D&D 5E Discriminating Against Sameness: A Case for Readjusting Racial Bonuses and Ability Score Increases

[BookBarbarian]

I also dislike the sameness, but I'm thinking of a different approach.

Scrap Racial bonuses to Stats and replace them with Racial abilities. A Goliath's +2 to Str, and +1 to Con are way more boring to me than Stone's Endurance because when I use the latter I'm actively being a Goliath by doing something only a Goliath can do!

For example you drop the +2 to Cha for Half-Elves, and replace it with a Charm ability. Now a half elf can still be great at any class, but no longer is incentivized to choose certain classes And with 3 or 4 unique racial abilities a Half-elf Wizard will feel more distinct from a High Elf Wizard which feels distinct from a Mountain Dwarf wizard.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

What's the difference between a 20 Str, 20 Con Dwarf fighter and a 20 Str, 20 Con goliath fighter?

I'm arguing that differences in numbers matter, so there's not that big of a difference between two characters with identical stats. That's my point. Stats should matter, and if you follow the premise of this thread, the stats will matter even more since the dwarf will have Con 22 and the goliath will have Str 22.

What's the differece betwen an Half-Orc wizard and a Dragonborn wizard?

The dragonborn is probably better at talking to people.

I'd prefer dwarven wizards who enjoy being underground, wood elf wizard who can hide, and halfling wizards who like to put on a show, rather than just have them all simply be bad wizards.

That's still true, though, even when they have stat differences. Dwarf wizards will still appreciate being underground, and halfling wizards will still like to entertain, because those are social things that have nothing to do with their stats. You don't lose those things, just from also including stat differences.

So you only allow Tiefling clerics in order to show how superior Aasimar clerics are?

Tiefling clerics exist because tiefling communities need spiritual guidance, and they want the blessings of the gods. They aren't going to bring in an aasimar just because they're slightly better at it.

Why not simply say make a race/class restriction?
Only goliath's can be barbarains.
Only elves can be archers.

Because those restrictions don't both make sense, unless goliaths are from a culture where they never invented bows. (Which is entirely possible, in any given setting.) Most societies that have the knowledge and materials to craft bows will have archers, unless they're technologically adept enough to have guns or something. The ability to shoot people/animals from far away is super useful.

 

[mellored]

Dwarf wizards will still appreciate being underground

Why would they? They get nothing from it.

those are social things that have nothing to do with their stats.

That's something we can agree on.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Why would they? They get nothing from it.

Because dwarves like being underground. It's a dwarf thing. They like caves, and dislike open spaces.

The rules of the game reflect the reality of the game world; they don't define it. There are plenty of things which are simply true, without needing to be codified anywhere in the rules.

 

[snickersnax]

Otherwise, what did your players think of it?

We've only played lower levels with it. Humans were still the most common pick, so the sample size is very small for other races. We had the common 1st and 2nd level near deaths, but everyone survived with lucky dice rolls and decision making that turned out to be the right choice... With the whole party low on hit points, the monk, who was being attacked by an owl bear and didn't want to be, tanked an extra round by successfully dodging and the ranger was able to finish it off. Tier 2 seems about the same. I don't think the changes are really big enough to see huge swings. TBH I think the players are more interested in the the adventure than the mechanics and a 5-10% swing in dice rolls is difficult to notice because no one is comparing the game we are playing to the game we are not playing.

 

[snickersnax]

I'm all for making races different, but ability scores aren't really different. Your just getting a number boost and that's it. All archers are now elves and all barbarians are goliaths, and you will never see an Aasimar fighter/wizard/rogue/monk/etc...

I can see your concern that player optimization could lead to fewer choices, but it works well for my players. As per the Player's Handbook, we pick race first and then class. You're not an archer who becomes an elf you're an elf who becomes an archer.

I guess I tend to think of my world more organically. Elves are more likely to be archers because they are good at it, but they also make good bards and wild magic sorcerers and Oath of Ancients Paladins and Archfey warlocks, and druids, and rogues. Goliaths might be barbarians if they grew up in the outlands and have something to be pissed about, but they can make good fighters, they can play other classes too, but goliaths were always going to be thinking strength based class...

 

[ccs]

We've only played lower levels with it. Humans were still the most common pick, so the sample size is very small for other races. We had the common 1st and 2nd level near deaths, but everyone survived with lucky dice rolls and decision making that turned out to be the right choice... With the whole party low on hit points, the monk, who was being attacked by an owl bear and didn't want to be, tanked an extra round by successfully dodging and the ranger was able to finish it off. Tier 2 seems about the same. I don't think the changes are really big enough to see huge swings. TBH I think the players are more interested in the the adventure than the mechanics and a 5-10% swing in dice rolls is difficult to notice because no one is comparing the game we are playing to the game we are not playing.

Well, since you're using you're changes you're actually ahead of many people who post rules variants. And if they please the group? Then there's the feedback that counts.

 

[snickersnax]

What's the difference between a 20 Str, 20 Con Dwarf fighter and a 20 Str, 20 Con goliath fighter?

I'm arguing that differences in numbers matter, so there's not that big of a difference between two characters with identical stats. That's my point. Stats should matter, and if you follow the premise of this thread, the stats will matter even more since the dwarf will have Con 22 and the goliath will have Str 22.

And if the dwarf chooses to have a 22 con, he's likely to have only an 18 strength and the 22 strength goliath will probably have an 18 constitution.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

And if the dwarf chooses to have a 22 con, he's likely to have only an 18 strength and the 22 strength goliath will probably have an 18 constitution.

That really depends on your level, and whether or not you have feats in your game. If you're decently high level, and not using feats, then it's kind of an acknowledged truth that every strength-based character will max out their strength and constitution eventually. (Paladins might only be able to max out their strength and charisma, if they don't have favorable starting stats.)

 

[Draegn]

I also dislike the sameness, but I'm thinking of a different approach.

Scrap Racial bonuses to Stats and replace them with Racial abilities. A Goliath's +2 to Str, and +1 to Con are way more boring to me than Stone's Endurance because when I use the latter I'm actively being a Goliath by doing something only a Goliath can do!

For example you drop the +2 to Cha for Half-Elves, and replace it with a Charm ability. Now a half elf can still be great at any class, but no longer is incentivized to choose certain classes And with 3 or 4 unique racial abilities a Half-elf Wizard will feel more distinct from a High Elf Wizard which feels distinct from a Mountain Dwarf wizard.

In my game I have done something similar. Each race has ten abilities that scale to four different levels. A player is allowed to choose up to four levels of abilities. A player can have four abilities at level one, one at level four, or whatever combination they wish. For those who want to play a multiracial character they divide the four levels between their parent races.