D&D 5E Alternate Character Creation rules (houserule)

[Warforged DK]

I have never liked the idea of Ability Score Increases tied to race, which I know is a pretty sacred cow of D&D over the years. In my last game I tried to adjust a bit and had Class give the bonus to ability score rather than race, based on either saving throw proficiency or on main attack stat. I've always felt like the racial abilities show how the race is better at one aspect than the +2, +1 method. Dwarves have hardier constitution and it shows with their resistance to poison. Elves are swift in how they have bonus to speed and can ignore some difficult terrain. That sort of thing.
I'd always liked the idea of playing off-race/class synergy, so that you could get a Dwarf rogue, or Halfling Paladin or Barbarian without starting off behind the race that gets the +2 to main stat. You could even run a Half Orc Bard or even Wizard using this method, thereby freeing up the possibilities for characters.
So, here's how I did it:
I replaced the +2, +1 method and ended up going with every character getting a those ASI's based on class. Humans were a bit tricky, as were Half Elves. Humans were only variant human, and the free feat at level 1 couldn't be one that gave a bonus to ability score. Half Elves gained an extra skill proficiency.

Class	+2	+1
Artificer	INT	DEX
Barbarian	STR	CON
Bard	CHA	DEX
Cleric	WIS	CHA or STR
Druid	WIS	INT
Fighter	STR or DEX	CON
Monk	DEX	WIS
Paladin	STR	CHA
Ranger	STR or DEX	WIS
Rogue	DEX	INT or CHA
Sorcerer	CHA	CON
Warlock	CHA	WIS
Wizard	INT	WIS

I've also toyed with the idea of Sorcerer's casting based off CON and not CHA, but I haven't tested that yet.
What do you think of these houserules? Would anyone else use them? Why or why not?

 

[NotAYakk]

Why limit where the +2+1 go at all?

 

[Warforged DK]

Why limit where the +2+1 go at all?

Mainly because I think the class itself trains the character towards certain paths. It's why they have their Save proficiencies the way they are. A trained Fighter is going to be stronger or more accurate with a bow than a Sorcerer would.

 

[NotAYakk]

The saves actually have balance considerations.

But my 20 dex 14 cha bard, or dex barbs/paladins... Or bladesinger wizards... Or variant rangers who use a enchanted club. Str rogues or Warlocks. All weakened by your choices.

I'd provide a set of stats by background, race and class, and lst the player pick a +2/+1 from those. So if a wizard wants +2 dex, they need a dexy race or background, but can get it.

 

[plisnithus8]

I like the racial bonuses. A Goliath should naturally be stronger on average than a gnome.
Classes get the majority of features; races would blur together even more without ability bonuses.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I like the racial bonuses. A Goliath should naturally be stronger on average than a gnome.
Classes get the majority of features; races would blur together even more without ability bonuses.

I agree, though I have no problem with simply adding a +1 or 2 to class, just to help encourage more thematic but not currently well supported combinations, like forest gnome Druids.

But a Goliath stealthy archer should be stronger than a gnome of the same profession, including in ways not covered by powerful build.

 

[oreofox]

I've done something similar, going back to something similar to the playtest. My races give a +1 to a score of the player's choice, while the class gives a +2 to one of two scores (pretty much based on the class's saving throw proficiencies), which the player chooses.

So far, this hasn't caused any problems in the year that I've had this change active. It's allowed for more freedom in race/class combinations, which I have expressed my dislike of every tiefling being a sorcerer or warlock, every half-orc being a barbarian, etc. Also, I reduced ability score caps to 18 instead of 20. I've had the more ambitious idea of changing all the ability scores to be similar to AD&D, but I'd have to make adjustments for the spell attack (int, wis, cha didn't have any bonuses to hit), which would be a bigger pain than adjusting all the creatures in the MM's math to reflect the changes in ability scores.

 

[DND_Reborn]

FWIW, we changed Sorcerer's to CON spell casting months ago. It work fine IME. They also have saves in CON and INT, CHA was removed completely.

 

[oreofox]

FWIW, we changed Sorcerer's to CON spell casting months ago. It work fine IME. They also have saves in CON and INT, CHA was removed completely.

I did the same thing. Based Sorcerers on Con spell casting (makes more sense since the sorcerer's spellcasting is inherent and in their blood. IMO anyway).

 

[DND_Reborn]

Also, I like the idea that races have max ability scores improved instead of adding to the scores themselves.

Basically, the idea is like this:

Each character (other than variant human) gains a +2 and a +1 to place wherever they want (even in the same place). Variant humans get two +1's.

Humans are capped at 18. Other races are also capped at 18, but with one 20. Elves get DEX, Half-Orcs STR, etc. To balance that, I've thought of capping other races with one 16 someplace...

IMO the most "Dexterous" human should not be as good as the most "Dexterous" Elf, for example.