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5 e Race Analysis Creation Guide

This document provides a framework for creating balanced 5e D&D player races. It analyzes racial features from the PHB and assigns them point values. The goal is for all races to have a power score between 4.5-8 points. New races are created using a step-by-step process that involves choosing ability score increases, features worth certain point values, and filling out a race template. A list of common racial traits is provided along with assigned point costs to help gauge race power levels. Feedback is welcomed to improve the system.

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pedro_alamancha
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
361 views

5 e Race Analysis Creation Guide

This document provides a framework for creating balanced 5e D&D player races. It analyzes racial features from the PHB and assigns them point values. The goal is for all races to have a power score between 4.5-8 points. New races are created using a step-by-step process that involves choosing ability score increases, features worth certain point values, and filling out a race template. A list of common racial traits is provided along with assigned point costs to help gauge race power levels. Feedback is welcomed to improve the system.

Uploaded by

pedro_alamancha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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5eBasicRaceFeatureAnalysis

Createdby/u/JamesMusicus

Ihaveawebsitenow:
http://zappyman2.wix.com/musicushomebrew

NewInfohere:

AlreadyhaveafewDemonracesintheCatalogue,willtryandroundoutthelistforRageof
Demons.Letmeknowifyouhaveanyrequests.
DarkSunRulesetUpdatesincetheElementalEvilPlayersCompanionmadepartsoftheoriginal
obsolete.
LinkHere.
IveanalyzedthenewElementalEvilPlayerssupplement.
Linkhere.
IanalyzedthenewracesfromtheUnearthedArcanaarticleforEberron.
Linkhere.
Feedback
Included.

ThePremiseofthiswholeprojectisthatallplayerracesshouldberelativelysimilarinpowertoeach
other(butnotexactlyequal),andthatonecanuseasingleabilitypointasameasuringstickforhow
powerfulvariousracialtraitsare.1Musicuspoint=+1toany1abilityscore.

PHBRaces
BaseRace(Score)=totalscore Subtype(Subscore)
Dwarf(+5)=7.58

Hill(+2.5),Mountain(+3)

Elf(+4.5)=77.5

High(+2.5),Wood(+2.5),Dark(+3)

Halfling(+2.5)=44.5

Lightfoot(+2),Stout(+1.5)

Human=6

VariantHuman=2.5+X

Dragonborn=4.5

Gnome(+3.5)=5.5

Forest(+2),Rock(+2)

HalfElf=6.5

HalfOrc=5.5

Tiefling=5.5

Asyoucansee,allracestendtobecloseto5.5or6points(averageis5.6forallsubracesand5.9foreach
raceasawhole).Iwoulduse5.5or6asthebasicracefeaturepowerpoolanddeviateslightlyfromthere.

HelpfulpeoplearegettingtheirownpageattheendofthisDoc.

Ifanyonehasanyideasformakingamorecohesiveandusableguide,pleasemessage/u/JamesMusicus
onReddit.

ExampleRaces:
RaceCatalogue

StepbyStepRaceCreation:
1. ConsulttheDMGpages285287onCreatingaRace
2. DecideonatargetScore
a. Rangingfrom4(Kobolds)to8(Dwarves).56isrecommended.
3. AssignaPrimaryAbilityScore
a. Thisscoregets+2
4. DecideonSecondaryAbilityScoresforSubraces
a. Thesescoresget+1
b. Ifaracehasnosubraces,simplyassigna+1totheirSecondaryScore
5. Decideonfeatures
a. SelectfeaturesfromtheTableorlistbeloworwriteyourownandassignvaluestothem.
Thisprocessshouldworklikeapointbuysystemusingthecostslisted.Allcostsare
weighedagainstabilityscoreimprovements.
b. Racesget2languagesforfree:Common,andoneotherthatisracespecific.
c. Ifthetotalscore(Traits+AbilityScores)isnearyourtarget,youvedoneeverything
right!
6. Usingthe
RaceTemplate
,writeafullracedocument
7. EnjoytheGame!
*Reminder:
Thisdocumentdoesnot
perfectly
balanceeverything,ascloseasItriedtomakeit.Tweak
thingsasneededortosuityourgroup.

