D&D 5E Adding +2 ability bonus to all classes. Way to make all class/race combos more or less equal.

[Horwath]

I'm thinking of an idea to add +2 to one of the key abilities for every class.

That way every character, no matter the race will have option to start with max score in their key ability if they chose so.(15+2 on point buy).

This +2 ability bonus from class would NOT stack with any racial ability bonus.

This bonus applies only to 1st level character. That is, multiclass character do not gain that bonus when they gain 1st level in another class.

Every class would have 3 abilities to choose from to give +2 bonus.


Class key abilities are:


Barbarian: str,dex,con

Bard: dex,int,cha

Cleric: str,wis,cha

Druid: dex,int,wis

Fighter: str,dex,con

Monk: dex,con,wis

Paladin: str,con,cha

Ranger: str,dex,wis

Rogue: dex,int,wis

Sorcerer: dex,con,cha

Warlock: str,dex,cha

Wizard: dex,int,wis

 

[TwoSix]

Makes sense to me, maybe just lower the starting point buy to compensate. (Or don't if you want a a higher-powered starting point.)

 

[Horwath]

Makes sense to me, maybe just lower the starting point buy to compensate. (Or don't if you want a a higher-powered starting point.)

well it's only 2 points. And that racial if it's overlaped by class bonus most likely goes to dump stat or tertiary stat at best.

I.E. now you can play heavy armored elf(if you want for some reason ). You would get +2 to str or con from class. and that +2 to dex would go to raise 8 to 10 or maybe 10 to 12.

 

[Quartz]

I don't like giving bonuses upon bonuses. I know you say that it wouldn't stack, but what happens when a PC changes race?

I do like the idea, but I suggest that a better method would be the Rolemaster / MERP route of replacing the stat with a 16 (or 18 or whatever). So a Barbarian would replace one of the numbers assigned to Str, Con, or Dex with a 16.

 

[Horwath]

I don't like giving bonuses upon bonuses. I know you say that it wouldn't stack, but what happens when a PC changes race?

Well, one option is to give him opportunity to change class +2 bonus to other class key ability that is not boosted by race.

How often do PCs change races anyway?

 

[DEFCON 1]

It wouldn't really accomplish what you want I don't believe.

Instead, what you are now doing is giving the races whose ability bonuses align with their best classes a second maxed-out ability score. Making those race/class combos even better.

So for instance... elves get +2 to Dex. If they make a Fighter, they now will spend the build points to buy a 15 and put it to Dex (giving them a 17.) And then take the "free +2" and apply it to something like Con. So if they buy that at a 15 too, they would now start the game with two 17s. Something that no class except the Mountain Dwarf is currently able to accomplish. Dexterous fighter elves will become even more of a desired option.

If the purpose of the exercise is to get players to select race/class combos that do not normally get chosen (because they require high stats in abilities they do not better bonuses for)... the only way to accomplish that is to eliminate set racial bonuses altogether. Give every race a +2 to one any stat and a +1 to a second, and let the player choose where to put them. Which really shouldn't be an issue because the entire theory of giving racial bonuses is to illustrate how those races tend to be in comparison to the default human. The default human has 10s across the board... the default high elf is slightly more dexterous and intelligent. But of course... players character are not default. They are not average for their race. There WILL be extremely strong elves out there, so there's no reason not to see them represented as a PC. But at the same time, there's no reason why this non-default high elf needs to also show the slight agility bonus the default elf gets. So why bother giving the elf that extra +2 to Dex? These PCs aren't "normal" elves, so there's no reason to give them the "normal" bonuses that elves get if your desire is to represent the abnormal elves that become powerful PCs.

 

[Coroc]

There is to much equal already, in a game which was never meant to be like that, except eventually 4e.

I vote for giving the +2 and -2 to stats again, like 3e for more diversity

 

[Guest 6801328]

Get rid of racial bonuses.

Get rid of ASIs.

Anybody who complains only gets to roll 2d6 instead of 3.

 

[Quartz]

How often do PCs change races anyway?

Reincarnate is a favourite.

 

[Blue]

I'm thinking of an idea to add +2 to one of the key abilities for every class.

That way every character, no matter the race will have option to start with max score in their key ability if they chose so.(15+2 on point buy).

This +2 ability bonus from class would NOT stack with any racial ability bonus.

13th Age, a d20 that came out before 5e, does this. Races give a +2 to choice of two ability scores. Classes give a choice of +2 to two ability scores. They can't be the same. You always can make any race/class combo work.

(They also do various things that move ability scores from CRITICAL to just Important mechanically.)