D&D 5E D&D Peoples/Species change ideas

[DnD Warlord]

Someone else came up with the idea, but i like it.

Race gives you either a +1 to one physical stat (str dex or con) and culture (replace subrace) gives you +1 to a mental stat (int wis or cha)
You then would have a floating +1 that could go to any of the 6 stats.

The race gives you physical things like dark vision or speed boost. Your culture give you things like a skill or prof.

Of course this would require some races be split up... elf and drow would not just be different sub choices.

 

[DnD Warlord]

Someone else came up with the idea, but i like it.

Race gives you either a +1 to one physical stat (str dex or con) and culture (replace subrace) gives you +1 to a mental stat (int wis or cha)
You then would have a floating +1 that could go to any of the 6 stats.

The race gives you physical things like dark vision or speed boost. Your culture give you things like a skill or prof.

Of course this would require some races be split up... elf and drow would not just be different sub choices.

Example:
All elves get +1 dex, dark vision, and get fey anessty.

Choose wood elf +1 wis and long bow prof or high elf +1 int and long sword prof

 

[Crimson Longinus]

culture (replace subrace) gives you +1 to a mental stat (int wis or cha)

Yep, it sure sounds like a great idea to tie mental ability bonuses to cultures, many of which can easily be seen as analogous to real life cultures...
I'm sure nothing could go wrong with that...

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Illusion or not, if that's how people feel then that's how it will be. If they feel that they got to have 16 in their main stat to be effective then they always put it there while the rules allow it.

I find that pointing it out to new players leads to new players who don’t worry as much about “maxing their main stat”.

 

[DnD Warlord]

Yep, it sure sounds like a great idea to tie mental ability bonuses to cultures, many of which can easily be seen as analogous to real life cultures...
I'm sure nothing could go wrong with that...

The point is that any race or species can be raised to favor any one mental stat...mixing with a floating +1 any and making it clear DMs not only can but are encouraged to make new cultures...

Make some cultures multi racial. So an orc, an elf and a dwarf all from Freedale havethe same culture.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

The point is that any race or species can be raised to favor any one mental stat...mixing with a floating +1 any and making it clear DMs not only can but are encouraged to make new cultures...

Make some cultures multi racial. So an orc, an elf and a dwarf all from Freedale havethe same culture.

Think about a typical fantasy world such as Forgotten Realms. Many of the cultures are pretty clearly based on real cultures, either directly or less directly. Don't you see a huge issue with assigning mental ability bonuses for such cultures? Like would you want to be the game designer who has to decide what mental bonuses people living in 'Fantasy Africa' get as opposed to those who live in 'Fantasy Europe'? Because I sure as hell wouldn't.

This is far, far more problematic than assigning bonuses via fantasy races, which at least are biologically distinct species.

 

[DnD Warlord]

Think about a typical fantasy world such as Forgotten Realms. Many of the cultures are pretty clearly based on real cultures, either directly or less directly. Don't you see a huge issue with assigning mental ability bonuses for such cultures? Like would you want to be the game designer who has to decide what mental bonuses people living in 'Fantasy Africa' get as opposed to those who live in 'Fantasy Europe'? Because I sure as hell wouldn't.

This is far, far more problematic than assigning bonuses via fantasy races, which at least are biologically distinct species.

If EVERY culture gets a +1 to one stat then yes I see no problem...they are all equal.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

If EVERY culture gets a +1 to one stat then yes I see no problem...they are all equal.

But which stat? You don't think there wouldn't be an issue if 'Fantasy Africans' get +1 to Wis and 'Fantasy Europeans' get +1 to Int?

 

[Blue]

What? They've been there forever. How are they bad for the game?

Well friends, you see, if some races have Str bonuses, then they're optimal for Strength classes. Same for the other, non-con ability scores. Removing ability score bonuses as a function of race would diversify the game, make for other class/race combos to be viable.

So where do the ability score bonuses go? They go to class. Your class gives you +2 to your primary stat, or a choice between a few (fighter can choose Str or Dex). Your subclass then gives you +1 to a secondary stat. Move subclass choices to first level. These aren't given out via multiclassing.

Counterpoint: They can be bad for the game when they define class. But if they don't define class, rather just inform and flavor, that "bad for the game" aspect goes away.

13th Age is a d20 that came out a bit before 5e and they share a lot of philosophy. It's made by a lead designer of 3.0 and the lead designer of 4e as the game they would want to play in their weekly group. It left races with a choice of +2 to two ability scores. But it also gave class a +2 to a choice of ability scores. And those +2 had to go to different abilities.

So you always had the ability score bonuses to play any class - as you put forth - but you still retain the ability of the race to flavor. A halfling wizard was more likely to be dexterous vs. a dwarf have a high constitution - even if both had a +2 to intelligence.

This eliminates the problem you are calling out, while still allowing races to have a mechanical feel in ability scores.

This is important because races need that design room to still exist for the concepts that aren't blandly close to median. Some of us enjoy the idea of playing a centaur or a tiny sprite, or some there fantastical archetype where saying "they have the same ability scores as a medium sized human" just doesn't work well.

 

[DnD Warlord]

But which stat? You don't think there wouldn't be an issue if 'Fantasy Africans' get +1 to Wis and 'Fantasy Europeans' get +1 to Int?

No I don't...because with the floating +1 and the species race +1. Either could be anything