Looking For Thoughts On Hypothetical Racial Ability Score Tweaks

[Xefas]

I have two (actually four) scenarios here that I would much appreciate some feedback on. Specifically, I'm looking for how character creation might be impacted in terms of race and class selection. Assumptions each scenario makes: (1) Feats are being used (2) Multiclassing is not being used (3) the players creating characters have at least a moderate understanding of the system and at least a moderate desire to create a mechanically effective character. They are not new players just being introduced, and they neither have a complete disregard for mechanical effectiveness, nor do they consider it the sole focus of the game.

Scenario 1A
All racial ability score bonuses and penalties are ignored.
Base Humans are used. No Variant Humans are allowed.

Scenario 1B
All racial ability score bonuses and penalties are ignored.
Variant Humans are used. No Base Humans are allowed.

Scenario 2A
All racial ability score bonuses and penalties may be reassigned to any score of the player's choosing. Two separate bonuses cannot be applied to the same score. For example, a High Elf has +2 in a score of their choice, and +1 to a different score of their choice, but they cannot add them to have +3 to a single score.
Base Humans are used. No Variant Humans are allowed.

Scenario 2B
All racial ability score bonuses and penalties may be reassigned to any score of the player's choosing. Two separate bonuses cannot be applied to the same score. For example, a High Elf has +2 in a score of their choice, and +1 to a different score of their choice, but they cannot add them to have +3 to a single score.
Variant Humans are used. No Base Humans are allowed.



Do any races significantly increase or decrease in overall usage? Do any classes increase or decrease in power? Does the spread of ability scores get more polarized with higher peak skills and dumpier dump stats? Do we see more Tiefling Fighters and Gnome Barbarians? Is there no effect whatsoever?

Thank you for any and all input you choose to give.

[Grimjudgment]

It would alter one aspect that I've dreaded for a long time.

There's no race as far as I know that is reasonable that gives a +2 wisdom bonus.

If you have varient human disabled, it would make human nigh useless, since there's no reason why you should pick human because every other race can provide higher features and traits.

With this, you'll see a lot of people playing gnomes and aarakocras more, and you might even see people play intelligent casters that are races that usually never become casters, such as orcs or Goliaths. Another aspect to consider is that it would make certain races defunct for certain reasons, or give them abilities that would break balance.

Like people purposely selecting either kobolds or full orcs just to distribute extra negatives into constitution to get a -2 in constitution and playing a squishy class, and possibly gaining 0HP for some levels. (Can your con mod drop rolled HP into 0 or negatives?)


This will essentially cause optimization types to optimize to the maximum degree, but it will also allow great roleplayers to shine because they will be less restricted by race when making an interesting character.

[Consensus]

Yeah, you would definitely have tieflings being martials, but for players who don't value optimization above all else it seems fine, as it just allows them to have a race more fitting to the character concept than before

[JellyPooga]

Scenario 1A(i)
- Ignore all racial mods except Human.
- Base Human only, no Variant

This could be interesting as only Humans could start with 16 in a stat (using Point Buy).

[Addaran]

All racial ability score bonuses and penalties are ignored.
Base Humans are used. No Variant Humans are allowed.


That option would be horrible. Humans would be the absolute worst race, with zero abilities.

I'd probably prefer the 2A and 2B options. 1B could work too but some races specifically trade abilities for higher stats, so it would kinda suck for them.

[Biggstick]

Scenario 3. Races other than Mountain Dwarf, Human Variant, and Half Elf have three +1's instead of their natural ability score bonuses that can be placed into any ability score. They can be spread out to three different ability scores, or stacked to a maximum of +2 in one ability score and +1 in another ability score. Races that have negative ability modifiers no longer have negative ability modifiers.

Mountain Dwarfs and Half Elves can elect to have the three +1's instead of their natural ability score bonuses if they wish, but they give up the "total" +4 to stats they normally increase for a "total" of +3.

I only allow PHB and Volo's regarding race selection, so I don't have to worry about Aarakocra (sp?). It really encourages Players to try different things like Dragonborn Wizards or Gnome Sorcerers or Tiefling Barbarians. Things like that are interesting and should definitely be encouraged.

I also provide players with a 34 point buy, with a 16 being able to be purchased. It definitely allows the players to really make something cool and interesting.

[Xefas]

Thank you, everyone, for all of your replies so far.

Right now, I'm leaning towards 2B for my purposes. But I'm absolutely still open for more input and examples.

[Strill]

I've tried building characters with Normal Human and comparing them to the closest build with other races, and I've consistently found that the other races come out mostly ahead.

For example, most characters prioritize three ability scores, so once you build one character, you have a good idea of how any other character will turn out. As an example, I built a Wizard as a normal Human, Half-elf, and High Elf, in order to see just how much the +1 to all ability scores is worth.




Human
Half-Elf
High Elf


STR
9
8
8


DEX
14
14
16


CON
15
15
13


WIS
14
12
12


INT
16
16
16


CHA
10
10
10




So each race ends up having roughly equivalent stats. The High elf gets +2 DEX, -2 CON, but that's still mostly equivalent. The main difference is that the Human ends up with three attribute points in tertiary ability scores, which in this case amounts to a +2 WIS and +1 STR. Certainly useful, after all WIS is a primary ability score, but still not amazing.

In exchange for these attribute points, the Human misses out on the skill proficiencies, Fae Ancestry, Darkvision, Trance, and other various features that the elves get. I don't think that +2/+1 to your tertiary stats is worth missing out on all those things.

Therefore, I use the following stats for normal human, in order to at least bridge the gap a bit.


+1 to all ability scores
Skill Versatility: You gain two skill proficiencies of your choice
Human Tenacity: When you make a saving throw, you may choose to make it with Advantage. Once you use this feature you must complete a long rest before you can use it again.