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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Coronoides" data-source="post: 6734220" data-attributes="member: 6801453">@ X: I did not say 'flat-out' so, so don't put quotes around it. What I did was changed my expectations to match the evidence. Here's the actual quote. It's rather long. Note that WOTC's designers have said they use zero point traits."Why lesser traits?Initially I assumed all traits had a non-zero value. However, as I proceeded with the analysis the points remaining within races for some traits shrank and shrank eventually becoming zero. Increasing the granularity of the system by raising the point value of an ability score to much greater than 2pt might allow very small point values to be assigned to these traits. However, reanalysis would take tens of hours, may still end up with zero point traits, and make the system less user friendly by increasing the additions needed to create a race. Note that setting a limit on the number of lesser traits allowed effectively gives them a (very low) value anyway. Interestingly, as this article was nearing completion WOTC released “Unearthed Arcana: Waterborne Adventures” wherein the designers comfirm they use zero point traits, which they call ‘ribbons’.Why 6 lesser traits?The mean number of lesser traits for PHB races is 2 and the lowest number of lesser traits is 1. Drow have the highest number of lesser traits with 5. If you decide you allow Drow to speak Undercommon, as Svirfneblin do, then Drow would have 6. DarkvisionMany feel Darkvision is too useful to be 0pt. After-all there is a Darkvision spell and spells are worth points. I felt the same way. As I proceeded with the analysis I tried to keep some point cost on Darkvision but then I processed the Half-Elf. This race contains a total of +4 to ability scores (4 x 2 = 8pt) and 2 skills (2 x 2 = 4pt). The prices for skills and ability scores come straight from the Human Variant ‘Rossetta Stone’. 8 + 4 = 12, no points left over for the other traits. Since the other Half Elf traits, Darkvision, Fey Ancestry, and Extra Language, aren’t going to be negative they all must be zero. I guess that WOTC’s designer’s felt that with so many ways to circumvent normal darkness available Darkvision just wasn’t that much of an advantage."Ok, why do I assume all the races are balanced? Technically I don't but I do assume WOTC does. Why? Well as Zrynx mentioned if I don't I can't use the math to solve anything at all. Secondly, WOTC's press releases consistently reflect the fan's desire for balance and I don't think they would deliberately design some races to be more powerful than others. Did they succeed? We fans can argue that forever.  @Bednir: The system has been critiques and used through around seven threads during the construction, building example races, and beta release phases at RPG.net, WOTC forums, Boardgames geek, and now here. Additionally there has been some live testing at my home.</blockquote>

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