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

[FrogReaver]

I’m pretty convinced that house ruling ASI’s to be floating +2/+1’s will actually create more power disparity for class + race combos than less.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

So don't make a strong halfling?

And play with people who share your aesthetics and won't make strong halflings?

Or is it just the possibility of a strong halfling lurking in the rules that would cause the disassociation for you?

The rules are supposed to reflect the lore. If they don't, they're disassociated. We usually don't fix such issues by 'just agreeing not to do it.' Illusionist not being able to cast healing spells does not depend on just agreeing not to take them.

+1 pound to maximum carrying capacity.

That's more granular.

Very funny.

 

[Helldritch]

Data, please.

Experience. 37 years of RPG I can tell you that expectations are a thing. About more than 200+ people that I introduced into RPG and all of them had this in common. Not everything needs to be quantified to be true. You surely know that.

With all races getting +2/+1

Vhuman gets a feat
Wood elf gets +5 movement speed
Mountain dwarf gets medium armor
Hill dwarf gets hp
Gnome gets magic resistance
Halfling gets reroll 1’s
Dragonborn gets breath
Tabaxi gets speed burst
Half orc gets relentless endurance
Tiefling gets fire res.

*darkvision where appropriate
**other notable features where appropriate

Some of these ability packages are much more useful than others. Some are much more useful for certain classes than others. I think there’s a bigger racial disparity between these features and the packages with ASI’s included.

I’m pretty convinced that house ruling ASI’s to be floating +2/+1’s will actually create more power disparity for class + race combos than less.

Double quotes here. But I think you are right. With the previous post, this is pretty much what I would expect and your come to the same conclusion as I. Some races will see more play than others.

The rules are supposed to reflect the lore. If they don't, they're disassociated. We usually don't fix such issues by 'just agreeing not to do it.' Illusionist not being able to cast healing spells does not depend on just agreeing not to take them.

Fully agree on this too. Expectations people, expectations. Without some recognizable tropes, you might turn off some players (dare I say: A lot?).

 

[DND_Reborn]

Some races will see more play than others

I think with floating ASIs the net effect over all will be a wash.

On one hand, you will have people playing new races because they can put the ASI's where the want them.
On the other hand, you will have players sticking to a few races because they don't need to expand their selection to put the ASIs where they want them.

I can see it going both ways but I don't really envision a landslide type of shift in either direction.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Experience. 37 years of RPG I can tell you that expectations are a thing. About more than 200+ people that I introduced into RPG and all of them had this in common.

Wow. In my 39 years of RPGing I haven't recorded the data as carefully as you, so I can't possibly argue with a 0.0 margin of error.

You win. I concede the point.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Very funny.

It's a good thing we're on the same side on the important debates, so can have fun with this unimportant one, huh?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

I think with floating ASIs the net effect over all will be a wash.

On one hand, you will have people playing new races because they can put the ASI's where the want them.
On the other hand, you will have players sticking to a few races because they don't need to expand their selection to put the ASIs where they want them.

I can see it going both ways but I don't really envision a landslide type of shift in either direction.

And then there is literally no reason to do it! It would merely worsen the verisimilitude for nothing.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

It's a good thing we're on the same side on the important debates, so can have fun with this unimportant one, huh?

I guess...

 

[DND_Reborn]

It's a good thing we're on the same side on the important debates, so can have fun with this unimportant one, huh?

At least we probably don't have to worry about this thread getting locked.

 

[FrogReaver]

I think with floating ASIs the net effect over all will be a wash.

On one hand, you will have people playing new races because they can put the ASI's where the want them.
On the other hand, you will have players sticking to a few races because they don't need to expand their selection to put the ASIs where they want them.

I can see it going both ways but I don't really envision a landslide type of shift in either direction.

Maybe.
Let’s play a game and name the races that would make good wizards if ASI’s were floating.

I’d say mountain dwarf and variant human are the standouts.

That’s Significantly different than the list we have today. Variant human, high elf, gnome, mountain dwarf.