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

[Charlaquin]

You're slipping into one way truism here. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a play style that revolves around optimization at the expense of flavor. It might not be what you or I prefer, but there are plenty of people for whom optimizing builds is part of the fun. And honestly, no matter where you tie attribute bonuses, those players who love optimizing builds will continue to do so.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with players who want to just pick the most optimized race for their build. The problem is that boosting primary ability is so powerful, even players who would rather choose a race for flavor reasons feel compelled to pick an optimal race instead.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with players who want to just pick the most optimized race for their build. The problem is that boosting primary ability is so powerful, even players who would rather choose a race for flavor reasons feel compelled to pick an optimal race instead.

Do they though? I don't feel compelled to do that.

 

[FrogReaver]

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with players who want to just pick the most optimized race for their build. The problem is that boosting primary ability is so powerful, even players who would rather choose a race for flavor reasons feel compelled to pick an optimal race instead.

I actually find racial choices one of the few things that can and do get chosen despite being less optimized. That is - race has a big enough appeal that many overcome the concern for total optimization in order to play a race they like.

My concern with your proposal is that builds will become even more cookie cutter. Now all dwarves, humans, halflings, etc are built exactly the same way.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Do they though? I don't feel compelled to do that.

I can honestly say this has happened to me. There are certainly times when I have a concept for the class in mind, and race is secondary, so I'll browse through the races that boost what will help the class the most. Sometimes I pick one of those, sometimes I don't, but there are certainly times when it is a consideration.

 

[GlassJaw]

I got through about half this thread but wanted to chime in with what I've done.

Generally I like racial ASIs but I am in agreement that they need tweaking. Primarily, I don't like that they "reward" certain race & class combinations. I also didn't want to reinvent the wheel too much as far as house rules go.

Racial Ability Score Increase
If a race increases an ability score by 2, you may instead increase that score by 1 and increase another ability score of your choice by 1.

Nice and simple but gives more flexibility for different character concepts. Note I use the standard array or point-buy for character creation in my campaigns.

 

[Charlaquin]

Do they though? I don't feel compelled to do that.

A lot of people do, yes. Obviously not everyone. I certainly have.

 

[Charlaquin]

I actually find racial choices one of the few things that can and do get chosen despite being less optimized. That is - race has a big enough appeal that many overcome the concern for total optimization in order to play a race they like.

My concern with your proposal is that builds will become even more cookie cutter. Now all dwarves, humans, halflings, etc are built exactly the same way.

That doesn’t make any sense to me. Class has a much bigger impact on build than race does, and if people are no longer picking races to get the ability score increase to their class’s primary ability, you’ll see a lot more variation in what race/class combinations get played, and therefore in what builds get played with what races.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

FWIW, I noticed it is interesting some votes are being changed.

Some of the people who voted and continue to follow the thread may be adjusting for the discrepancy in the way the results are being read.

The post phrases it as a first choice and second choice. However it looks like people are giving their equal weight.
So for example, my first choice was to leave them alone, and my second choice was remove them. However we have people misreading the poll and making claims that imply that my choice is evenly split between leaving alone and removing them.

In order for those people to reflect my choice accurately, I would have to change my second choice vote to leave alone. Likewise for other people with their choices.

I can honestly say this has happened to me. There are certainly times when I have a concept for the class in mind, and race is secondary, so I'll browse through the races that boost what will help the class the most. Sometimes I pick one of those, sometimes I don't, but there are certainly times when it is a consideration.

Is that a case where you are just looking at synergistic races for inspiration because you have no race in mind, or where you have a concept including a specific race, and decided you have to go with a different race that gave the "right" ability bonuses instead?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

That doesn’t make any sense to me. Class has a much bigger impact on build than race does, and if people are no longer picking races to get the ability score increase to their class’s primary ability, you’ll see a lot more variation in what race/class combinations get played, and therefore in what builds get played with what races.

Yes, perhaps, but those characters will be pretty much the same than any other character of that class or subclass regardless of the race. Furthermore, I don't even think it is necessary for every race to be equally viable for every build. It is fine if halflings focus fighting using agility and nimbleness and orcs focus on overpowering their enemies by their physical might etc. Not everyone needs to be the same!

 

[FrogReaver]

That doesn’t make any sense to me. Class has a much bigger impact on build than race does, and if people are no longer picking races to get the ability score increase to their class’s primary ability, you’ll see a lot more variation in what race/class combinations get played, and therefore in what builds get played with what races.

Yes there will presumably be more race/class combinations. However, 2 things:

1. Every Barbarian will now have 16 str, 14 dex, 16 con - regardless of race. Repeat for every class. You’ve made a greater racial variation by reducing the starting stat variation. All you’ve done is trade one type of variation for another.

2. When stats considerations are removed - other features will dictate what’s best. You potentially could see fewer race/class combinations as a result of this change. That’s why I said it would presumably lead to more race/class combos - but it’s not at all a sure thing that it will.