D&D 5E Racial Ability Score Mods

[Kurzon]

I'm thinking about importing Pathfinder's racial ability score mods into my campaign, because they better match my ideas of racial strengths/weaknesses. But can someone point me toward a link or quote from Mearls about the reason for not having negative racial ability score modifiers in 5E? I'm sure I remember reading something about this at some point during the playtest period.

Also, what's the rationale behind the +1's in 5E? From memory, the designers didn't bother with +1's in 3E because it wouldn't bump an ability score up enough for a bonus. Just wondering what's changed that view now (apart from having a different design team)?

Cheers.

 

[Leatherhead]

The +1's stem from starting with an array that features odd stats, and having a cap of 20. Also, there is no point to having a 1-20 scale if only 10 of the numbers actually matter.

Not having a negative stat modifier is probably to keep the scores from dropping below 8 and just totally screwing with bounded accuracy, but that is just conjecture on my part.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

The existence of ability score bonuses already penalizes players a lot for playing against type. Bringing ability score penalties to the mix just makes things even worse.

 

[fjw70]

Actually I would like to see racial ability mods go away. They are unnecessary IMO.

 

[bedir than]

I miss the negative modifiers. I just find it too difficult to have a zero-level halfling with an 18 STR. This likely has to do with me being a power user in AD&D(both).

 

[Ravenheart87]

I just find it too difficult to have a zero-level halfling with an 18 STR.

Try arm wrestling with a chimp and this will change.

 

[bedir than]

Try arm wrestling with a chimp and this will change.

Have Magnus Magnusson arm wrestle with the chimp

 

[Kurzon]

The +1's stem from starting with an array that features odd stats, and having a cap of 20. Also, there is no point to having a 1-20 scale if only 10 of the numbers actually matter.

But in 5E the bonuses from ability scores still run +1 every second number. So, effectively, only 10 of the numbers do actually matter, same as 3E.

Not having a negative stat modifier is probably to keep the scores from dropping below 8 and just totally screwing with bounded accuracy, but that is just conjecture on my part.

If the scores have a cap of 20, maybe there should be an end cap of 8.

 

[bedir than]

But in 5E the bonuses from ability scores still run +1 every second number. So, effectively, only 10 of the numbers do actually matter, same as 3E.

But there are also checks, saves, etc built out of the ability scores. So the differences still matter.

If the scores have a cap of 20, maybe there should be an end cap of 8.

I like that people, even heroic people, can be awful at things. Overcoming the awfulness is fun.

 

[Sunseeker]

Actually I would like to see racial ability mods go away. They are unnecessary IMO.

I generally agree. The racial proficiencies, special abilities and so on are plenty to honestly represent the races. I mean look at all the elf-subtypes. They're not differentiated by their +1 stat mod differences, but by their way of life and special features.