Level Up (A5E) Where to put ability bonuses during character creation

[Maxperson]

I hadn't thought of that.

But in my opinion anything that reduces the incentive to multiclass...especially to just dip one level...is a good thing.

Why stifle roleplay like that? There have been many times over the years that I've taken a level or two in a second class due to things that happened during game play that warranted it. There have also been times, though far fewer, where my character has had a complete change of direction, resulting in a level or two of the class I started with and then a shift to another class for the rest of the time. You'd be discouraging a lot of people from that sort of roleplay.

 

[Guest 6801328]

How can you not know if Half-Orcs tend to be stronger than Humans? It's simple math. Humans get either +0 or +1 to strength, depending on the type of Human. Half-Orcs get +2. Therefore, Half-Orcs are stronger as a race than Humans, even if some individuals(like PCs) are different.

Except I don’t know if the Halforcs at my table put their highest score in Strength. Maybe they put a 14 there, to get a 16 total. And maybe the humans took Heavy Armor Master and ended up with 17.

I suspect, using metagame thinking and what I know about character generation rules, that across the universe of PCs the halforcs tend to be stronger. But from what I see at the table...from what my characters experience...there is no discernible effect that isn’t attributable to other factors.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Why stifle roleplay like that? There have been many times over the years that I've taken a level or two in a second class due to things that happened during game play that warranted it. There have also been times, though far fewer, where my character has had a complete change of direction, resulting in a level or two of the class I started with and then a shift to another class for the rest of the time. You'd be discouraging a lot of people from that sort of roleplay.

Weren’t you one of the people arguing that good roleplayers don’t think that way? Racial ASIs don’t hinder role playing, but class ASIs would? How do you reconcile that?

 

[Morrus]

How can you not know if Half-Orcs tend to be stronger than Humans? It's simple math. Humans get either +0 or +1 to strength, depending on the type of Human. Half-Orcs get +2. Therefore, Half-Orcs are stronger as a race than Humans, even if some individuals(like PCs) are different.

Half Orc player characters are stronger on average (in the 5E rules). That doesn't speak to the other 3M half orcs who aren't player characters.

I firmly believe that PCs are heroes and don't represent the population. I know that's a game style choice (Call of Cthulhu certainly doesn't assume that). But I generally assume if there's a story about you, you're not the norm.

The character creation rules are are creating protagonists, not extras.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Half Orc player characters are stronger on average (in the 5E rules). That doesn't speak to the other 3M half orcs who aren't player characters.

I firmly believe that PCs are heroes and don't represent the population. I know that's a game style choice (Call of Cthulhu certainly doesn't assume that). But I generally assume if there's a story about you, you're not the norm.

The character creation rules are are creating protagonists, not extras.

Edit: never mind.

 

[Maxperson]

Half Orc player characters are stronger on average (in the 5E rules). That doesn't speak to the other 3M half orcs who aren't player characters.

I firmly believe that PCs are heroes and don't represent the population. I know that's a game style choice (Call of Cthulhu certainly doesn't assume that). But I generally assume if there's a story about you, you're not the norm.

The character creation rules are are creating protagonists, not extras.

It says in the PHB on page 17 that the racial traits are those common to members of that race. While I agree that the PCs are heroes and will far surpass their more common brethren, the racial traits, including the stat bonuses, are common to all members of that race. It does speak to the 3M Half-Orcs who aren't player characters.

 

[Maxperson]

Except I don’t know if the Halforcs at my table put their highest score in Strength. Maybe they put a 14 there, to get a 16 total. And maybe the humans took Heavy Armor Master and ended up with 17.

Right. Individuals can vary. The race as a whole, though, is stronger than the halfling race. That's simple math.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Right. Individuals can vary. The race as a whole, though, is stronger than the halfling race. That's simple math.

If you’re metagaming, sure.

 

[Morrus]

Right. Individuals can vary. The race as a whole, though, is stronger than the halfling race. That's simple math.

But irrelevant to PC creation. Because they aren't the race as a whole. They're heroes. And Zidi Wheatling, known across the six Shires as the Halfling Titan, is renowned for her ability to lift a wagon over her head, spanked the local orc weightlifting champion and sent him home.

 

[Maxperson]

If you’re metagaming, sure.

Or if you're just looking at the rules.