D&D 5E Hate ASI's ?

[Cap'n Kobold]

The game forces you to go for 20 in your primary stat.

Have to say that this is incorrect.

By simple math it is most rewarding.

Only sometimes.

And that leads to less feats and more of the same characters.

Likewise, haven't seen this happen much at all.

 

[billd91]

The game forces you to go for 20 in your primary stat. By simple math it is most rewarding.

It rewards it, yes. It forces nothing.

And that leads to less feats and more of the same characters.

Not in my experience. The feats in 5e are pretty rewarding in and of themselves. And even if most characters were to end up with a 20 in their primary stat, so what?!? That does little to make the characters all the same, particularly if you're making use of PC backgtrounds, giving out inspiration when they play true to their defined personalities, and giving them plenty of opportunities to differentiate themselves with their behavior.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

GAME: Go on. Do it. Boost your primary attribute to 20.
ME: No game! I don't wanna! I just don't!
GAME: YOU HAVE NO CHOICE MINDZZAAAAAPPPING PAIIIIIIIIN!
ME: NOoooOOOO WHYyyyyyYy yyyyyy

 

[CydKnight]

It seems like the hang up with a 20 Ability Score for some is with what that score represents (the max natural ability score) rather than what it actually does for a character which is no more than add +1 to hit/damage/save/check to what you already had. When you look at it that way, it really adds no more than a 12 ability score starting at 1st level or a 12, 14, 16, or 18 right after taking that level 4 increase.

 

[Simonb1]

Hi all,

It is more useful for spell casters, over number of spells able to be prepared.

Simon

 

[Psikerlord#]

Step 1 - roll your stats.

Step 2 - dont allow stat increases

Step 3 - use feats, or dont. If you do use feats, encourage players to make their own feats (consulting with the GM) for truly unique, cool abilities.

Low Fantasy Gaming rpg does something similar to this.

 

[Li Shenron]

Does anybody else dislike Ability Score Increases? My main problem with ASI's is that so many characters end up with the exact same stats, especially combined with the standard array of scores, and the opportunity to put multiple ASI's into improving one ability. It irks me that every Wizard ends up with 20 Intelligence, and every Barbarian has 20 Strength, or Fighters that always have a 20 in either Strength or Dexterity, etc.

Well I am certainly not a huge fan of increasing the scores... As a player, I find feats a lot more interesting. And I agree that in general ASIs have the tendency of being used to max out the primary attribute, because many players are obsessed with the idea that if they don't do that then they may lag behind... behind what or who exactly, it's all in their mind.

I think your house rules are fine. Probably I would rather forbid the "+2 to same score" option, so that maxing out the primary attribute simply takes twice as long. But I haven't run the game enough into high levels for this to be an issue for us anyway.