Human

Humans are the most common race in the world. They build up empires and kingdoms, sweeping up the other races as they rush forward. Whatever drives them, Humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers.

A Broad Spectrum

With their penchant for migration and conquest, Humans are more physically diverse than other common⁠ races. There is no typical human. An individual can stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds. Human skin shades range from nearly black to very pale, and hair colors from black to blond (curly, kinky, or straight males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. A lot of Humans have a dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood⁠ in their late teens and rarely live even a single century.

Variety in All Things

Humans are the most adaptable and ambitious people among the common⁠ races. They have widely varying tastes, morals, and customs in the many different lands where they have settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves traditions with origins far beyond the reach of any single human’s memory. They live fully in the present—making them well suited to the Adventuring life—but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, Humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics.

How They View Other Races

Just as readily as they mix with each other, Humans mingle with members of other races. They get along with almost everyone, though they might not be close to many. Humans serve as ambassadors, diplomats, magistrates, merchants, and functionaries of all kinds.
Dwarves. “They’re stout folk, stalwart Friends, and true to their word. Their greed for gold is their downfall, though.”
Elves. “It’s best not to wander into elven woods. They don’t like intruders, and you’ll as likely be bewitched as peppered with arrows⁠. Still, if an elf can get past that damned racial pride and actually treat you like an equal, you can learn a lot from them.”
Halflings. “It’s hard to beat a meal in a Halfling home, as long as you don’t crack your head on the ceiling—good food and good stories in front of a nice, warm fire. If halflings⁠ had a shred of Ambition, they might really amount to something.”

Lasting Institutions

Where a single elf or dwarf might take on the responsibility of guarding a special⁠ location or a powerful Secret, Humans found sacred orders and institutions for such purposes. While dwarf clans and halfling⁠ elders pass on the ancient traditions to each new generation, human temples, governments, libraries, and codes of law fix their traditions in the bedrock of History. Humans dream of immortality, but (except for those few who seek undeath or divine ascension to escape death’s clutches) they achieve it by ensuring that they will be remembered when they are gone.
Although some Humans can be xenophobic, in general, their societies are inclusive. Human lands welcome large numbers of nonhumans compared to the proportion of Humans who live in nonhuman lands.

Exemplars of Ambition

Humans who seek adventure are the most daring and ambitious members of a daring and ambitious race. They seek to earn glory in the eyes of their fellows by amassing power, Wealth, and fame. More than other people, Humans champion⁠ causes rather than territories or groups.

Human Traits

It’s hard to make generalizations about Humans, but your human character has these Traits.
Ability Score Increase. Two different Ability Scores of your choice increase by 1.
Skills. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.
Feat. You gain one feat of your choice.
Age. Humans reach adulthood⁠ in their late teens and live less than a century.
Size. Humans vary widely in height and build, from barely 5 feet to well over 6 feet tall. Regardless of your position in that range, your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one extra language of your choice. Humans typically learn the Languages of other peoples they deal with, including obscure dialects. They are fond of sprinkling their speech⁠ with words borrowed from other tongues: Orc curses, Elvish musical expressions, Dwarvish Military phrases, and so on.

Party limit: no limit
Ability Score Increase: +1 to 2 Ability Scores