D&D 5E Variant Half-Elves?

[Xeviat]

Hi everyone. The current variant rules for Half-Elves to differentiate their elven ancestry are kinda bad:

Half-Elf Variants
Some half-elves in Faerûn have a racial trait in place of the Skill Versatility trait. If your DM allows it, your half-elf character can forgo Skill Versatility and instead take the elf trait Keen Senses or a trait based on your elf parentage ...

So give up 2 skills for one skill ... Oops.

Has anyone done this differently in their games?

I was thinking of taking away the +1 to 2 stats and skill versatility in return for other things. But, I worry that the skill versatility is the part that makes them feel half-human. Getting rid of the +2 charisma (worth a feat) could pay for other abilities, but this might not be balanced since most classes don't require high charisma.

Thoughts?

 

[Psyzhran2357]

They've acknowledged that the option of replacing Skill Versatility with Keen Senses was a mistake. On D&DBeyond, they've outright removed that option, with only the Elf parentage options left.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yes, simply ignoring it is the best solution. The other variant options are quite well balanced against two skills, and you can do a keen sensed half elf with the standard version.

The idea that half elves are more charismatic than either parent goes back to third edition. It was deliberately added to make half elves feel like their own thing - once you take away class restrictions the 1st and 2nd edition half elves felt indistinguishable from humans, and therefore pointless.

 

[Horwath]

Yes, simply ignoring it is the best solution. The other variant options are quite well balanced against two skills, and you can do a keen sensed half elf with the standard version.

The idea that half elves are more charismatic than either parent goes back to third edition. It was deliberately added to make half elves feel like their own thing - once you take away class restrictions the 1st and 2nd edition half elves felt indistinguishable from humans, and therefore pointless.

I always found that wierd.

Race that is more often than not shunned by both parent races gets a bonus to charisma?

I've moved H-elf abilities to +1 dex, +1 to any three abilities(can raise dex to +2 to be full elf in that regard). Proficiency in perception and one other skill.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I always found that wierd.

Race that is more often than not shunned by both parent races gets a bonus to charisma?

I've moved H-elf abilities to +1 dex, +1 to any three abilities(can raise dex to +2 to be full elf in that regard). Proficiency in perception and one other skill.

Charisma is a measure of force of character, not popularity.

That struggle to be accepted is why half elves tend to be charismatic - it's character building.

However, you could also explain it genetically - lion/tiger hybrids are often larger than either parent.

As for your version, what's the point? May as well make the character a variant human.

 

[Mycroft]

It seems half-elves should get +1 to Dex (base elven heritage), and +1 to two or three other scores (human action).

 

[Xeviat]

It seems half-elves should get +1 to Dex (base elven heritage), and +1 to two or three other scores (human action).

I support them being a little more unique, but yeah the +2 Charisma kinda feels weird (the +2 Con from 4E felt really weird).

 

[WaterRabbit]

I'm of the mind half-elves and half-orcs should just be human variants to begin with instead of their own race.

 

[Aldarc]

I support them being a little more unique, but yeah the +2 Charisma kinda feels weird (the +2 Con from 4E felt really weird).

And Muls received a +2 Strength. The point is that sometimes when you hybridize "genetic" materials, it sometimes shuts down some genetic expressions and opens others in ways that would be unexpected when looking at the respective genetic donors.

However, I also think that it reflects that many of the Numenoreans and Dunedain (who inspired half-elves) had a sort of "divine blood" that inspired others.

 

[Mycroft]

I support them being a little more unique, but yeah the +2 Charisma kinda feels weird (the +2 Con from 4E felt really weird).

Could play with your elven parentage giving you a set modifier (+1 Cha, drow, etc), +1 Dex, and one or two other +1 increases.