For this to work, the cultural aspects need be removed from the racial blocks, and put instead in a cultural block, and the new dynamic needs to be completely supported from the get go.
I do not feel that this is simply a change for the sake of change. If this is done, I feel that there is a tremendous potential for the creation and streamlining of worthwhile content. I have seen this attempted in 4ed with varying degrees of success.
Backgrounds, I believe, were introduced in the 4ed Forgotten Realms Players Guide. It added interesting cultural benefits to the characters, but it was did not make a large enough impact on the game.
Themes were introduced in the 4ed Dark Sun Campaign Setting. It expanded the potential cultural impact on the game, but came into conflict with previously establised backgrounds. What I saw, was two different sets of mechanics that were trying to represent culture.
What I am suggesting is the consolidation of the two, with some additional things thrown in. Race would control those aspects of the character that are effectively genetic. Culture would control the aspects the the character that come about from interacting with a culture, for example, growing up in one.
A unified Cultural mechanic could be used to help define campaing settings (cormyr), and could be used as a prerequiste for culturally important prestiege classes (purple dragon knight). Because cultures are not limited to over arching social conditioning, it could also be used to explain, and allow access to subcultures.
Below, I list some examples of how I would divide race and culture, with some emphasis on aspects that I feel could be expanded upon.
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Races
DWARF
Average Height: 4´3˝–4´9˝
Average Weight: 160–220 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Con, +2 Wis
Size: Medium
Speed: 25ft. (5 squares)
Vision: Low-light
Dwarven Resilience: You can use your second wind as a minor action instead of a standard action.
Encumbered Speed: You move at your normal speed even when it would normally be reduced by armor or a heavy load. Other effects that limit speed (such as difficult terrain or magical effects) affect you normally.
Stand Your Ground: When an effect forces you to move—through a pull, a push, or a slide—you can move 1 square less than the effect specifies. This means an effect that normally pulls, pushes, or slides a target 1 square does not force you to move unless you want to.
In addition, when an attack would knock you prone, you can immediately make a saving throw to avoid falling prone.
ELADRIN
Average Height: 5´5˝–6´1˝
Average Weight: 130–180 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Int
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Vision: Low-light
Fey Origin: Your ancestors were native to the Feywild, so you are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Fey Step: Once per encounter you can use the fey step power.
ELF
Average Height: 5´ 4˝–6´ 0˝
Average Weight: 130–170 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Wis
Size: Medium
Speed: 35 ft. (7 squares)
Vision: Low-light
Fey Origin: Your ancestors were native to the Feywild, so you are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Elven Accuracy: Once per encounter you can use the elven accuracy power.
HUMAN
Average Height: 5´ 6˝–6´ 2˝
Average Weight: 135–220 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 to one ability score of your choice
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Vision: Normal
Bonus Feat: You gain a bonus feat at 1st level. You must meet the feat’s prerequisites.
Bonus Skill: You gain training in one additional skill from your class skill list.
Human Defense Bonuses: +1 to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will defenses.
HALF-ELF
Average Height: 5´ 5˝–6´ 2˝
Average Weight: 130–190 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Con, +2 Cha
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Vision: Low-light
Dual Heritage: You can take feats that have either elf or human as a prerequisite (as well as those specifically for half-elves), as long as you meet any other requirements.
Multicultural: During Character Creation, you may choose 2 cultures to start with as opposed to 1.
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Cultures
Gold Dwarf
Languages: Common, Dwarven
Bonus Languages: Giant, Elven, Goblin,
Skill Bonuses: +2 Dungeoneering, +2 Endurance
Gold Dwarf Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the hand axe and the battleaxe.
Gold Dwarf Pride: If you are reduced to 0 hit points or fewer and return to consciousness in the same encounter, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and attack rolls until the end of the encounter.
Moon Elf
Languages: Common, Elven
Bonus Languages: Draconic, Goblin, Giant
Skill Bonuses: +2 Diplomacy, +2 Insight
Group Diplomacy: You grant allies within 50 ft. (10 squares) of you a +1 cultural bonus to Diplomacy checks.
Moon Elf Resilience: Once per encounter, you may use a healing surge as a free action, when you are bloodied and no allies are within 25 ft. (5 squares) of you.
Sun Elf
Languages: Common, Elven
Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Dwarven
Skill Bonuses: +2 Arcana, +2 History
Sun Elf Education: You gain training in one additional skill from your class list.
Sun Elf Weapon Proficiency: You gain proficiency with the longsword.
Trance: Rather than sleep, you enter a meditative state known as trance. You need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from taking a 6-hour extended rest. While in a trance, you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.
Sun Elf Grace: +1 cultural bonus to all defenses until the first time you’ve become bloodied in an encounter. You can’t gain this benefit even if you are healed later in the fight
Noble
Languages: Common, choice of one other
Bonus Languages: to be filled in
Skill Bonuses: +2 Diplomacy, +2 History
Cultural Bonuses
Slave
Languages: Common, choice of one other
Bonus Languages: to be filled in
Skill Bonuses: +2 Insight, +2 Endurance
Cultural Bonuses
Guild Thief
Languages: Common, Thieves Cant (Secret Language)
Bonus Languages: to be filled in
Skill Bonuses: +2 Streetwise, +2 Stealth
Cultural Bonuses
Coven Member
Languages: Common, Druidic (Secret Language)
Bonus Languages: to be filled in
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 History
Cultural Bonuses
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Feat
Multicultural
Benefit: Choose a culture, you gain all the benefits that the culture grants. You are considered a part of that culture and qualify for any classes, feats, powers, spells, discount programs that require that culture.
Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each time, choose a different culture.
