D&D 5E Racial Min/Maxes on Ability Scores?

[DND_Reborn]

Do you think having racial minimum and/or maximums on ability scores would be a good thing?

You can see the options in the poll, ONE vote only--make it count!

And thanks for participating!

 

[Guest 6801328]

I chose “other”. I vote for a non-Euclidean system in which you can raise a score past 18, but when you do it wraps back around to 3.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Do you think having racial minimum and/or maximums on ability scores would be a good thing?

You can see the options in the poll, ONE vote only--make it count!

And thanks for participating!

Races (as in fantasy "races") should be differentiated from humans, including minimum and maximum scores and bonuses (and subtractions) to the default scores.

Otherwise, just play a human with a pithy T-Shirt that sums up your philosophy.

 

[commandercrud]

A halfling can't be as strong as a goliath or any other race really. Racial maximums at the very least that make any sense at all.

 

[CleverNickName]

I voted "Other," because I think the maximum should be adjusted by racial modifiers but there shouldn't be a particular minimum. A lot of the options were close to what I had in mind, so I decided to just offer an explanation instead:

Max = X + racial mods, where X is any number between 15 and 18. The DM should adjust the value of X to fit the style of campaign they are running.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I voted "Other," because I think the maximum should be adjusted by racial modifiers but there shouldn't be a particular minimum. A lot of the options were close to what I had in mind, so I decided to just offer an explanation instead:

Max = X + racial mods, where X is any number between 15 and 18. The DM should adjust the value of X to fit the style of campaign they are running.

No problem. I suppose I would have considered that the 4th option, and offered clarification, but no worries.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I find the idea of racial maximums vastly more problematic than the current set up, so I vote for differing minimums with the same max.

My actual preference, though, would be to decouple primary class competence from ability scores or find some other way to not have a dwarf necessarily be a better Barbarian than a Tiefling just because they have better con.

 

[Minigiant]

I am for a base max of 18, racial max of 20, and class max of 22.

But it really would be Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary scores.

Your Primary score would have a maximum of 22. Your class usually gives you 1 Primary score.
Your Secondary score would have a maximum of 20. Your race usually gives you 2 Secondary scores.
Your Tertiary score would have a maximum of 18. A;;you other scores are tertiary.

Some classes (monk, paladin, ranger) would get 2 Secondary scores.
Some races (orc, halfling) might would give you 1 Primary scores.
Some classes (fighter) and races (Human, Halfelf, Halforc) would let you choose a primary or secondary score respectively.

2 Secondary on the same ability score upgrades to Primary
2 Primary on the same ability score upgrades to Ultimate with a maximum of 24.

A wood elf wizard has Primary Intelligence, Secondary Dexterity, Secondary Wisdom
A wood elf rogue has Primary Dexterity, Secondary Wisdom
A half orc fighter would have a higher maximum Strength but lower maximum Dexterity than a halfling fighter.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I voted Max 20, no minimums... which I think is what what we have currently (I was voting for the 'no change' option, which I think this was it.)

So long as attacks are connected to any of the six ability scores, I don't believe any ancestry should be shut out of maxing out. If it's imperative that halflings not be as strong as goliaths, then our weapon and spell attack / damage bonuses should be their own scores with no ability score modifiers adding to them. That way you can put a 'max 14' on halfling strength or whatever, but they won't be hamstrung playing fighters or paladins. Their skill with a blade can be just as good as any others.

So long as our attacks are modified by our ability scores, all ancestries should be able to max out-- "realistic body physics" be damned.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I find the idea of racial maximums vastly more problematic than the current set up, so I vote for differing minimums with the same max.

My actual preference, though, would be to decouple primary class competence from ability scores or find some other way to not have a dwarf necessarily be a better Barbarian than a Tiefling just because they have better con.

I don't see a vote there though... did you select "Keep the max at 20, with minimums for races."?