RacialTraitList
ThislistoftraitscovershowIwouldscoretheincludedtraits.Itisverypossibleyou
dontagreewithme,soIencourageyoutoignorethelistedvaluesifyoufeeltheneedto.
[12]AbilityScoreIncrease.
Your_______scoreincreasesby[1or2].
[.52]ArmorTraining.
Youhaveproficiencywith___armor.
[.5]Brave.
Youhaveadvantageonsavingthrowsagainstbeingfrightened.
[1]BreathWeapon.
Youcanuseyouractiontoexhaledestructiveenergy.Thisproducesa__foot[coneorline]
dealing_____damage.
Whenyouuseyourbreathweapon,eachcreatureintheareaoftheexhalationmustmakea_____savingthrow.The
DCforthissavingthrowequals8+yourConstitutionmodifier+yourproficiencybonus.Acreaturetakes2d6
damageonafailedsave,andhalfasmuchdamageonasuccessfulone.Thedamageincreasesto3d6at6thlevel,
4d6at11thlevel,and5d6at16thlevel.
Afteryouuseyourbreathweapon,youcantuseitagainuntilyoucompleteashortorlongrest.
[.5]Cantrip.
Youknow[onecantripofyourchoicefromthe_____spelllist]/[the_____cantrip].______isyour
spellcastingabilityforit.
[2]Cunning.
YouhaveadvantageonallIntelligence,Wisdom,andCharismasavingthrowsagainstmagic.
[.5]Darkvision.
Youhavesuperiorvisionindarkanddimconditions.Youcanseeindimlightwithin60feetof
youasifitwerebrightlight,andindarknessasifitweredimlight.Youcantdiscerncolorindarkness,onlyshades
ofgray.
[1+1]Damage[Immunity/Resistance/Vulnerability].
Youhave__________to______damage.
[.5]ExtraLanguage.
Youcanspeak,read,andwrite_______[oneextralanguageofyourchoice].
[.5/5ft.]ExtraMovement
.Yourbasewalkingspeedincreasesto__feet.
[?]Feat.
Yougainonefeatofyourchoice.
[.5]FeyAncestry.
Youhaveadvantageonsavingthrowsagainstbeingcharmedandmagiccantputyoutosleep.
[11.5]InnateMagic.
Youknowthe_____cantrip.Whenyoureach3rdlevel,youcancastthe_____spellonce
perday.Whenyoureach5thlevel,youcanalsocastthe_____spellonceperday._______isyourspellcasting
abilityforthesespells.
[0]Languages.
Youcanspeak,read,andwriteCommonand______.
[1]LivingConstruct.
Eventhoughyouwereconstructed,youarealivingcreature.Youareimmunetodisease.
Youdonotneedtoeatorbreathe,butyoucaningestfoodanddrinkifyouwish.Insteadofsleeping,youenteran
inactivestatefor4hourseachday.Youdonotdreaminthisstateyouarefullyawareofyoursurroundingsand
noticeapproachingenemiesandothereventsasnormal.
[.5]Lucky.
Whenyourolla1onanattackroll,abilitycheck,orsavingthrow,youcanrerollthedieandmustuse
thenewroll.
[.52]NaturalArmor.
Youhaveanaturalarmorbonusof+__.Whenunarmored,yourACisequalto10+your
naturalarmorbonus+yourdexteritymodifier.
[1]NaturallyStealthy.
Youcanattempttohideevenwhenyouareobscuredonlybyacreaturethatisatleastone
sizelargerthanyou.
[.51]NaturalWeapon.
Youareproficientwithyourunarmedstrikes,whichdeal1dX____damageonahit.
[.5]Nimble.
Youcanmovethroughthespaceofanycreaturethatisofasizelargerthanyours.
[.5]PoisonResilience.
Youhaveadvantageonsavingthrowsagainstpoison,andyouhaveresistanceagainstpoison
damage.
[1]RelentlessEndurance.
Whenyouarereducedto0hitpointsbutnotkilledoutright,youcandropto1hitpoint
instead.Youcantusethisfeatureagainuntilyoufinishalongrest.
[.5]SavageAttacks.
Whenyouscoreacriticalhitwithameleeweaponattack,youcanrolloneoftheweapons
damagediceoneadditionaltimeandaddittotheextradamageofthecriticalhit.

