Psionic Dog
2011-04-09, 02:47 PM
As many have noticed 'Human' is a generic race in almost every setting with rather generic abilities. I'm sure someone somewhere has managed to create a non-generic 'Human race', but I can't think of any for 3.5 off the top of my head. Also, there aren't enough LA0 races with a charisma bonus. So when inspiration struck I typed this up. Comments appreciated.
Fluffy Stuff
Humans are the decedents of pioneers, conquers, refugees and others who put down roots and stuck. Further, they are one of the few races other than dragons known to produce fertile hybrids with other races. As a result many humans carry thin bloodlines of other races giving rice to an unsurpassed variety in human appearance.
Some attribute the spread of human culture to their rapid breeding, but that is only a small part of the truth. After all, goblins and kobolds breed even faster. No, the primary reason for human spread is their stamina in travel, environmental resilience to establish a foot hold, and their tendency to then alter their local environment to their own profit. Their reproduction rates and stubborn tendency to stand 'their' ground and fight merely makes it difficult for others, objecting to human land usage, to pry them off.
Personality: Humans are a flexible, ambitious, and dramatic people that burn through their shortish lives with vibrant energy. As a race they tend to value entertainment and creative ways to make quick profit, and are prone to cultural mood swings ranging from curious exploration to xenophobic isolationism.
Physical Appearance: Humans typically stand 5-6 ft tall and weigh 120-240 lbs, with men noticeably taller than their women. Even 'pure' blooded humans have skin tones of nearly any shade from pale to red to black with hair ranging from blond to black, with most men bearing facial hair as well. In communities where the linage of other races run the varriety can be even more extreme.
Relations: Most humans mingle happily with others as ambassadors, merchants and otherwise, and they are generally regarded as favorable acquaintances. Still, any anyone wishing to visit the humans would be wise to check up on the current culture in advance as the expected welcome can shift greatly in as little as a single generation for longer lived races.
Alignment: Humans tend to be idealists with a slight tendency away from true neutral. Humans can be found at everything from community pacifists to bloodthirsty fanatic cultists with most subconsciously seeking to leave a legacy that will outlast their short lives.
Human Lands: Human lands can be found in any climate with a slight tendency to the moderately-harsh areas where humans can put down roots uncontested by other sentient races, although they soon grow and push towards local greener pastures. Mature human cultures are usually in full flux with dynamic politics and the land itself shaped to best support/profit the local humans.
Languages: Human cultures are often fragmented and might be found speaking any language although most speak some dialect of Trade/Common.
Adventures: Humans take up adventuring for a variety of reasons ranging from the simple passion of living up life, to the abstract of support for sum idealistic cause, or for the more pragmatic reason like making a name for themselves or settling new land as their own. While classic Bards and Fighters are the greatest staple of human adventures, enough dragon heratiges exist to make sorcerers also plentiful. Many humans take up wise traditions such as the ranger and paladin with ideological passion making up for subpar wisdom. Other dramatic classes like the dashing rogue and rampaging barbarian also having their places. It's only the learned professions like wizard and monk that few short lived humans find the time or interest to study to completion.
Crunch Stuff:
Human
+2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom. Humans are passionate with a flare for dramatics even if they can be a bit short sighted and prone to self deception.
Medium Sized
Human Base Speed is 30 feet.
Adrenalin Rush: Once per day humans may gain a +2 racial bonus to Strength and Constitution as they put forth a desperate effort. This lasts for 5 rounds.
+2 racial bonus to saves vs Domination or Death effects. Humans may be easily persuaded but they are independent spirits who refuse to give up life without a fight.
Bonus Feat: Endurance. Humans are stubborn, hardy folk who can be found to live in almost any environment no matter how unpleasant.
At 1st level humans may name any one skill a permanent class skill. Humans are natural hobbyists who almost always know something completely unrelated to their day-to-day occupation.
+2 racial bonus to any one Profession or Perform skill. Humans instinctively learn ways to either profit from the environment or to pretend life was better.
Automatic Language: Common. Bonus: Any. Humans mingle with ever sort and can learn any non-secret language.
Favored class: Bard or Fighter. A multiclass humans fighter or bard class levels do not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. Humans are almost as fond of fighting as they are of debate and theatrics.
