D&D 5E I want to try out a different way of doing racial ability scores in my next campaign, want to poke holes at it?

[Bolares]

So, I'm in the last 1/3 of Tomb of annihilation, and I'm already planning our next campaign, wich will be set in Eberron. In this current game, one thing has being bothering me. One player chose to play an Air genasi storm sorcerer, for RP reasons. The race and class work perfectly in theme, but the racial ability scores made the character fall a little behind power wise. The player loves the character, but I can sense that the low Charisma score bothers him a bit. I don't believe that players should be penalized for thinking outside the box when choosing race/class combinations, so I thinking of borrowing some ideas from PF2 and other games and giving classes a +1 to a main score on character creation.

This is how I'm planning to do it:

• Races with a +2 in a racial score get a +1 on it instead;
• Races with only +1 to multiple scores lose one of those scores and can't chose the same scorethey will receive from their class;
• Classes give +1 to 1 ability score. I'm usingthemulticlass pre-requisites as a base to wich score a class can improve, as follows:

Artificer	Intelligence
Barbarian	Strength
Bard	Charisma
Cleric	Wisdom
Druid	Wisdom
Fighter	Strength or Dexterity
Monk	Dexterity or Wisdom
Paladin	Strength or Charisma
Ranger	Dexterity or Wisdom
Rogue	Dexterity
Sorcerer	Charisma
Warlock	Charisma
Wizard	Intelligence

This +1 is only received on the 1st level, and does not affect choosing a new 1st level class for multiclassing purposes.


So, do you think this breakes anything? Is there a way to improve it?

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

First, I think your stat generation method will affect things so what are you planning to use?

If a race's +2 goes down to +1, is the player allowed to buff that same stat back up to +2 with their class buff? If so why the restriction in point 2 for losing a +1 bonus?

Is it a little weird that no class can give a bonus to constitution? You might want to consider adding it as a possibility to the barbarian since they use it for AC.

 

[Bolares]

First, I think your stat generation method will affect things so what are you planning to use?

If a race's +2 goes down to +1, is the player allowed to buff that same stat back up to +2 with their class buff? If so why the restriction in point 2 for losing a +1 bonus?

Is it a little weird that no class can give a bonus to constitution? You might want to consider adding it as a possibility to the barbarian since they use it for AC.

in cases where the race goes from a +2 to a +1 you can choose the same score when choosing the class. I made it this way so you, at the same time, do not hurt a player who is playing a race/class combination that would receive the +2 on a main score and allow for any combination to have a 16 in their main score on lvl 1.

The restriction on point to is to avoid making a race that would gain only a +1 in a score, getting a +2 instead. Take the variant human for example. Without this restriction they could get a feat, a skill, and +2 in their main score. My goal is not to affect "optimal race/class" combinations, but to prevent other options from falling behind on sometingas big as ability scores.

as for the CON bonus, I based the choices on the multiclass pre-requisites table, but I think it makes sense to add CON to the barbarian too

 

[Oofta]

I'm assuming this only applies for the first class chosen? Or do you not allow multi classing?

Not clear how you're going to handle non-variant humans who get a +1 to all ability scores.

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

The restriction on point to is to avoid making a race that would gain only a +1 in a score, getting a +2 instead. Take the variant human for example. Without this restriction they could get a feat, a skill, and +2 in their main score. My goal is not to affect "optimal race/class" combinations, but to prevent other options from falling behind on sometingas big as ability scores.

Ah okay, I misunderstood. I thought the restriction was that if a race with only +1s loses a bonus to a score that the class can't replace the one lost. But it actually means that you can't put an additional +1 into a stat to get a +2.

So to clarify a standard human will still only be able to get +1 to each ability score? One +2 and four +1s is not valid?

 

[Bolares]

I'm assuming this only applies for the first class chosen? Or do you not allow multi classing?

Not clear how you're going to handle non-variant humans who get a +1 to all ability scores.

Yes, only to the first class chosen.

Non variant humans gain 5 +1s but none can be put in the same score as the one you will receive from your class.

 

[Bolares]

So to clarify a standard human will still only be able to get +1 to each ability score? One +2 and four +1s is not valid?

Correct

 

[MonkeezOnFire]

In that case I can't think of any edge cases where your setup doesn't allow any stat distributions that would normally be possible.

So the only possible thing you'd have to look out for are class and race synergies. Mountain dwarf gets to bring medium armour proficiency to any class without worrying about lacking stats. For some classes like the wizard that can be worth 2 feats. But honestly armoured dwarf battle mages to me is a cool concept. I'd allow it and monitor to see how it actually plays out.

Also realized I haven't said it yet. I like this idea. Just allowing non-typical races for classes without nerfing them allows for so much more character customization.

 

[Oofta]

So a standard humans can't add a +1 to the ability they're granted a bonus from their class and they can't get a +2 to one ability score? Seems like an issue to me. There's not much reason to run a standard human as it is.

 

[Bolares]

So a standard humans can't add a +1 to the ability they're granted a bonus from their class and they can't get a +2 to one ability score? Seems like an issue to me. There's not much reason to run a standard human as it is.

Well, my idea was to allow any class/race combination, not solve the (real) problem of the standard human sucking.... Probably because I know my group and they like feats to much to ever pick one.

But I see what you're saying, the standard humam needs some help, and if a player came up to me I'd probably allow them to keep the +2