D&D 5E Do you miss attribute minimums/maximums?

[Yaarel]

I would rather the D&D ‘adamantine’ be crystal and transparent, like its mythologically accurate Greco-Roman inspiration.

It calls attention to how, this substance is no normal metal substance. It can only be shaped into its form via methods of crystallization, and once formed, cannot be unshaped.

 

[Obryn]

Don't be a smartass. You know I'm talking about the descriptions, not the actual rules.

You're making an argument that "the game text doesn't back up halflings being as strong as half-orcs." Unless you can point at a rule or guideline that supports your claim, the actual text of the game book says you're wrong.

 

[Sadras]

I find it odd that you have to paint another gaming style with such a caricature, and assuming that everyone who doesn't do it exactly like you is lacking depth and substance and is unable to create meaningful characters.

You're absolutely right, and maybe in a revisionist work of the DL stories, Sturm will be a Thri-Kreen nymphomaniac, while in LotR, Legolas will be a pregnant Dragonborn and in the Conan stories, Conan will be the pixie Warlock Barbarian everyone on this thread keeps raving about.

I'm guessing its part of the reason why the dead-fly sounding elf gets so much hate. Just too much snow on these flakes.

 

[Yaarel]

If caps are set, it's probably better to adjust them from 1e ratings slightly. So human, dwarf, and half orc males would cap at 20 strength with everyone else at 19 and halflings at 18. You can then just set women at 2 points below that if you want. Half orcs should probably cap wisdom at 16. Dwarf dex or halfling wisdom capped at 18 etc. The net effect would make almost no difference but elves would be secure in the knowledge that only they could achieve dex 20. Seems like a lot of effort though...

In D&D 5e, all player characters cap at ability score 20. This limitation seems tolerated by the community because it is ‘fair’. It allows all races to be viable choices for a class because even if they start off lower, they can eventually reach the needed ability score. At epic levels, at Level 21+, the cap increases to 30.

This seems like a better way to go. If, for example, the Half-Orc capped at 22, then there would be significantly fewer Non-Orcs who participated in Strength-key classes.

And, if one worked around the cap by supplying Grugach Elves with Strength cap 22, Human feat with Strength cap 22, Dragonborn with Strength cap 22, Earth Genasi with Strength cap 22, the unlocking of all of the quasi-large brute races, along with the Orc and Mountain Dwarf at Strength cap 22, then this kind of explosion of ‘special’ races, is its own kind of problem. Nothing more than a cottage industry to work around an unnecessary ‘special’ race boost of a cap.



I support mins and maxes during character creation. But all races can have individuals who keep improving while leveling.

 

[Maxperson]

You're making an argument that "the game text doesn't back up halflings being as strong as half-orcs." Unless you can point at a rule or guideline that supports your claim, the actual text of the game book says you're wrong.

Eh, no. The fluff must match the crunch or there is a horrendous disconnect, which causes these issues. The fluff of the halfling and half-orc indicates that the half-orc is MUCH stronger. That fluff not matching the rules is just horrible game design.

 

[Maxperson]

This seems like a better way to go. If, for example, the Half-Orc capped at 22, then there would be significantly fewer Non-Orcs who participated in Strength-key classes.

If people want to be dumb, let them. That's their choice. Smart people understand that once you hit +5, that's more than you need already. The +1 more that half-orcs would get is just overkill.

 

[Yaarel]

If people want to be dumb, let them. That's their choice. Smart people understand that once you hit +5, that's more than you need already. The +1 more that half-orcs would get is just overkill.

True enough.

I didnt even go into why extra bonuses break the bounded accuracy of the 5e gaming system.

 

[Yaarel]

Eh, no. The fluff must match the crunch or there is a horrendous disconnect, which causes these issues. The fluff of the halfling and half-orc indicates that the half-orc is MUCH stronger. That fluff not matching the rules is just horrible game design.

!

Fluff must match crunch.

For me, this is a prerequisite for being willing to play the game.

 

[Sadras]

In D&D 5e, all player characters cap at ability score 20. This limitation seems tolerated by the community because it is ‘fair’. It allows all races to be viable choices for a class because even if they start off lower, they can eventually reach the needed ability score. At epic levels, at Level 21+, the cap increases to 30.

It makes half-orcs terrifying due to their strength. It means halflings survive due to their fast reflexes. Can you imagine the outcry if in the movie Warcraft a halfling parried an orc-blow?

The score is not 'needed'.

This seems like a better way to go. If, for example, the Half-Orc capped at 22, then there would be significantly fewer Non-Orcs who participated in Strength-key classes.

Given that half-orcs generally gravitate towards strength based classes - do you find that unusual?
Also one can instead cap halfling strength at 16 rather than increase the half-orc threshold to 22.

 

[Yaarel]

It makes half-orcs terrifying due to their strength.

For example, this is how I would write up the Half-Orc.

Half-Orc ability score modification: When you create a Half Orc character, you must assign a score of 15 or higher to Strength. Additionally, this Strength score improves by +2. You must assign a score of at least 13 to Constitution, and this Constitution score improves by +1.

(In other words, members of the Half-Orc race will tend to exhibit a Strength of 17 to 20.)



Halfling ability score modification: When you create a Halfling character, you must assign a score of 9 or lower to Strength and a score of 13 or lower to Constitution. You must assign a score of 13 or higher to Dexterity, and this Dexterity score improves by +2.

(In other words, Halflings tend to exhibit Dexterity between 15 to 20.)