D&D 5E What To Do With Racial ASIs?

[DND_Reborn]

It seems like people are mostly split in opinion what to do with ability score increases provided as racial traits. So, to try to get a wider view, let's make a POLL!!!

You can vote TWICE, let's say maybe a first and second choice option.

You'll notice the "second vote" options are there if you really want to vote twice for the same thing. Now you can.

Share your thoughts on why you voted if you wish and thanks for participating!

EDIT: "second vote" options have been added.

 

[dave2008]

I don't have an issue with the idea of racial bonuses and penalties. However, i would be more judicious in how they are used. My thought is that most races are the same and a few are exceptional (from a ability score stand point). So I would do something like this:

All Races: get a +1 or +2 to apply wherever you want. To show the PC is exceptional compared to the norm - the hero or adventurer bonus if you will
Background: a +1 that makes sense for your background
Class: a +1 or +2 based on your class

Then, because I don't care about balance, I would give a few races extra bonuses. For example:
Goliath/half giant: +2 strength
Dragonborn: +2 everything - because dragons

Also, the max would be 18, with on those with the extra bonus able to break that without magic

 

[Benjamin Olson]

I like having something straightforward to narrow down the racial decision. I think without any ability bonuses at all I'd get hung up in character creation a lot more often, and there would be even more races I never played.

I do object to the "boost point buy and the standard array" suggestion, because that involves using point buy or the standard array.

 

[jasper]

Leave them alone. You don't like +/- to a stat they give, don't play the race. In fact except for humans, every race should have one negative to a stat.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I like having something straightforward to narrow down the racial decision. I think without any ability bonuses at all I'd get hung up in character creation a lot more often, and there would be even more race's I never played.

I do object to the "boost point buy and the standard array" suggestion, because that involves using point buy or the standard array.

Or, as someone who normally just chooses standard array: you can't boost them all that much without making rolling a weaker option, unless you want even more complex/fiddly rolling...

If rolling six times for ability scores isn't an option, is it really DnD anymore?

 

[DND_Reborn]

Or, as someone who normally just chooses standard array: you can't boost them all that much without making rolling a weaker option, unless you want even more complex/fiddly rolling...

If rolling six times for ability scores isn't an option, is it really DnD anymore?

A standard array comparable to 4d6k3 would be something like 16, 14, 13, 12, 10, 9 or so IIRC, which is two points higher than the RAW array.

So, if you wanted boosted array to remove ASI, it might be something like 17, 14, 13, 12, 10, 9, which is only one point higher than a 4d6k3 equivalent. Since the 4d6k3 method allows for better possible scores, that would be the gamble I suppose. shrug

 

[NotAYakk]

Two floating +1s.
+1 to the stats the 1st level class gets save bonuses on.
A bonus feat at level 1 (drop vhuman)
Max +2 to any one stat from all of the above.

Or just keep racial bonuses instead of the floating. With the +2 cap, those bonuses are far less important, and mainly impact secondary/tetriary stats.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I've alway felt that in 5e, your starting stats were too high. If 20 is the perfect score for an ability and you start with a 18, you reach the pinnacle of an ability while you are still a local hero, a semi-nobody. Its weird. That's also mean that at level 20, if you dont have feat, many character will end up with a bunch on near-perfect stat (and with the same proficiency bonus), making characters a little same-y.

So to me: remove them all the way, give stronger non-ASI features instead.

 

[TheSword]

I would follow pathfinders approach and have one +2 fixed and one floating +2 bonus to support your character concept. Neatly gets rid of the problem that an Orc mage will never be as good as an elf mage. But still allows a typical orcs to be stronger than a typical due to physiology.

 

[ZeshinX]

If WotC feels there's enough reason to change how they currently work, then I'd favour a +2/+1 split, assigned as you wish...or a pool of 3 points that can be assigned in either +2/+1 or +1 to three abilities, assigned as desired.