Still nobody's smart and strong?!?

[C4]

I sympathize, friend. Sure nobody needs a 100% complimentary race/class combo...but then again nobody needs a complimentary combo at all. It's all about player psychology, and I think it's a shame. There are lots of races that have a good argument for Str/Int; eladrin, dwarves, hobgoblin (refluffed gnoll), dragonborn as you mentioned. And that's just off the top of my head.

Really, I think that racial stat boosts are more trouble than they're worth, since usually their end effect is to homogenize the character types we see at the table. Ironic, no?

 

[Siberys]

I just ended up dropping racial stat boosts altogether. Everyone gets a +2 bonus to two stats of their choice.

I've even been considering decoupling attack effects (to-hit, damage, secondary, &c.) from abilities period, and just plop those numbers in the level progression. Then ability scores can be purely for skills and such.

 

[tuxgeo]

I sympathize, friend. Sure nobody needs a 100% complimentary race/class combo...but then again nobody needs a complimentary combo at all. It's all about player psychology, and I think it's a shame. There are lots of races that have a good argument for Str/Int; eladrin, dwarves, hobgoblin (refluffed gnoll), dragonborn as you mentioned. And that's just off the top of my head.

Really, I think that racial stat boosts are more trouble than they're worth, since usually their end effect is to homogenize the character types we see at the table. Ironic, no?

This.
The ultimate effect of having a common (i.e. not genasi) playable race with +2 ability boosts in STR&INT would probably be to nudge larger number of PCs into that race: they'd be good at melee, thrown weapons, arcane magic, and knowledge skills, all of which are wonderful for adventuring.

This might well result in some marginalizing of all other races--though there's no way to tell to what degree without trying it.

 

[BriarMonkey]

In all fairness to your issue, it sounds like WotC may have unknowingly (or knowingly) fallen into the assumption that big and strong does not also mean smart - the old expression "big and dumb" comes to mind. It's a prevalent enough mindset in media that they may have well not even considered that something can be smart, and physically adept - hence the complete lack of options.

And that's further exacerbated if you consider that the vast majority of non-core PC races are there simply to be combat targets for the PCs. Those pretty much amp up the physical stats vice mental ones - especially since they are "on stage" for a limited time.

The solution really, is to houserule what you need and not depend on WotC to fix any of them (especially with their focus on 5E now).

 

[the Jester]

I'm not sure I'd want to add a race for the sole purpose of filling a stat bonus combo.

I'm totally with the other jester here. Not to sound unsympathetic, but yeah.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the idea that each race should have a penalty (reflecting that they are, on average, less strong, intelligent, wise, or whatever than a human) as well as a bonus. I don't care for this "all other races have better stats than humanity" approach that has prevailed in D&D for the last few editions.

 

[Ferghis]

I'm surprised at everyone that's popping in here just to say that your point is wrong, without really any solid reason as to why that might be.

For what it's worth, I agree that there is a game-design space that shouldn't just be filled by elementaloids here. For those who say that races and scores should be based on roleplaying choices, the numbers should support that. Further, in 4e, the numbers are there mostly to resolve combat mechanics. You can play a character as a dainty damsel and still pump her strength to reflect her skill in melee combat.

I just ended up dropping racial stat boosts altogether. Everyone gets a +2 bonus to two stats of their choice.

I think this is a good idea. Or perhaps put the bonuses in the class ability scores, a la Next.

 

[Sunseeker]

Perhaps you should home-brew a race that is both strong and smart.

 

[Siberys]

I think this is a good idea. Or perhaps put the bonuses in the class ability scores, a la Next.

In practice, they're one in the same.

 

[Ramaster]

I think something like the Qunari from Dragon Age might be adequate for +STR +INT, but certainly NOT +CHA (They might be +CON or +WIS, though).

They are big and strong, similar to goliaths, but they have this strange philosophy that almost everyone agrees to and frequently discuss (and even those that don't agree act all weird).

They got quite a lot of development on Dragon Age 2 (and a bit of a retcon, since they now have horns and stuff) and I find them super interesting.

Alternatively, like someone else suggested, tie the stat bonuses to the classes and be done with it, that sounds like an awesome house rule.

 

[DEFCON 1]

This.
The ultimate effect of having a common (i.e. not genasi) playable race with +2 ability boosts in STR&INT would probably be to nudge larger number of PCs into that race: they'd be good at melee, thrown weapons, arcane magic, and knowledge skills, all of which are wonderful for adventuring.

This might well result in some marginalizing of all other races--though there's no way to tell to what degree without trying it.

Eh, I dunno. When you've got 44 different races to choose from... I find it hard to believe everyone would rush to a STR/INT race just because it existed... seeing as how the only two classes for which that would actually matter would be the Tactical Warlord and the Warrior/Wizard Hybrid.

And while I appreciate the sentiment that I can just "make it up myself" or "ignore them altogether"... one of the real issues for me is that WotC just never thought to look at the STR/INT combo as one that some races really should be. With almost 80 different combinations over 44 races... the fact they never saw more than a single race that could be smart and strong I just find to be rather uninspiring and a rather short-sighted.

But in terms of eventually having some races that have a STR/INT combo... I think it comes down to just needing to personally houserule. And in that regard, for me the ones that make the most sense that lean towards Tactical Warlord is to make Dragonborn STR; INT/CHA rather than STR; CON/CHA... and for the Hobgoblin to swap out CON for STR (also giving STR; INT/CHA).