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

[Yaarel]

I am not sure how you do this, that is, separate setting which entails culture, regionalities, and presumably, some innate talents from races.

It is almost done, now.

Custom Lineage formats how racial feats work.

Designers have said, going forward, they will clearly distinguish between those features that come from race, and those features that come from culture.

From the Players Handbook, backgrounds depend on the culture. Whether being a member of some institution or some way of life. If backgrounds are like a deck of cards, each culture comprises of a hand of cards that go into it.

It is all ready.

 

[Malmuria]

Fair enough. It's been more than twenty years!

Item slots are very game-y and I don't like them. But inventory slots as an easier way to track items, I do like. Although it's all eventually rendered moot by the eventual bag of holding.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

As much as I think racial ASIs are poor design, if I had to choose between them and magic shop(pe)s, I would enthusiastically take the racial ASIs. I can't think of anything that spoils the feel of the game (for me) more than stores that sell magic items.

I'd also like to point out that the same 'terrible imbalance' that is caused by racial ASIs is caused by one person having a one +1 better magic item than others. And if we are expected to always keep all characters at the same level appropriate bonus on the pointless magic item treadmill, then I have even less interests in the magic items.

 

[abirdcall]

S

See, a lot of great heroes and villains in literature place great narrative stock in their gear, and it becomes part of their identity. That's the kind of magic item I'm talking about here. I dont want an undifferentiated +1 sword any more than you do. I want Anduril, Flame of the West.

I'm happy with a +1 sword. At least in 5e where magic items can be special again.

I roll randomly on the treasure hoard tables and then roll again if a +1/2/3 weapon shows up.

Whatever weapon(s) characters end up getting become part of their story. Sometimes this means getting the perfect one, sometimes it means changing weapons.

A +1 weapon can have a name too.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Story of this goddamn forum. No wonder y'all so out of touch.

Also even if you people aren't, WotC is, and they're a huge part of the demographic that WotC is catering future releases to, so uh, keep malding I guess.

I dont know what malding means. Guess I must be out of touch.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I'd also like to point out that the same 'terrible imbalance' that is caused by racial ASIs is caused by one person having a one +1 better magic item than others. And if we are expected to always keep all characters at the same level appropriate bonus on the pointless magic item treadmill, then I have even less interests in the magic items.

I actually think that's a super-interesting point, but I wish you had presented it as such, and something worth probing and exploring to reach understanding, instead of as (unless I'm mis-reading you) evidence of the weakness of the opposing position.

I personally dislike racial ASIs, but I don't mind when somebody else has "better" magic items than I do. Maybe that's because I know that some day I might get an even better one (or, at least, it will strengthen my position when we start discussing who gets the next one). Or because it's not an intrinsic relative weakness of my character. Not sure.

Although I haven't thought a lot about this issue, I have thought a lot about why magic items are so compelling, and the answer I came up with may be relevant here: the reason we like magic items so much is that it gives us power beyond the deterministic progression of the rules. Sure, when you turn level 5 you get an additional +1, but that's just baseline progression. When you also get a +1 sword it puts you ahead of that baseline progression, and it feels like OVERWHELMING POWER.

At least, that's my theory.

I do know that in non-magical settings/genres, the absence of magical items always feels like a big hole to me. I think it's why I always return to fantasy.

 

[Maxperson]

As much as I think racial ASIs are poor design, if I had to choose between them and magic shop(pe)s, I would enthusiastically take the racial ASIs. I can't think of anything that spoils the feel of the game (for me) more than stores that sell magic items.

I dislike magic shops as well. I do occasionally have a merchant with an item or two, but those are very much exceptions. I also disliked how 3e expected a PC to have multiple magic items by like 4th level.

Rather than put in a +1 armor, a 2x day spell item, and wand with a lot of charges, I'd put in The Dark Cowl, a +1 cloak of protection that when drawn completely around the wearer cast darkness 2x day and if the PC fell anywhere but in broad daylight, would have the feather fall effect.

That had the effect of making magic items much rarer, while still keeping the PCs on the pace that 3e expected, as well as making the items much cooler and actually desirable by the players. It brought the magic to magic items back into the game.

 

[Micah Sweet]

As much as I think racial ASIs are poor design, if I had to choose between them and magic shop(pe)s, I would enthusiastically take the racial ASIs. I can't think of anything that spoils the feel of the game (for me) more than stores that sell magic items.

I'm not a fan of magic shops either, at least not the ones that just happen to have the item your paladin needs to finish her perfect build. Items should come from adventuring, or strange old folks selling cursed frogurt.

 

[Maxperson]

I actually think that's a super-interesting point, but I wish you had presented it as such, and something worth probing and exploring to reach understanding, instead of as (unless I'm mis-reading you) evidence of the weakness of the opposing position.

I personally dislike racial ASIs, but I don't mind when somebody else has "better" magic items than I do. Maybe that's because I know that some day I might get an even better one (or, at least, it will strengthen my position when we start discussing who gets the next one). Or because it's not an intrinsic relative weakness of my character. Not sure.

I have two views here. First, I personally have never cared about stat disparity. Perhaps because I've been rolling for stats since 1e, so all the PCs having equal stats has never been a thing for me. Second, when it comes to ASI's, everyone gets them. Assuming point buy or array, nobody should be ahead of anyone else unless you're playing a fighter, in which case he gets them in exchange for not having other abilities. That guy over there has a higher wisdom because of ASIs, but you have a higher charisma than him for the same reason.

Although I haven't thought a lot about this issue, I have thought a lot about why magic items are so compelling, and the answer I came up with may be relevant here: the reason we like magic items so much is that it gives us power beyond the deterministic progression of the rules. Sure, when you turn level 5 you get an additional +1, but that's just baseline progression. When you also get a +1 sword it puts you ahead of that baseline progression, and it feels like OVERWHELMING POWER.

The first time I ran 5e I gave out some magic weapons. I know better now. Not because the +1 or +2 unbalanced the game, but rather because many creatures are balance around 0-1 person being able to get through the damage resistance and if everyone is cutting through it, the creature loses much of it's ability to challenge the group.

In my new campaign I've created the house rule that a magic weapon with no + does not get through magic resistance. A weapon needs to be +1 or better for that. That way I can put in magic weapons without destroying that balance.

 

[Maxperson]

I dont know what malding means. Guess I must be out of touch.

I had to Google it.