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

[Yaarel]

This is why I don't see PC creation rules reflecting the species as a whole.

From Crawfords twitter:

A "race" is nonidentical to a "lineage".

Both a player race and a Monster Manual monster can belong to the same "lineage".

However, the technical term "race" only refers to the mechanics of a player character. The monster can and does use different mechanics.

 

[Umbran]

I get you might need to not let this happen for the 12 or 14 year old players out there that will always put 20 in everything, but why not let mature players just pick their attribute scores?

Because "mature players" does not mean "players with all the same natural tendencies". Before just picking stats, there would need to be some expectations set and agreement from the players on them. And once you've set those expectations, as a practical matter, you're back to having rules restricting what your stats will be.

 

[Rabulias]

Honestly the Winder Eladrin is just... pathetic. I'm still not convinced that they aren't a severe typo, with how much weaker they are compared to every other eladrin.

It kind of makes sense to me. The fey are more associated with spring and summer, so it makes sense they would be weaker, less capable, in the winter ("the cold stiffens everything up," so their Dex goes down to 10).

 

[Micah Sweet]

It kind of makes sense to me. The fey are more associated with spring and summer, so it makes sense they would be weaker, less capable, in the winter ("the cold stiffens everything up," so their Dex goes down to 10).

I can see a narrative reason, but not a gameplay one.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Because "mature players" does not mean "players with all the same natural tendencies". Before just picking stats, there would need to be some expectations set and agreement from the players on them. And once you've set those expectations, as a practical matter, you're back to having rules restricting what your stats will be.

Maybe. But I also find it less taxing for my brain to just assume that anybody who powergames more than I do is just an immature little kid. And anybody who powergames less than I do must not be able to handle complexity.

But I...I am right in that sweet spot, both intelligent and mature.

Really.

 

[Yaarel]

I can see a narrative reason, but not a gameplay one.

I assumed the Dex 10 to mean the winter elf was "frozen". But also, I didnt notice the mechanical imbalance.

The winter "Sorrowful Presence" trait is powerful, especially when the save against it becomes also at a disadvantage, but it only starts at a low DC 13. So seems comparable to the traits of other eladrin.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

What's this winter eladrin thing?

 

[LadyElect]

I don't expect everybody to share my concerns about the game, either. I hate anything that feels like technology/steampunk/engineering in my fantasy worlds, and feel like it just increases year by year, and wish Wizards wouldn't keep going that way. But, alas, I guess I'm in the minority. (Even if the majority is WRONG.)

You’ve got a friend in me. But the WoW presentation of gnomes and goblins has taken over and is too beloved to lose footing now.

 

[Yaarel]

What's this winter eladrin thing?

Mordenkeinens Tome of Foes is moreorless Planescape. It details the Forgotten Realms setting with regard to the origin of elves, and describes the eladrin elves in the Feywild. The temperament of these eladrin elves shifts according to their mood, corresponding to Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

Mordenkeinens Tome of Foes is moreorless Planescape. It details the Forgotten Realms setting with regard to the origin of elves, and describes the eladrin elves in the Feywild. The temperament of these eladrin elves shifts according to their mood, corresponding to Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

Yes, sure; I know that. But I don't see winter affecting the ability scores in any way. They get +2 to dex from being an elf and +1 to cha from being an eladrin...