Other Races:
Replace Half-Orc stats with +2Str, -2Int -2Wis. Half-Orcs also gain the Adrenalin Rush racial feature.
Fluffy Stuff
Humans are the decedents of pioneers, conquers, refugees and others who put down roots and stuck. Further, they are one of the few races other than dragons known to produce fertile hybrids with other races. As a result many humans carry thin bloodlines of other races giving rice to an unsurpassed variety in human appearance.
Some attribute the spread of human culture to their rapid breeding, but that is only a small part of the truth. After all, goblins and kobolds breed even faster. No, the primary reason for human spread is their stamina in travel, environmental resilience to establish a foot hold, and their tendency to then alter their local environment to their own profit. Their reproduction rates and stubborn tendency to stand 'their' ground and fight merely makes it difficult for others, objecting to human land usage, to pry them off.
Personality: Humans are a flexible, ambitious, and dramatic people that burn through their shortish lives with vibrant energy. As a race they tend to value entertainment and creative ways to make quick profit, and are prone to cultural mood swings ranging from curious exploration to xenophobic isolationism.
Physical Appearance: Humans typically stand 5-6 ft tall and weigh 120-240 lbs, with men noticeably taller than their women. Even 'pure' blooded humans have skin tones of nearly any shade from pale to red to black with hair ranging from blond to black, with most men bearing facial hair as well. In communities where the linage of other races run the varriety can be even more extreme.
Relations: Most humans mingle happily with others as ambassadors, merchants and otherwise, and they are generally regarded as favorable acquaintances. Still, any anyone wishing to visit the humans would be wise to check up on the current culture in advance as the expected welcome can shift greatly in as little as a single generation for longer lived races.
Alignment: Humans tend to be idealists with a slight tendency away from true neutral. Humans can be found at everything from community pacifists to bloodthirsty fanatic cultists with most subconsciously seeking to leave a legacy that will outlast their short lives.
Human Lands: Human lands can be found in any climate with a slight tendency to the moderately-harsh areas where humans can put down roots uncontested by other sentient races, although they soon grow and push towards local greener pastures. Mature human cultures are usually in full flux with dynamic politics and the land itself shaped to best support/profit the local humans.
Languages: Human cultures are often fragmented and might be found speaking any language although most speak some dialect of Trade/Common.
Adventures: Humans take up adventuring for a variety of reasons ranging from the simple passion of living up life, to the abstract of support for sum idealistic cause, or for the more pragmatic reason like making a name for themselves or settling new land as their own. While classic Bards and Fighters are the greatest staple of human adventures, enough dragon heratiges exist to make sorcerers also plentiful. Many humans take up wise traditions such as the ranger and paladin with ideological passion making up for subpar wisdom. Other dramatic classes like the dashing rogue and rampaging barbarian also having their places. It's only the learned professions like wizard and monk that few short lived humans find the time or interest to study to completion.
Crunch Stuff:
Human
+2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom. Humans are passionate with a flare for dramatics even if they can be a bit short sighted and prone to self deception.
Medium Sized
Human Base Speed is 30 feet.
Adrenalin Rush: Once per day humans may gain a +2 racial bonus to Strength and Constitution as they put forth a desperate effort. This lasts for 5 rounds.
+2 racial bonus to saves vs Domination or Death effects. Humans may be easily persuaded but they are independent spirits who refuse to give up life without a fight.
Bonus Feat: Endurance. Humans are stubborn, hardy folk who can be found to live in almost any environment no matter how unpleasant.
At 1st level humans may name any one skill a permanent class skill. Humans are natural hobbyists who almost always know something completely unrelated to their day-to-day occupation.
+2 racial bonus to any one Profession or Perform skill. Humans instinctively learn ways to either profit from the environment or to pretend life was better.
Automatic Language: Common. Bonus: Any. Humans mingle with ever sort and can learn any non-secret language.
Favored class: Bard or Fighter. A multiclass humans fighter or bard class levels do not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. Humans are almost as fond of fighting as they are of debate and theatrics.
Other Races:
Replace Half-Orc stats with +2Str, -2Int -2Wis. Half-Orcs also gain the Adrenalin Rush racial feature.