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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Xeviat" data-source="post: 8040967" data-attributes="member: 57494">So, there's a lot of talk about changing the race system in D&D. Pathfinder 2 has adjusted racial features to be more optional, so not all dwarves are miners and not all elves are archers, and, presumably, not all orcs are bloodthirsty killers. There's a whole conversation about biological essentialism and how fantasy races can lean into racist themes, but I'm not here to discuss whether the issue is real or not (there's other threads for that).I'm here to discuss it from a gameplay standpoint. So, it makes sense that different species would have different biological traits. It makes sense that some are stronger, tougher, more agile, even smarter (though how you define that is where you can get yourself into dangerous territory). But, translating these differences into ability scores may be bad for the game.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.Then, wrap back around and give features to do what you imagined the race/species as, without the ability score bonuses. Increases to carrying capacity and bonuses to athletics for a strong race, maybe a 1/short rest damage boost. Increased speed and Dex saves for agile races. And so on.It would require a lot of work, but then, say, a tiefling fighter or an orc sorcerer could be viable characters.</blockquote>

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