[.5]Skills.
Youhaveproficiencyinthe_____skill.
[.5]SpeakwithSmallBeasts.
Throughsoundsandgestures,youcancommunicatesimpleideaswithSmallor
smallerbeasts.
[+/X]Speed.
Yourbasewalkingspeedis30feet.(includespecialnotesaboutmovementhere)
[.5]Stonecunning.
WheneveryoumakeanIntelligence(History)checkrelatedtotheoriginofstonework,youare
consideredproficientintheHistoryskillandadddoubleyourproficiencybonustothecheck,insteadofyournormal
proficiencybonus.
Subrace.
Twomainsubracesof_____populatetheworldsofD&D:______and______.Chooseoneofthese
subraces.
[.5]SuperiorDarkvision.
Yourdarkvisionhasaradiusof120feet.
[.5]SunlightSensitivity.
YouhavedisadvantageonattackrollsandonWisdom(Perception)checksthatrelyon
sightwhenyou,thetargetofyourattack,orwhateveryouaretryingtoperceiveisindirectsunlight.
[.5]ToolProficiency.
Yougainproficiencywiththe____toolsofyourchoice:_____.
[1.5]Toughness.
Yourhitpointmaximumincreasesby1,anditincreasesby1everytimeyougainalevel.
[.5]Trance.
Youdontneedtosleep.Instead,youmeditatedeeply,remainingsemiconscious,for4hoursaday.
(TheCommonwordforsuchmeditationistrance.)Whilemeditating,youcandreamafterafashionsuchdreams
areactuallymentalexercisesthathavebecomereflexivethroughyearsofpractice.Afterrestinginthisway,you
gainthesamebenefitthatahumandoesfrom8hoursofsleep.
[01]WeaponFamiliarity.
Youconsiderthe_______[racialweapons]martialweaponsinsteadofexoticweapons.
[.5]WeaponTraining.
Youhaveproficiencywiththe________[weapons].
[X1]Wings.
Youhaveaflyingspeedof__feet.
Youmustbeinaspacewideenoughtoaccommodateyourwingspantofly.Yourwingspanisequalto
twiceyourheight.
[.5per5ftpastthefirst5ft.]
Youcannotflyifyouarewearingarmoryouarenotproficientin,armornottailoredtoaccommodateyour
wings,orabackpacknotspeciallytailoredtoyourwings.
[1]CanNotHover.
Youfalltothegroundattheendofyourturnunlessyoumoveatleasthalfyourfly
speedduringyourturn.
[1.52]HigherAbilityScores.
Your_______scoreincreasesby[1,2,3,or4].
(TheCostofthistraitis1.5forthefirstextrapointabovebaseline,and2forthesecondextrapoint.Soa
racewith+2/+1wouldbeworth3pointsasnormal.+2/+1/+1wouldbeworth4.5,+2/+1/+1/+1would
beworth6,aswould+3/+2,+2/+2/+1wouldbeworth6.5,aswould+4/+1.Aracewithonly+3inone
abilityscorewouldbeworth3.5.)

ExampleRaceFeaturesbyPointCost
2

Tiny
Wings

1Vulnerability
Small
5ftmovement
Disadvantagetoattackwithheavy
weapons

0.5

.5

5feetmovement

1AbilityScorePoint
12+DexNaturalArmor
+15burrowspeed
AdvantageonStrongSaves(Dex/Con/Wis)
BreathWeapon
ChangeanActiontoaBonusAction
LivingConstruct
NaturallyStealthy
NaturalWeapon(1d6)
RelentlessEndurance

1HPperLVL
InnateCasting(cantrip,2spells)

1.5
1levelofArmorProficiency
Light
Medium
Shield
Heavy
1DamageResistance
1SkillProficiency
1Toolproficiency
4WeaponProficiencies
+5feetwalkingspeed
+10feetswimspeed
11+DexNaturalArmor
1Cantrip
1[levelappropriate]spell,1/longrest
Advantageonweaksaves(Str/Int/Cha)
Anythingallowingawarenesswhileasleep
and/orshorteningsleep.
Brave
Darkvision60
Darkvision120&SunlightSensitivity
DoubleProficiencyonlimitedchecks
ExtraLanguage
FeyAncestry
Nimble
Lucky
MaskoftheWild
NaturalWeapon(1d4)
SavageAttacks
SpeakwithBeasts/plants
Stonecunning
PoisonResilience
Tinker

2
2AbilityScorePoints
13+DexNaturalArmor
GnomeCunning
Variant
1Feat[24]
BonusMinimumAC(.5for12,1.5for14,3
for16.)
Flying
(WingsUpdatefinished)
InnateCasting
NaturalArmor
NaturalWeapons
WeaponFamiliarity[01]

5ePHBRaceBreakdown,revisited.
Dwarf+4.5(Score:77.5)

2Constitution=2
5ftmovement=.5
Notslowedbyheavyarmor=.5
Darkvision60=.5
DwarvenResilience=.5
weaponproficiencies=.5
toolproficiency=.5
Stonecunning=.5
HillDwarf+2.5
1Wisdom=1
+1HPperlevel=1.5
MountainDwarf+3
2Strength=2
LightandMediumarmor=1
DwarvenResilience=.5
Adv.v.Poisonsaves,PoisonDamageresist.
Stonecunning=.5
WheneveryoumakeanIntelligence(History)checkrelatedtotheoriginofstonework,youare
consideredproficientintheHistoryskillandadddoubleyourproficiencybonustothecheck,
insteadofyournormalproficiencybonus.

