D&D 5E What To Do With Racial ASIs?

[DND_Reborn]

I based it on what a 16 14 14 12 10 8 default array would buy, but I'm flexible with the amounts. Its a spitball.

I think that is only a 31-point array, but yeah, a point or two here or there--no big deal.

 

[Yardiff]

We almost always do point-buy. But we do it more so you won't get someone who rolls lucky and dominates a lot in the early game.

We learned that in our main game. Some of those PCs were rolled. One guy rolled the following scores:

STR 19 (17+2)
DEX 16
CON 18 (17+1)
INT 14
WIS 14
CHA 13

He made a half-orc rogue and quickly multiclassed into fighter. He bumped DEX to 18 at level 4, and hasn't used an ASI for stats since. Meanwhile, the rest of us have been doing both feats and ASIs to catch up. I just got two feats (Rogue 10 and Character Level 16, our MC system), and put a ASI +2 in INT and an ASI +2 in WIS to bump them both as a cleric and wizard to 18s.

We've tried other rolling systems, but ultimately point-buy works best for us. If you want some level of randomness in it, do a base number of points plus a die roll, something like 2d6 + 20. The average will be 27, min 22, and max 32. Just a thought if you want a combination of both.

This is why, when rolling for stats, I always suggest a cap of 18 after racial so the obvious pick isnt always the best. So your players probably wouldnt have picked 1/2 orc if he'd lose a point.

 

[DND_Reborn]

This is why, when rolling for stats, I always suggest a cap of 18 after racial so the obvious pick isnt always the best. So your players probably wouldnt have picked 1/2 orc if he'd lose a point.

It really wouldn't have made a difference since both are +4 modifiers...

And actually he took half-orc because it fit the character's background more so than for the racial modifiers.

 

[Yardiff]

It really wouldn't have made a difference since both are +4 modifiers...

And actually he took half-orc because it fit the character's background more so than for the racial modifiers.

Shrug

 

[Tonguez]

I like modular games - (I played GURPS before 3e and now play Fate) and so love the idea of floating bonuses. But then we may as well shift to a modular system where I can create my own race (and class) based on shuffling feats and floating bonuses. But then I wont be playing DnD

I dont mind how DnD races are constructed, different races have different physical and mental traits, just Lose the cultural background ability and racial weapons

 

[cbwjm]

Make races like a half-elf, +2 to a specific stat with a couple floating +1s. That way dwarves are on average more hardy than most, elves and halflings more dexterous, half-orcs and dragonborn stronger, etc. It keeps the core competency of the race while letting the player choose any class and start with a +3 mod in their main stat.

 

[Mercurius]

+2/+1 floating sounds good on first blush, but doesn't make sense with further thought. It just adds an unnecessary step to character creation. If everyone has it, why not just increase standard array slightly?

 

[FrogReaver]

+2/+1 floating sounds good on first blush, but doesn't make sense with further thought. It just adds an unnecessary step to character creation. If everyone has it, why not just increase standard array slightly?

I tend to agree but there’s also rolling to consider.

 

[MarkB]

I'd be happy with either making them a floating bonus or boosting point buy / standard array / rolling. I'm tired of optimal race/class combos, and would much prefer to make those choices entirely independently.

 

[Mercurius]

I tend to agree but there’s also rolling to consider.

Sure - and I do prefer rolling. But the same logic applies.

I voted "leave them alone" but I kind of like the class/background option, so gave a second vote there. Maybe all three?