority of the time these will be flavor choices for when you could really use a feat to make a concept work. At the same time I they are less optimal than the standard human variant or race+subrace options. I wanted to see what this would look like if I applied this rule to the PHB races and this is what I got:
Dragon Born Variant: +1 Strength Draconic Ancestry -Damage Resistance based on your Draconic Ancestry -Breath Weapon based on your Draconic Ancestry Speed 30ft Languages: Common and Draconic Select a one feat of their choice
Dwarf Variant: +1 Constitution 60ft Darkvision Dwarven Resilience (aka Poison resistance advantage on poison saves) Stonecunning (expertise on intellect checks dealing with the origin of stonework) Dwarven Combat Training (proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and Warhammer) Speed 25ft Languages: Common and Dwarvish Select a one feat of their choice You can also claim a dwarf subrace for story reasons.
Elf Variant: +1 Dexterity 60ft Darkvision Keen Senses (proficiency in the Perception skill) Fey Ancestry (advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep) Trance (You don't sleep meditate 4 hours instead) Speed 30ft Languages: Common and Elvish Select a one feat of their choice You can also claim a Elf subrace for story reasons.
Gnome Variant: +1 Intelligence 60ft Darkvision Gnome Cunning (advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic) Speed 25ft Languages: Common and Gnomish Select a one feat of their choice You can also claim a Gnome subrace for story reasons.
Half-Elf Variant: Already exists for more elf features and the normal provides two skill flexibility which is unique and flexible enough to be skilled feat. Not sure an additional Variant for a feat is necessary since they have so mush flexibility with their primary class features and sub-class compared to other races.
Halfling Variant: +1 Dexterity Lucky (When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll) Brave (advantage on saving throws against being frightened) Halfling Nimbleness (You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours) Speed 25ft Languages: Common and Halfling Select a one feat of their choice You can also claim a Gnome subrace for story reasons.
Half Orc Variant: +1 Strength 60ft Darkvision Menacing (intimidation proficiency) Relentless Endurance (fall to 0 hit points and be at 1 instead, once per long rest) Savage Attacks (+1 dice on melee weapon critical) Speed 30ft Languages: Common and Orc Select a one feat of their choice
Tiefling Variant: Like the Half Elf, it already exists and while It might not allow a feat it does feel like with the ability to pick your Infernal Legacy trait (one of which is flight with wings at level 1) that trying to add more flexibility through feats is perhaps redundant. … perhaps not. Let me know.
The lack of inflection in text means that a reader of any post adds their own inflection as they "verbalize" it in their head. I write long and repetitive in an effort to be clear and avoid my intent from being skewed or inverted. I am also bad at examples. It is common for people to skim my posts pull out the idea they think I mean or want to argue against or focus on my bad example instead of the point I am actually trying to make. I apologies for the confusion my failure to be clear and concise creates.
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Trying to make one simple consistent rule.
- Take the basic Race traits, reduce the ability bonus to +1 in the largest bonus provided, gain subraces in tittle only for role play purposes, and gain a feat of your choice.
Its not perfect and if your comparing to each other they don't seem balanced but if you remember Human variant is 2 ability score choices, 1 skill, and 1 feat I think they are generally better but, so are the current race subclasses and human variant is still the #1 pick. That said they don't have the flexibility of human variant or the strength of bonuses provided by the original subraces, and by limiting them to one attribute +1 they will only get 2 stats at 16 if they pick a feat that provides that. I believe this will mean that the majority of the time these will be flavor choices for when you could really use a feat to make a concept work. At the same time I they are less optimal than the standard human variant or race+subrace options. I wanted to see what this would look like if I applied this rule to the PHB races and this is what I got:
Dragon Born Variant:
+1 Strength
Draconic Ancestry
-Damage Resistance based on your Draconic Ancestry
-Breath Weapon based on your Draconic Ancestry
Speed 30ft
Languages: Common and Draconic
Select a one feat of their choice
Dwarf Variant:
+1 Constitution
60ft Darkvision
Dwarven Resilience (aka Poison resistance advantage on poison saves)
Stonecunning (expertise on intellect checks dealing with the origin of stonework)
Dwarven Combat Training (proficiency with the battleaxe, handaxe, light hammer, and Warhammer)
Speed 25ft
Languages: Common and Dwarvish
Select a one feat of their choice
You can also claim a dwarf subrace for story reasons.
Elf Variant:
+1 Dexterity
60ft Darkvision
Keen Senses (proficiency in the Perception skill)
Fey Ancestry (advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep)
Trance (You don't sleep meditate 4 hours instead)
Speed 30ft
Languages: Common and Elvish
Select a one feat of their choice
You can also claim a Elf subrace for story reasons.
Gnome Variant:
+1 Intelligence
60ft Darkvision
Gnome Cunning (advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic)
Speed 25ft
Languages: Common and Gnomish
Select a one feat of their choice
You can also claim a Gnome subrace for story reasons.
Half-Elf Variant: Already exists for more elf features and the normal provides two skill flexibility which is unique and flexible enough to be skilled feat. Not sure an additional Variant for a feat is necessary since they have so mush flexibility with their primary class features and sub-class compared to other races.
Halfling Variant:
+1 Dexterity
Lucky (When you roll a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll)
Brave (advantage on saving throws against being frightened)
Halfling Nimbleness (You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours)
Speed 25ft
Languages: Common and Halfling
Select a one feat of their choice
You can also claim a Gnome subrace for story reasons.
Half Orc Variant:
+1 Strength
60ft Darkvision
Menacing (intimidation proficiency)
Relentless Endurance (fall to 0 hit points and be at 1 instead, once per long rest)
Savage Attacks (+1 dice on melee weapon critical)
Speed 30ft
Languages: Common and Orc
Select a one feat of their choice
Tiefling Variant: Like the Half Elf, it already exists and while It might not allow a feat it does feel like with the ability to pick your Infernal Legacy trait (one of which is flight with wings at level 1) that trying to add more flexibility through feats is perhaps redundant. … perhaps not. Let me know.
The lack of inflection in text means that a reader of any post adds their own inflection as they "verbalize" it in their head. I write long and repetitive in an effort to be clear and avoid my intent from being skewed or inverted. I am also bad at examples. It is common for people to skim my posts pull out the idea they think I mean or want to argue against or focus on my bad example instead of the point I am actually trying to make. I apologies for the confusion my failure to be clear and concise creates.