D&D 5E Ability Score Increases (I've changed my mind.)

[Faolyn]

It defies what the elven race is. It takes that PC and stops him from being more dexterous than a human with an equal starting roll or point buy total, instead of having an advantage at dex over a human like the entire elven race has. Further, it then makes that PC elf's as strong as a goliath with an equal roll or point buy total, which is ridiculous as goliaths as a race are much stronger than elves as a race. All else being equal, the goliath will be stronger than the elf.

So? Are you really saying that it's impossible for there to be a strong but clumsy elf? That out of all the presumably millions of elves on a world, there can't be one or a few who aren't particularly dextrous?

 

[Composer99]

Based on the conversations in this thread, I think it's obvious that some of us only care about the pc goliaths, but some of us very much do care about the rest of the population and how it is represented by the rules in game.

NPC goliaths would be better represented by NPC statblocks, and not the character-building rules for PCs, IMO.

 

[Maxperson]

So? Are you really saying that it's impossible for there to be a strong but clumsy elf? That out of all the presumably millions of elves on a world, there can't be one or a few who aren't particularly dextrous?

No. I'm saying that a strong, but clumsy elf is in spite of the racial bonuses. It doesn't ignore them. If you roll an 18 for strength and a 3 for dex, you can indeed have an 18 strength, 5 dex elf(strong, but clumsy).

 

[Yaarel]

I'm saying that a strong, but clumsy elf is in spite of the racial bonuses. It doesn't ignore them. If you roll an 18 for strength and a 3 for dex, you can indeed have an 18 strength, 5 dex elf(strong, but clumsy).

The 1e grugach elf, and even the 1e wood elf, are a Strength archetype.

In 5e, the grugach would be something like Strength score +2, Dexterity score +1.

The wood elf could go either way, +2 to Strength or Dexterity.

 

[Faolyn]

No. I'm saying that a strong, but clumsy elf is in spite of the racial bonuses. It doesn't ignore them. If you roll an 18 for strength and a 3 for dex, you can indeed have an 18 strength, 5 dex elf(strong, but clumsy).

So why not just let people put the bonuses where they want? Elves, as a people, are dexterous. B'hobvh the elf is not.

 

[Scribe]

@Scribe worries that other people at their table would play characters that "shouldn't exist" at 1st level (such as halflings with 16 strength, or elves with 16 constitution)

Not quite. I'm not worried about people going against 'type' I'm not at all worried about what others do.

It matters to me, that Dwarves not be more agile (dex) than elves. That Halflings not be stronger than Goliath. Racial archetypes/tropes to me, that should be leaned into harder, not less.

What you do in your game's is up to you and I 100% support a rule like Tasha's IN ADDITION to the system in place now.

That's it.

 

[Maxperson]

The 1e grugach elf, and even the 1e wood elf, are a Strength archetype.

I'm going with 5e right now. Yes, some elven subtypes were stronger. I know that. Those were still racial bonuses, though.

In 5e, the grugach would be something like Strength score +2, Dexterity score +1.

The wood elf could go either way, +2 to Strength or Dexterity.

Wood elf is already +2 dex, +1 wisdom. That subrace is set for 5e already.

 

[Maxperson]

So why not just let people put the bonuses where they want? Elves, as a people, are dexterous. B'hobvh the elf is not.

I'm not stopping anyone from using it in their game and have in fact supported the floating bonus optional rule. The defaults should remain, though.

 

[Maxperson]

Not quite. I'm not worried about people going against 'type' I'm not at all worried about what others do.

It matters to me, that Dwarves not be more agile (dex) than elves. That Halflings not be stronger than Goliath. Racial archetypes/tropes to me, that should be leaned into harder, not less.

What you do in your game's is up to you and I 100% support a rule like Tasha's IN ADDITION to the system in place now.

That's it.

I have decided based on this thread to extend the stat cap for stats that receive racial bonuses. Goliaths can reach 22 strength. Elves can reach 22 dex.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Not quite. I'm not worried about people going against 'type' I'm not at all worried about what others do.

It matters to me, that Dwarves not be more agile (dex) than elves. That Halflings not be stronger than Goliath. Racial archetypes/tropes to me, that should be leaned into harder, not less.

What you do in your game's is up to you and I 100% support a rule like Tasha's IN ADDITION to the system in place now.

That's it.

Oh drat, I'm confused again then.

If you are still free to put your ASIs wherever you want to, and you don't care where other people put their ASIs, what is it that you think might happen if the only rule were floating ASIs? Which halfling might be stronger than which goliath, such that it would bother you?