Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General The New Human Racial Bonuses

Is it + 2/1 and Polearm Proficiency?

Doesnt it make Humans the worst race choice, even worse than original Human?

Also, why is there no official announcement about this? I had to browse forums/reddit/twitter to find some statements about some people who played the full game at the event.

I think it's going to be similar for all races and to be clear I don't think Larian is forcing these changes...I think this is where Wizards of the Coast is driving the next generation of D&D releasing next year. Race selection will become more or less an aesthetic choice than anything else. You can put a +2 and a +1 into two stats of your choice regardless of race.

Hopefully it's +2/+1, a couple skill proficiencies, and a free feat, for which the shown human chose Polearm Mastery (which also granted polearm proficiencies).

But if the last feature isn't a feat option but is Polearm Proficiency, then yes Human is the worst race choice by far.

Yeah but custom lineage human is +2/1 and a feat!

I like the floating attribute points, but polearm proficieny is a joke.

They're good for classes without martial proficiency especially depending on how good the magic weapons are in game.

Also wolfheart said there are some race restricted magic weapons so there might be some sort of special human only necromancy scythe or something.

All I want is crossbow expert feat for my human ranger so I have good start for my gloom stalker build.

+1

It absolutely is. Most classes that have the strength to use polearms get it through martial weapons proficiency. And it's totally useless for most casters and rogues. Maybe a cleric subclass that gets heavy armour and can pump strength more?

How does that even compete with darkvision, longbow and shortbow, longsword and short sword prof and immunity to sleep. With sub race bonuses on top?

I really hope there's a usable alternative

Polearms are DEX based weapons so the proficiency is a waste if you don't plan to play a class that has high DEX. Now this is fine, every race has always been better geared towards specific builds if you want to optimize. But the sacrifice seems far smaller than it's ever been if you want to pick a race not properly suited for your desired class than ever before. And I think this is what WotC are deliberately aiming at...they want to reduce race to a mostly cosmetic choice with minimal differences that only min-max players will sweat over.

No they are not.

I expect that it's like you suggest, part of the Polearm Mastery Feat which that particular player chose.

I have never opted to play a monk or use polearms as I find both incredibly dull and boring concepts but generally I have seen monks use polearms more than any other class and Monks are a class that primarily depends on DEX and WIS builds. Why would they use strength weapons? So yeah, at the very least polearms are far more commonly used by DEX focused characters. Incredibly awful weapons though...never heard of a barbarian or fighter or any other STR focused class opting to use polearms.

Are you mayhap mixing up polearms and staffs?
Not that I was aware of staffs being DEX weapons ...

Possibly but I can tell you for sure I've never been at a table with a Brabarian or Fighter or any other STR focused class that opted to use a polearm. As far as I can tell polearms are largely dead weapons.

Polearms are one the most used weapons in DnD 5e. Polearm Mastery is one of the best feats a martial class can pick.

In (at least) one of the old editions polearms had a "doughnut" shaped "area of effect" - between 2,5 and 1,5 metres, enemies "in your face" being "safe".
The non-implementation of the "doughnut" made glaives OP in the Temple of Elemental Evil game.

There are no dedicated DEX melee weapons in 5E. Finesse weapons use DEX or STR, whichever is higher. Monks can use DEX on any weapon considered a monk weapon, which includes quarterstaffs.

And polearms are considered the go-to meta build choice for martial classes in 5E.

I have never seen a STR focused build use polearms...ever. Barbarians gravitate towards axes, fighters towards swords, etc. What I have not seen is a STR focused class use polearms.

Really? Even me who is complete DnD noob knows that the most famous powerful STR based melee build wields polearms with polearm master&sentinel combo. Polearms like glaive and halbert.

I have never seen it used by STR builds. So out of curiosity I had to take a bit of time to look it up. Turns out polearms aren't even good enough to be rated in the top 15 weapon types a fighter should use...lol.

Sorry, what? Since when are polearms not popular in 5e?? I don't care about optimal builds, but paladin/fighter/barbarians/hexblades with polearm master, great weapon master and sentiel is objectively an extremely powerful build. Its far better than two-handed sword in everything but damage dices (glaives still have a 1d10), but you actually get a bonus action attack and a reaction for anyone that enters your reach (10ft - which means most enemies can be hit before they even can his you back - combine that with senitel and many won't be even able to hit you on their turn).

And no - no polearm in 5e is a DX weapon.