D&D (2024) Learning to Love the Background System

[Crimson Longinus]

No, it really isn't.

Well, then you don't need ASIs for your rolled stats, I guess.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, then you don't need ASIs for your rolled stats, I guess.

Not really related at all.

 

[Remathilis]

Not really related at all.

What a weird, non sequitur conversation:

• Why do we keep ASI? We should just build them into the point buy amount.
• Because people insist on rolling stats
• Rolling stats is good actually
• No it isn't
• Yes it is
• Ok, but since we're talking about removing ASI, then people who roll wouldn't have modifiers to their rolls
• That's not relevant.

And so we loop back to ASI being part of the game because people refuse to give up rolling and still want a free micro-point buy on top to fix their bad rolls (or abuse their good ones).

 

[Parmandur]

What a weird, non sequitur conversation:

• Why do we keep ASI? We should just build them into the point buy amount.
• Because people insist on rolling stats
• Rolling stats is good actually
• No it isn't
• Yes it is
• Ok, but since we're talking about removing ASI, then people who roll wouldn't have modifiers to their rolls
• That's not relevant.

And so we loop back to ASI being part of the game because people refuse to give up rolling and still want a free micro-point buy on top to fix their bad rolls (or abuse their good ones).

ASI being part of Background has nothing to do with the base assumptions of the game being based in rolled stats.

ASI is in Background so that there is more of an impact from choosing Background thst sticks around across the whole game. It would be there even if theybtook out rolling for stats. Hence, rolling for stats and the starting ASI are irrelevant to each other.

 

[Remathilis]

ASI being part of Background has nothing to do with the base assumptions of the game being based in rolled stats.

ASI is in Background so that there is more of an impact from choosing Background thst sticks around across the whole game. It would be there even if theybtook out rolling for stats. Hence, rolling for stats and the starting ASI are irrelevant to each other.

ASI even existing was the point of that exchange. The fact they are attached to background rather than species doesn't matter insofar as they even need to exist because that +2/+1 can't just be added to the point buy equvalent point pool.

 

[Parmandur]

ASI even existing was the point of that exchange. The fact they are attached to background rather than species doesn't matter insofar as they even need to exist because that +2/+1 can't just be added to the point buy equvalent point pool.

It has everything with wanting Background to be mechabically significant, it has nothing to do with the stat generation method.

 

[Remathilis]

It has everything with wanting Background to be mechabically significant, it has nothing to do with the stat generation method.

Two skills, a tool, and a feat, plus 50gp of gear, is already significant. ASI is a relic of racial design that they had to find a new home for and thought that background was the best place to move it to.

 

[Parmandur]

Two skills, a tool, and a feat, plus 50gp of gear, is already significant. ASI is a relic of racial design that they had to find a new home for and thought that background was the best place to move it to.

And has nothing to do with the method used for ability generation.

 

[Minigiant]

Basically rolling for stats is too fun to get rid of.

 

[Remathilis]

And has nothing to do with the method used for ability generation.

Yes it does. ASI doesn't need to exist if point buy is the default method of character generation. You simply increase the # of points and the cap to 16. If you get rid of ASI and put that extra into the point pool, you end up statistically similar without needing an extra step.

If you got rid of ASI at chargen and added that equivalent to the point buy pool:
1. Background would not suffer since they still would have plenty of mechanical heft
2. Point bought/default array characters would not suffer since their stats with be similar to the current system's totals
3. Rolled characters would suffer since they would have to accept exactly what they rolled rather than being able to massage their scores with +1/+2 or three+1s.

But it's that third group of people who want both "the freedom of the dice" and their 16+ starting score that forces ASI to remain as a second unnecessary step.