Human (2024) Guide 5e
Published on December 3, 2024, Last modified on December 5th, 2024
Zuzanna Wuzyk - Wizards of the Coast - Human
Looking for the legacy version of this article based on the 2014 rules? Click here.
What is this guide?
This guide is meant to give you an idea of whether or not the human (2024) will be right for your 5e character build.
The color code below has been implemented to help you identify, at a glance, how good that option will be for your human (2024). This color coding isn’t a hard and fast rule; there are plenty of sub-optimized options out there that will be viable to your party and will be fun to play.
- Red : Isn’t going to contribute to the effectiveness of your character build at all
- Orange : Situationally good, but a below-average option otherwise
- Green : A good option
- Blue : A great option, you should strongly consider this option for your character
- Sky Blue: An amazing option. If you do not take this option your character would not be optimized
Table of Contents
Humans in the 2024 Player’s Handbook
The most adaptable race Dungeons & Dragons returns with exciting updates in the 2024 Player’s Handbook!
Humans now embrace a more flexible, personalized approach to character creation, leaning into their resourcefulness, skillfulness, and adaptability to fit nearly any role. Though the days of static ASI assignments from your race are gone (those are now tied to your background) and the ever-popular Variant Human subrace, the Human race still provides tons of value. Let’s take a closer look at what makes the new Human a powerhouse choice for adventurers.
What are Human (2024) in 5e?
Source: 2024 Player's Handbook
According to D&D Beyond’s 2023 Unrolled, Humans are the most popular race in Dungeons & Dragons, known for their adaptability, diversity, and determination. They come from all walks of life, ranging from noble knights to streetwise rogues, and their cultures span the breadth of every known land. And good news, if you’re reading this, you are most likely a human, and therefore, you know what a human is!
Humans are known to be the youngest of the races, and one commonly sees them walking the streets of any given town or community. They also have the shortest life span of the common races, which could explain why humans tend to be hard workers, innovators, and conquerors.
One thing that separates humans from other races is the sheer diversity in their ranks. From appearance, cultures, customs, and institutions, every group of humans you may meet in your travels will be notably different.
In a world filled with fantastical creatures, humans stand out as generalists, excelling in their ability to grow, adapt, and persevere. Their innate ingenuity, familiarity, and drive make them a popular choice for players looking to maximize customization and versatility in their builds.
Human (2024) 5e Traits
Size: You can choose to be Medium or Small. Medium is the typical size of most races, and is neither good nor bad. Small creatures average out at 2-3 feet tall, but being a Small creature has had its negatives smoothed out in the 2024 Player’s Handbook. The upside is you get to use Medium creatures as mounts. The downside is you have have a reduced Carrying Capacity. Small character races no longer have a decreased Speed or Disadvantage wielding Heavy weapons, which is a decently big buff in the 2024 Player’s Handbook.
Resourceful: You gain Heroic Inspiration whenever you finish a Long Rest. This is an incredible ability because it gaurentees at least one re-roll per day. In the 2024 Player’s Handbook, Heroic Inspiration (previously just referred to as Inspiration) only allowed you to gain Advantage on an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. Now, spending your Heroic Inspiration allows you to re-roll one dice of your choice. This could be a damage die to attempt to fell a bad guy or a Bardic Inspiration die, whatever you want! You can also see the result of the roll before spending Heroic Inspiration, unlike the 2014 version where you had to declare before you rolled.
Skillful: Gain proficiency in one skill of your choice. This extra skill is always valuable, letting you round out your toolkit and pick something thematically relevant to your character. The top picks in D&D are usually Persuasion, Perception, or Stealth because of how often they are used.
Versatile: You gain an Origin feat of your choice. The recommended starting feat is Skilled, but you can select any Origin feat that aligns with your playstyle or party needs. This feature is perfect for tailoring your character right from level 1 because, thanks to your background which grants you an Origin feat, you’ll get to pick two Origin feats to start off with. We cover which Origin feats are best for which class below.
Sources Used in This Guide
- : 2014 Player's Handbook
- 2024 PHB: 2024 Player's Handbook
- BR: Basic Rules
- GotG: Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants
- SotDQ: Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen
- ERLW: Eberron: Rising from the Last War
- EEPC: Elemental Evil Player’s Companion
- EGtW: Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount
- FToD: Fizban's Treasury of Dragon
- GGtR: Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica
- MotM: Monsters of the Multiverse
- MToF: Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
- MOoT: Mythic Odyessys of Theros
- PAitM: Planescape: Adventures in the Multiverse
- PHB: Player's Handbook
- SAiS: Spelljammer: Adventures in Space
- SCoC: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos
- SCAG: Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide
- TCoE: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
- TTP: The Tortle Package
- WBtW: The Wild Beyond The Witchlight
- : Unearthed Arcana
- VRGtR: Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft
- VGtM: Volo's Guide to Monsters
- XGtE: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything