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

[Kinematics]

[I'd] be on board with seeing new characters start with a +2 maximum. It would make proficiency feel more valuable.

Maybe adjust so that getting above 14-15 at chargen is difficult and unrealistic, but make the proficiency bonus start at +3? That way your ability to hit would stay the same, but people would be less reliant on stats, and there would be more headroom for growth?

You say that, but under the 5e rules it gives them the exact same bonuses to the exact same actions.

Not quite, because the goliath also gains a bonus to carrying capacity. So the goliath can carry more than the halfling, even with the same strength.

 

[TiwazTyrsfist]

I personally lean towards the idea that Culture should have MORE effect that Species. So I favor the idea that Culture should provide a +2 to a specific stat, and Species a +1.

I also feel like Culture and Background should be a merged thing.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

@Morrus, would it be possible, when the more official survey on this subject is out, to have the option for:

- Removing the bonus to culture/background/specie BUT giving a boost to the rolling method/standard array/point buy to compensate?

Because I think there's quite a difference between removing bonuses and that's it AND removing them but adding a method of generating higher starting score to compensate.

I personally think the later option is the best, but being presented in the same category as ''removing without compensation'' would be a problematic, because one would mean starting with a main stat modifier of +2, which is simply repulsive for those use to thinking a +3 modifier is required for a viable build, while the other offers the possibility of having said +3 without the need of mix-matching culture/background/specie to get the best bonus for the desired class.

 

[Zardnaar]

Voted race but wouldn't be to opposed to a floating score a'la PF2.

Culture is just another big headache, imagine saying this culture is +2 intelligence.

Could also buy into background if split with race. Example elves get +2 dexterity, scholar gets +1 intelligence.

 

[Leatherhead]

For a moment, I thought this was going to be about where to put the stats in on the character sheet. And After a bit of deliberation I thought the middle of the page, with attacks/defenses on one side and skills on the other, would be best.

 

[Bacon Bits]

I think it's either got to be class or freeform. And the thing with putting it in the class is that it's almost certainly where a freeform player would choose anyways. I don't think the game needs to care if the player makes a suboptimal choice. I think freeform is simply the easiest.

I suppose if you want to go maximally complex, you could add ancestral abilities that key off the ability you improve. For example, maybe a Dwarf who improves Str gets one benefit, while a Dwarf who improves Con gets another benefit, etc.. That's cool, but I think it's probably way to many rules for ancestries. It overlaps with subrace to some extent, and probably encourages ribbon benefits (i.e., benefits that you'll never actually use or don't actually accomplish anything). Worse, if they're not ribbon benefits then you risk creating de facto ancestry bonuses anyways.

I will say that I think +1 bonuses are relatively a poor-ish design. They don't feel fair no matter how they play out.

 

[Guest 6801328]

You say that, but under the 5e rules it gives them the exact same bonuses to the exact same actions.

Yes, of course. And that's ALL it means. Nothing more.

Which means you can use your imagination to explain why the halfling gets a 15% bonus to an action, and then use your imagination to explain why the goliath also gets 15%. And it doesn't have to be the same thing.

 

[Guest 6801328]

For a moment, I thought this was going to be about where to put the stats in on the character sheet. And After a bit of deliberation I thought the middle of the page, with attacks/defenses on one side and skills on the other, would be best.

I'm hoping for an origami character sheet, so that passé concepts like "middle" and "side" of the character sheet are no longer meaningful.

 

[aco175]

Another thread mentioned doing away with the +2 racial and giving everyone a feat at 1st level. One of the feats could be the +2 Dex for elves or +2 Con for dwarves. This could be a decent compromise. I do not think I would be for a general +2 to anything and should keep the theme for each race.

 

[jmucchiello]

I personally lean towards the idea that Culture should have MORE effect that Species. So I favor the idea that Culture should provide a +2 to a specific stat, and Species a +1.

I also feel like Culture and Background should be a merged thing.

I feel the exact opposite. Culture should have no effect on stats. Were the Ancient Greeks Stronger on average than the Ancient Norsemen? Smarter? More charming? No. Their abilities were basically the same.

And culture is about the society where you grew up. Background reflects your role in that society. An ancient Greek blacksmith and an ancient Norse blacksmith have the same background. But they differ in culture.