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

Crimson Longinus · Jul 23, 2020

Chaosmancer said:
Then you have to drop everything. Because Variant Humans can be as (Strong/Graceful/Charismatic/Intelligent/Wise/Perceptive/Tough) as any +2 race.

For this exact reason I don't allow stacking the +1 from the feat with their other +1s for variant humans.

Micah Sweet · Jul 23, 2020

Charlaquin said:
So, just to play around with some hypotheticals here. Let’s say a DM decides for their home game to drop racial ASIs and roll them into the ability generation rules instead of offering floating ASIs. And let’s say they want rolling, array, and point buy all to be options. How might they go about this?

Obviously standard array is the easiest to resolve this with, by simply increasing some of the numbers, but what would the improved array look like? Do we just bump the two highest scores by +2 and +1 respectively for 17, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8? Do we try to prioritize getting even numbers and go with 16, 16, 13, 12, 10, 8? Or 16, 15, 14, 12, 10, 8?

For point buy, we just increase number of points, presumably to match the starting array. So, what, 32 points? 33?

Incorporating the increases to rolled stats is obviously the most difficult option to pull off. What if we kept the dice code of 4d6 drop lowest, but maybe you roll 7 times and drop the lowest of those or something? Would that produce results that averaged close to our increased array? My math powers are not strong enough to tell.

The thing with rolling is that it can produce results that are impossible with the standard array. Results that can be significantly higher (and human nature prevents significantly lower results from really being relevant). Rolling seven scores and dropping one would increase this.

Charlaquin · Jul 23, 2020

Helldritch said:
Not bad.
But if we go this way, I would like to see all stat maxed out at 18 save for.
Dragonborn: St 20
Dwarf: Con 20
Elf: Dex 20
Gnome: Intel 20
Halfling: Dex 20
Half-orc (or orc): St 20
Tiefling: Cha 20

This would go well with no races have bonuses to wisdom. All mortals are foolish afterall.

I’m not really a fan of racial ability score maximums myself, but if it works for you, go for it!

DND_Reborn · Jul 23, 2020

Helldritch said:
Not bad.
But if we go this way, I would like to see all stat maxed out at 18 save for.
Dragonborn: St 20
Dwarf: Con 20
Elf: Dex 20
Gnome: Intel 20
Halfling: Dex 20
Half-orc (or orc): St 20
Tiefling: Cha 20

This would go well with no races have bonuses to wisdom. All mortals are foolish afterall.

I recall at one point we were thinking about:

The idea being Human, Half-Elves, and Tieflings all have max 18s.
Each other race has a 20 and a 16, and (being the Libra I am) each ability grants a bonus and penalty to a race as well.
I went back and forth between Gnome and Halfling on which should have the STR 16 and which the WIS 16...
I like giving the Dragonborn WIS 20 given their heritage of the long lines of dragons and such...

Over all, I like it, but I know a lot of people will gripe about Elves and CON 16, etc.

Anyway, this would be another point of contention with a lot of players... what scores to max to 20 for what races. Many are obvious IMO, others not so much and it depends on how you envision the fiction/flavor.

FrogReaver · Jul 23, 2020

Charlaquin said:
I’m not really a fan of racial ability score maximums myself, but if it works for you, go for it!

Yea, I hate racial maximums.

Charlaquin · Jul 23, 2020

Micah Sweet said:
The thing with rolling is that it can produce results that are impossible with the standard array. Results that can be significantly higher (and human nature prevents significantly lower results from really being relevant). Rolling seven scores and dropping one would increase this.

That’s already a problem with rolling, though. I figure if you’re allowing rolling, you’re comfortable with the possibility of players rolling stats that exceed what’s possible with array/point buy. I was just trying to offer a suggestion for an improved ability score generation method to replace racial ASIs that would work for rolling and was as balanced with point buy and array as the standard rules.

Helldritch · Jul 23, 2020

FrogReaver said:
Yea, I hate racial maximums.

Me too. But if we remove bonuses then something must be done to differentiate the different races. 5ed did a good job but sometimes, it is not entirely logical. That is why I would prefer some races to excede the maximum of 18 and not limit them to a 16.

Micah Sweet · Jul 23, 2020

Charlaquin said:
That’s already a problem with rolling, though. I figure if you’re allowing rolling, you’re comfortable with the possibility of players rolling stats that exceed what’s possible with array/point buy. I was just trying to offer a suggestion for an improved ability score generation method to replace racial ASIs that would work for rolling and was as balanced with point buy and array as the standard rules.

Yeah, I've always used rolling, but I sure wish I could run a game sometime that used the array, just as a change of pace. My players won't stand for it.

Charlaquin · Jul 23, 2020

Micah Sweet said:
Yeah, I've always used rolling, but I sure wish I could run a game sometime that used the array, just as a change of pace. My players won't stand for it.

Have you tried having the players collectively roll one set of six scores and making that the array? That would incorporate the excitement of random score generation while keeping the players’ scores all balanced against each other.

I’ve considered running a game where you have the option to roll or take the array, but if you roll you have to roll in order, whereas with the array you can assign the numbers wherever you want. Essentially, if you have a concept in mind to begin with, you use the array to tailor your scores to that concept, or if you want to generate your character randomly you roll in order and see what you get.

FrogReaver · Jul 23, 2020

Helldritch said:
Me too. But if we remove bonuses then something must be done to differentiate the different races. 5ed did a good job but sometimes, it is not entirely logical. That is why I would prefer some races to excede the maximum of 18 and not limit them to a 16.

The different races are differentiated in the game already. Look at the NPC members of those races.

Playable characters are members of those races. You just describe the stats differently depending on which race you are playing.

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

What would you like to see done with racial trait ASIs?

Leave them alone! It makes the races more distinctive.

Make them floating +2 and +1 where you want them.

Move them to class and/or background instead.

Just get rid of them and boost point buy and the standard array.

Remove them and forget them, they just aren't needed.

Got another idea? Share it!

Ok, I said leave them alone, darn it! (second vote)

No, make them floating (second vote).

Come on, just move them the class and/or backgrounds (second vote).

Aw, just bump stuff so we don't need them (second vote).

Or, just remove them and don't worry about it (second vote).

But I said I have another idea to share! (second vote).

Crimson Longinus

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Micah Sweet

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Charlaquin

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DND_Reborn

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FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

Charlaquin

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Helldritch

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Micah Sweet

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Charlaquin

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FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog

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