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

[Malmuria]

No, I don't.

Deciding where to place your stats isn't representative of any particular thing beyond what you decide for yourself.

That's like saying the standard array is representative of your background.

You made the jump from floating asi for the sake of emphasizing character background to acting like the previous poster was creating a free form story game, which is just a bad faith argument.

also, deciding where to put your stats is part of your character concept and background? If you want to create a character that is learned and intelligent, then you should probably start with placing one of your higher stats in intelligence.

 

[Scribe]

"The thing you want is already in the game because the DMG says that DMs can do whatever they want" is not really a valid argument. If it were you wouldn't be persistently arguing to keep racial ASIs in the game because you would just houserule them in, right?

I will be house ruling it. I'll never play with Tasha's, nor have floating as part of the definition for my own setting. Its why I want a Planescape book so badly. I disagree with the direction of the game, and before they continue to make it worse (by my own definition, for me personally) I want the setting book that appeals to me, so I can walk away.

I'm arguing for racial ASI because I believe it adds something more than the simple stats. I feel that floating ASI actively makes for a worse cohesive whole of mechanics + setting + lore.

Others think floating helps them. Thats great, and I wish them well.

 

[Maxperson]

also, deciding where to put your stats is part of your character concept and background? If you want to create a character that is learned and intelligent, then you should probably start with placing one of your higher stats in intelligence.

I agree. And ASIs are good for that as well. During 3e we had a group that was enslaved for a bit and made to work hard labor. We were fed well and when we eventually escaped and gained a level, I raised by strength by 1 to represent that circumstance. At 1st level a floating ASI would be able to be used in the same way. My players write backgrounds and the background could furnish a reason for why a stat was bumped.

The more I think about it, the more I want to strip away the bonus given by the subrace and allow that +1 to float and just have the major racial +2 be fixed.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I will be house ruling it. I'll never play with Tasha's, nor have floating as part of the definition for my own setting. Its why I want a Planescape book so badly. I disagree with the direction of the game, and before they continue to make it worse (by my own definition, for me personally) I want the setting book that appeals to me, so I can walk away.

I'm arguing for racial ASI because I believe it adds something more than the simple stats. I feel that floating ASI actively makes for a worse cohesive whole of mechanics + setting + lore.

Others think floating helps them. Thats great, and I wish them well.

That all seems reasonable.

But what I think you are saying is that while you can and do houserule where needed, it is preferable (for multiple reasons) to have rules be official.

Therefore I find it a little disingenuous to suggest that the rule I want isn’t necessary because houseruling is a thing.

Or maybe I misunderstood what you meant.

 

[Maxperson]

That all seems reasonable.

But what I think you are saying is that while you can and do houserule where needed, it is preferable (for multiple reasons) to have rules be official.

Therefore I find it a little disingenuous to suggest that the rule I want isn’t necessary because houseruling is a thing.

Or maybe I misunderstood what you meant.

I can agree with this. My view is that both methods should be official, but that the floating bonus rule should be optional.

 

[Scribe]

That all seems reasonable.

But what I think you are saying is that while you can and do houserule where needed, it is preferable (for multiple reasons) to have rules be official.

Therefore I find it a little disingenuous to suggest that the rule I want isn’t necessary because houseruling is a thing.

Or maybe I misunderstood what you meant.

To be clear, both should be official. You can even make Tasha's 'Official 1' for all I care, just leave the process that the game was designed under.

 

[Bill Zebub]

To be clear, both should be official. You can even make Tasha's 'Official 1' for all I care, just leave the process that the game was designed under.

Without commenting on whether or not keeping both methods is a good idea, I do think you are exaggerating the importance of racial ASIs as an intrinsic component of the overall design philosophy. It’s no more important than Druids and metal armor, or Paladin alignment restriction. It’s just something we keep around because of tradition and flavor.

Now, that tradition and flavor may be valuable. Essential, even. (I don’t think so, but that’s me.). But it’s an appendage to the rules, not a core mechanic.

 

[Lyxen]

I will be house ruling it. I'll never play with Tasha's, nor have floating as part of the definition for my own setting. Its why I want a Planescape book so badly. I disagree with the direction of the game, and before they continue to make it worse (by my own definition, for me personally) I want the setting book that appeals to me, so I can walk away.

I also want a Planescape book really badly, I'm afraid it's not going to happen, too complicated and I really suspect that WotC will not allow Planeswalkers from outside a MtG setting.

And I agree that a strong racial flavour is for all aspect of the race including ASIs, especially with Planescape where there are so many races, with identities so strong.

I'm arguing for racial ASI because I believe it adds something more than the simple stats. I feel that floating ASI actively makes for a worse cohesive whole of mechanics + setting + lore.

Others think floating helps them. Thats great, and I wish them well.

It's good that it's an option at least, if some people like it, but I'm glad it's only an option to avoid players forcing things at tables. That way DMs have the choice without pressure.

 

[le Redoutable]

P' what if you decide either ''
To spend xp for your chr class
or to convert XP to ability points

 

[abirdcall]

You made the jump from floating asi for the sake of emphasizing character background to acting like the previous poster was creating a free form story game, which is just a bad faith argument.

also, deciding where to put your stats is part of your character concept and background? If you want to create a character that is learned and intelligent, then you should probably start with placing one of your higher stats in intelligence.

The point is that floating ASIs are exactly the same as the process of assigning your stats to begin with. It's just part of that process.