Elf+4.5(Score:77.5)

2Dexterity=2
Darkvision60=.5
PerceptionProficiency=.5
FeyAncestry=.5
trance=.5
HighElf+2.5
1Intelligence=1
WeaponProficiencies=.5
Cantrip=.5
Language=.5
WoodElf+2.5
1Wisdom=1
WeaponProficiencies=.5
+5ftmovement=.5
MaskoftheWild=.5
DarkElf+3

1Charisma=1
Darkvision+60/sunlightsensitivity=0
DrowMagic=1.5
WeaponProficiencies=.5

FeyAncestry=.5
Adv.v.Charmandmagiccantputyoutosleep
MaskoftheWild=.5
Description.
DrowMagic=1.5
Charisma,Dancinglights.Lvl3:FaerieFire1/day.Lvl5:Darkness1/day.

Halfling+2.5(Score:4.5)

2Dexterity=2
Small=1
Lucky=.5
Adv.v.Frighten=.5
Movethroughanymediumcreaturessquares=.5
Lightfoot+2
1Charisma=1
NaturallyStealthy=1
Stout+2
1Constitution=1
PoisonResilience=.5
Lucky=.5
Whenyourolla1onanattackroll,abilitycheck,orsavingthrow,youcanrerollthedieandmust
usethenewroll.
HalflingNimbleness=.5
Youcanmovethroughthespaceofanycreaturethatisofasizelargerthanyours.

NaturallyStealthy=1
Youcanattempttohideevenwhenyouareobscuredonlybyacreaturethatisatleastonesize
largerthanyou.

Human(Score:6)

1toallAbilityscores=6

Human[Variant](Score:2.5+)

1to2Abilityscores=2
1SkillProficiency=.5
1Feat=Varies

Dragonborn(Score:4.5)

2Strength=2

1Charisma=1
BreathWeapon=1
DamageResistance=.5
DraconicAncestry=0
DraconicAncestry=0
ColorandDamagetype

Gnome+3.5(Score:5.5)

2Intelligence=2
Small=1
Darkvision60=.5
Adv.Int,Wis,Chav.Magic=2
Forest+2
1Dexterity=1
MinorIllusion=.5
SpeakwithSmallBeasts=.5
Rock+2
1Constitution=1
ArtificersLore=.5
Tinker=.5
ArtificersLore=.5
WheneveryoumakeanIntelligence(History)checkrelatedtomagicitems,alchemicalobjects,or
technologicaldevices,youcanaddtwiceyourproficiencybonus,insteadofanyproficiency
bonusyounormallyapply.

HalfElf(Score:6)
2Charisma=2
1to2Abilityscores=2
Darkvision60=.5
2SkillProficiencies=1
FeyAncestry=.5
FeyAncestry=.5
Adv.v.Charmandmagiccantputyoutosleep

HalfOrc(Score:5.5)
2Strength=2
1Constitution=1
Darkvision60=.5
IntimidationProficiency=.5
RelentlessEndurance=1
ExtraCritDamageDie=.5
RelentlessEndurance=1

Whenyouarereducedto0hitpointsbutnotkilledoutright,youcandropto1hitpointinstead.
Youcantusethisfeatureagainuntilyoufinishalongrest.

Tiefling(Score:5.5)
2Charisma=2
1Intelligence=1
Darkvision60=.5
FireResistance=.5
InfernalLegacy=1.5
InfernalLegacy=1.5
Charisma,Thaumaturgy.Lvl3:HellishRebukeII1/day.Lvl5:Darkness1/day.

Contributors
PrimaryContributors:

JamesMusicus
Aranim

OtherContributors:

/u/jow253
/u/Morgajel.

RondenMarr
by
/u/Morgajel
utilizedthisguide.

Contact/u/JamesmusicusonRedditifImissedyourname.Ineglectedtokeepalistofhelpfulpeoples,
andwouldlovetoproperlycreditthosethathelpedalongtheway.Thisprojectwouldnthavebeenthe
samewithoutthecrowdsourcedQAandideasIvereceivedfromthecommunity!

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