Specialization in 5E: Proposed House Rule

[canucksaram]

Revised version, after some playtesting:

For each level your character has, you may allot 1 Customization Point.

Customization Points may be spent to buy certain bonuses for your character, subject to GM approval:

​

• 
  [*=1]add +1 to a specific implementation of a skill (i.e., “skill specialization”)
  [*=1]add +1 to hit with a specific weapon or spell
  [*=1]add +1 damage with a specific weapon or spell
  [*=1]add +1 to the DC of a specific maneuver or spell
  [*=1]maximum bonus is equal to half your proficiency bonus (minimum 1)
  [*=1]cost is 1:1 for skill specialties (e.g., a +1 to Arcana: Elemental Lore would cost 1 Customization Point; a +2 to Perception: Secret Doors would cost 2 Customization Points).
  [*=1]cost is exponential for (a) to hit bonus, (b) damage bonus, (c) spell or maneuver DC increase (e.g., a +1 to hit with longswords costs 1 Customization Point; a +2 or +3 bonus to hit would cost a total of 4 points and 9 Customization Points, respectively).

​

Original version:

For each level your character has, you may allot 1 Specialization Point.

A Specialization Point may be spent like so (these are just a few examples; confer with your GM to suss things out completely):
​

• 
  [*=2]add +1 to a specific implementation of a skill (i.e., “skill specialization”)
  [*=2]add +1 to hit with a specific weapon or spell
  [*=2]add +1 damage with a specific weapon or spell
  [*=2]add +1 to the DC of a specific maneuver or spell
  [*=2]add +1 to a specific implementation of a skill, hit bonus, damage bonus, DC, maneuver, or other ability, as subject to GM approval

Note: a +1 bonus costs 1 Specialization Point; to increase that same +1 bonus to a +2 bonus costs a further 4 specialization points (5 total); to bump a +2 bonus to a +3 bonus costs an additional 9 specialization points (14 total). It is most effective to spread out your specialization points among a wide variety of skills.​

 

[bedir than]

I think at each level is a bit too frequent, but that may be alright with the exponential increase in costs. That's a steep curve. I miss weapon specialization.

 

[dracomilan]

I kind of like it.
I do not know if I would put 'increase the DC' on par with 'get a +1 bonus on damage', anyway.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Note: a +1 bonus costs 1 Specialization Point; to increase that same +1 bonus to a +2 bonus costs a further 4 specialization points (5 total); to bump a +2 bonus to a +3 bonus costs an additional 9 specialization points (14 total). It is most effective to spread out your specialization points among a wide variety of skills.

It's most effective if you throw everything into one weapon or spell, and never use anything else. The guy who only ever uses a longbow will end up with +3 to hit, and the fact that the other guy has +1 with daggers and short swords and javelins is all irrelevant because you can only attack with a single weapon at a time.

If you give someone the "option" to specialize, then you're just increasing the disparity between the specialists and the non-specialists. You're penalizing anyone who doesn't throw everything into a single weapon or spell. You get right back to the old problem where the fighter has exactly one weapon, and if you find a magical something-else, then nobody cares about it because you've invested so much into your one trick that the magic can't even compensate. It's just awful.

 

[Raunalyn]

I would do it as a feat. But if it's going to be a feat, make it mean something...giving up a potential +2 ability score is pretty big.

I've been thinking of something similar, but making it several feats that key toward the type of character you're playing. Want to play a master of your particular weapon? Take the Weapon Specialization feat, which adds a +1 to hit/damage with your chosen weapon and increases the critical hit threat range/damage.

Want to specialize in a spell? Increase your spell attack roll by +1, damage by +1, or spell save DC by 1...haven't decided what else to add to that yet...still thinking on that one.

Want to be a skill specialist?

You get the point...still working out the details on how to implement. I have a nice framework, though.

 

[canucksaram]

aaa

 

[canucksaram]

If you are a powergaming min-maxxer, then I guess it would seem to be most effective to dump it all into one implementation. I find powergaming min-maxxers to be just awful.

If you are interested in developing a character in a roleplaying game that is not centred solely around combat, then it's not so awful.

It's most effective if you throw everything into one weapon or spell, and never use anything else. The guy who only ever uses a longbow will end up with +3 to hit, and the fact that the other guy has +1 with daggers and short swords and javelins is all irrelevant because you can only attack with a single weapon at a time.

If you give someone the "option" to specialize, then you're just increasing the disparity between the specialists and the non-specialists. You're penalizing anyone who doesn't throw everything into a single weapon or spell. You get right back to the old problem where the fighter has exactly one weapon, and if you find a magical something-else, then nobody cares about it because you've invested so much into your one trick that the magic can't even compensate. It's just awful.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

If you are a powergaming min-maxxer, then I guess it would seem to be most effective to dump it all into one implementation. I find powergaming min-maxxers to be just awful.

Fair enough, but you're still drawing a drawing a line and asking people to pick sides. Where you could normally just play a character and not worry about it, you are now giving players control over how strong they want to be. You're saying that the fun role-player must actively choose to be less powerful in combat, if he or she wants to support the character concept.

"I don't care whether I live or die, or how many others suffer for my choice, because it makes more sense that I would get better at medicine rather than learn how to swing a sword better."