Alternatives to Human Ability Score Boosts

[r0gershrubber]

My thought is that Humans should have a large list of traits that they can choose from to represent their adaptability. Here are a few ideas.

Ability Training: Double the ability bonus granted by your class. This bonus can not increase your ability score above 18.

Favored Weapon: Choose any weapon. Your damage dice from that weapon are increased by one step.

Well Traveled: Gain an extra language of your choice.

Overachiever: Trained skills start at a +4 instead of a +3.

Quick Study: You gain feats one level before you otherwise would.

Learned: Choose any two skills. You are trained in those skills.

This is a great idea because (1) it further differentiates humans who should be a diverse group, (2) it parallels the choice for other races between sub-races, and (3) it works with optional skills and feats by simply disallowing those options.

 

[cmbarona]

My thought is that Humans should have a large list of traits that they can choose from to represent their adaptability. Here are a few ideas.

Ability Training: Double the ability bonus granted by your class. This bonus can not increase your ability score above 18.

Favored Weapon: Choose any weapon. Your damage dice from that weapon are increased by one step.

Well Traveled: Gain an extra language of your choice.

Overachiever: Trained skills start at a +4 instead of a +3.

Quick Study: You gain feats one level before you otherwise would.

Learned: Choose any two skills. You are trained in those skills.


I could also see abilities that tie into classes, like extra spell slots or points. The advantage of this setup is that rules can interact with optional components. If you aren't using Skills or Feats, then those options won't be chosen.

Agreed. I think what bothers me right now is that the ability score bonuses, while numerically neat, don't actually do much within a class. I may end up with +1 to attack over my non-human companion, but when it comes to actually being a fighter, I'm not that much better off that a dwarf or elf. In fact, other races can easily be better at their class with their racial features than a human with that +1 here or there. Maybe it's just perception; I haven't done the math or anything. But it seems the non-human races are a lot better at their niche than humans can currently hope to be.

 

[CleverNickName]

We played last weekend's playtest with the human as-written. This weekend, we are going to try something different: All humans start with a +2 bonus to their two lowest ability scores. Instead of giving them a strength, we are going to take a shot at removing their weaknesses.

 

[Mattachine]

I like something like giving humans two backgrounds (to represent varied ability, adaptability) and +2 to a stat of their choice.