D&D 5E Reduced standard array in exchange for a bonus feat at 1st.

[jayoungr]

Why not just give every race the variant human package: Standard starting stats with +1 to two abilities of the player's choice and a free feat?

 

[Jacob Lewis]

This I disagree with. 5E needs more choices.

I know that I want more choices, just like many others. But I don't know that 5e needs more choices. 5+ years into the system, and it has still managed to stay clean, uncluttered, and unfettered. Maybe what we're looking for is more alternative options rather than piling on more stuff.

The 5E feat system has three major problems:

1. The feats aren't equal. Not even close. There is a massive disparity not only in just "power", but also how much they will impact the game.
2. They are tied to ASIs. Choosing between a feat or ASI is very difficult.
3. They are rare. Since they only come every 4 levels, it's an extremely important decision.

Because of these reasons, the system itself literally forces the player to make the most optimal choice. You don't want to waste it and leave a massive amount of power for your character on the table. I hate it.

I think you nailed this one on the head. The idea of feats isn't a bad one; it's just the current iteration of it. And I'll reiterate what I said earlier: the best implementation of feats for 5e is that it is completely optional. You can ignore them, and the game doesn't change one bit.

The downside, however, is that a lot of players are looking at it as their only real opportunity to truly customize their characters. By the time you reach third level (or sooner, depending on your class), your only real decisions are already made and you're on a straight path.

But it's why, for the purposes of this discussion, adjusting stat increases for the sake of a feat is unnecessary, as long as you remove the problematic feats as an option. If characters stat with feats like Actor or Keen Mind, your game will be better for it.

Maybe. I think Keen Mind is the bane of all DMs, removing the player (not the character!) from the burden of having to remember anything that happens in game because "my character would not forget that, so tell me again DM, if you please!"

At any rate, I don't think anything proposed here is a terrible idea. But it's not about fixing the problem, if anyone sees it as such. It's simply about giving everyone a choice. Trade in some higher ability scores for a feat at 1st level? I'm sure it's not going to break anything. Just like not using feats. Players just need to remember that they are not required to enjoy the game.

 

[GlassJaw]

Maybe. I think Keen Mind is the bane of all DMs, removing the player (not the character!) from the burden of having to remember anything that happens in game because "my character would not forget that, so tell me again DM, if you please!"

HAHA! So true. But I do that for my players already. I'm a pushover DM (except when I'm not).

 

[Charlaquin]

So the 14,13,13,12,10,8 array is still 23 point buy.

Why not just go with: "27 point buy. You can buy a maximum of a 15. You may spend four points on a single feat, but if you do the maximum you can buy is a 14. If you don't want to choose, use the non-feat standard array of 15,14,13,12,10,8 or the with-feat array, 14,13,13,12,10,8."

I like the standard array as a default (and this one looks like a good standard-array-when-you-have-a-feat), but the freedom to point buy is a good thing.

Honestly, I’m not sure the “if you take a feat you can’t point-buy above a 14” rule is necessary. There’s no way to word it that doesn’t sound clunky, and if a player really wants to min-Max to get that first-level 18, I don’t think it’s a big deal.

 

[ccooke]

Honestly, I’m not sure the “if you take a feat you can’t point-buy above a 14” rule is necessary. There’s no way to word it that doesn’t sound clunky, and if a player really wants to min-Max to get that first-level 18, I don’t think it’s a big deal.

You may be right. I think I need to see this in play, anyway.

I can definitely see this being a common houserule. What it really needs, though, is a decent short name so that it can be easily argued about ;-)

 

[BluejayJunior]

HAHA! So true. But I do that for my players already. I'm a pushover DM (except when I'm not).

I don't think there's anything wrong with that sometimes. I think sometimes too many DMs want to put the onus of remembering everything on players when it would be clear their characters would easily remember it. As a player, I shouldn't be penalized for forgetting something that happened a month ago when for the character it was maybe an hour ago.

 

[GlassJaw]

I don't think there's anything wrong with that sometimes. I think sometimes too many DMs want to put the onus of remembering everything on players when it would be clear their characters would easily remember it. As a player, I shouldn't be penalized for forgetting something that happened a month ago when for the character it was maybe an hour ago.

Probably a good topic for another thread but I agree. The game is supposed to be fun. People are busy, have lives, kids, work, etc to keep track of. Like you said, if something happened in-game that the characters clearly would remember or know, I'm fine with dropping hints or telling the players outright.

My job as DM isn't to play "gotcha!", it's to facilitate a fun experience for everyone.

 

[Weiley31]

I do a free racial feat at lvl 1/character gen and a reflavored AIME Virtue at lvl 15. (Don't ask me why lvl 15. It popped in my head the number.)

Still allow the choice of feats or ability score increases per the PHB rules.

 

[Quartz]

I'm thinking about reducing the Standard array to 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 8 and granting all races a bonus feat at 1st level.

How about dropping all racial stat bonus instead?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I just do the bonus feat, no change to point buy. Works great.