D&D 5E Adding +2 ability bonus to all classes. Way to make all class/race combos more or less equal.

[Horwath]

13th Age, a d20 that came out before 5e, does this. Races give a +2 to choice of two ability scores. Classes give a choice of +2 to two ability scores. You always can make any race/class combo work.

(They also do various things that move ability scores from CRITICAL to just Important mechanically.)

That is great.

Shame that they didn't used it in 5e.

 

[flametitan]

If I ever wanted to fix it, I'd probably go with "You can point buy a 16 for +3 points, but you cannot raise a stat above 16 by any method, whether points or racial bonus". It makes race combos slight better for being more efficient, but it doesn't let them elevate it above what someone without such a racial bonus could do. Of course, I'm also combining it in a setting that is "No ASIs; just feats," so it's a little more critical to start with that +3 than in a normal game with class ASIs.

 

[Mistwell]

I'm thinking of an idea to add +2 to one of the key abilities for every class.

That way every character, no matter the race will have option to start with max score in their key ability if they chose so.(15+2 on point buy).

This +2 ability bonus from class would NOT stack with any racial ability bonus.

This bonus applies only to 1st level character. That is, multiclass character do not gain that bonus when they gain 1st level in another class.

Every class would have 3 abilities to choose from to give +2 bonus.


Class key abilities are:


Barbarian: str,dex,con

Bard: dex,int,cha

Cleric: str,wis,cha

Druid: dex,int,wis

Fighter: str,dex,con

Monk: dex,con,wis

Paladin: str,con,cha

Ranger: str,dex,wis

Rogue: dex,int,wis

Sorcerer: dex,con,cha

Warlock: str,dex,cha

Wizard: dex,int,wis

Do you mean, "won't stack" or do you mean "replaces" the racial ability bonus?

If you mean they still get their racial ability bonus as long as it's not the same stat they're boosting for class, then I think it's a mistake. You're not evening anything out, you're just benefiting those who want two or three ability scores boosted for their build. For example, if they want a Dex paladin, they will just take, for example (to make it interesting) a Goblin, get the boost to Dex and Con from that, and then get a boost to Cha from the free +2. So now they have all three stats they want boosted with a boost. Meanwhile, the melee fighter who just needs Str and Con doesn't get as much of a benefit from it.

I would just say you can REPLACE your racial bonus with a +2 to any one ability score of your choice, and leave it at that.

 

[pdegan2814]

There is to much equal already, in a game which was never meant to be like that, except eventually 4e.

I vote for giving the +2 and -2 to stats again, like 3e for more diversity

I'd be OK with something like this, under some conditions:
* You can't give the bonus to a stat that was improved by a racial bonus
* You can't use it to boost a stat above 17(max from point-buy plus racial bonus)
* I'd also allow the player to do +1/-1 instead if it fits better for them

 

[pdegan2814]

13th Age, a d20 that came out before 5e, does this. Races give a +2 to choice of two ability scores. Classes give a choice of +2 to two ability scores. You always can make any race/class combo work.

(They also do various things that move ability scores from CRITICAL to just Important mechanically.)

I'm not a big fan of that, I like the idea of certain races being naturally inclined towards some classes more than others as reflected by their racial stat adjustments.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

The stat inflation is getting crazy. But whatever is fun go for it.

 

[Blue]

I'm not a big fan of that, I like the idea of certain races being naturally inclined towards some classes more than others as reflected by their racial stat adjustments.

That's valid, and that's why there are plenty of different games out there. I find I have more fun with the exact opposite - my wishes dictate my character as opposed to my knowledge of the mechanics. This was really driven home a few years back when helping my kids make characters and they had concepts they just did not work at all mechanically - but were great concepts you could easily read in a story.

You still had racial influence because that was one of your two ability boosts. So if you're making a wood elf fighter, you're much more likely to go a DEX route because you can pick that from Wood Elf and CON from Fighter. You could take +2 STR from Fighter and then you are +2 DEX or WIS from Wood Elf.

 

[cbwjm]

Reincarnate is a favourite.

I don't think I'd really play along with reincarnate. If I'm playing an elven wizard then that is what I want to play. I'd end up telling the other players to just use raise dead or else I'd say that I "randomly" reincarnate as an elf, the same elf. There would be no difference.

The signature of champions.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

The stat inflation is getting crazy. But whatever is fun go for it.

Everyone is going to end up with a 20 in their main stat anyway, so it doesn't really matter how generous the generation method is. This just gets the boring obvious choices out of the way more quickly, so characters get to diversify into less-useful stats sooner.

 

[Caliban]

I don't think it's needed, but if you were going to do this I would strip the +2 bonus from the main race, while leaving the bonus from each sub race. (Elves lose the +2 Dex, Dwarves lose their +2 Con, etc). Then you get the +2 for the main stat of each class (with some classes giving you a choice - Fighters gives +2 Dex or Str, Barbs +2 Str, Paladins +2 Str or Cha, Warlocks +2 Cha, etc.)