Racial Feat at Level 1 Instead of ASI?

[KOLE]

Toying with an idea after delving into Xanathar’s. I hear a lot of people grumbling about V. Humans being too strong, regardless of your thoughts on that particular matter, I found what I thought could be an interesting option for anyone curious.

In lieu of your races ability score, you can take a racial feat instead. For example, as a half elf, you can start with Elven Accuracy and take the +1 to your choice of attribute instead of the +2 to Charisma and +1 to your two other choices. Since most racial feats give you one +1, I see this as a fair compromise. Of course, V. human still has it’s choice of feat and two +1s, but most of the racial feats are strong enough I see this as a fair compromise, and it reinforces the flavor of races, most being more specialized and the humans being the most versatile.

Just a thought I had. What do you think?

[Nidgit]

It's probably not worth the beginning ASIs. Most races start with a total increase of 3 to stats; when you exchange an ASI level for a feat, you're only trading in a total +2. It'd make more sense for a player who wanted a racial feat to take the normal starting increases and then take the feat at 4.

[hymer]

Just a thought I had. What do you think?
What I like about it is that you'd feel less compelled to take a given race/class combo. You could make a mountain dwarf that wasn't a strength-based class, or an elf who wasn't a dex-based class, e.g., and feel like your stuff meshes.

Edit: One possible downside is the PC starting with +3 to a score, if this would bother you. Take a Mountain Dwarf reducing one of its +2 ability scores (say Con) for a feat (say Heavy Armor Master), getting a total of +3 to one ability score (in this case strength).

[Pex]

As long as it's voluntary ok, especially with Point Buy. A 1st level 5E character is not crippled without a 16 in its prime, but it is a significant thing for the early levels. The character cannot have an 18 until 8th level, also not crippling but a significant effect. Having the player choose which he values more is fine, though you need to be ok with the player choosing the 16 or 17 by the +2 at 1st level and taking the racial feat at 4th level, which might bump a 17 to 18 - what he can do already with the rules as is.

Being mandatory is bad because that's too much DM control over the player for his character. The DM controls everything else in the world. The character is the only thing the player controls, and that should not be trifled with lightly.

[rbstr]

Overall a character is simply getting less by taking this option. I don't really see how that's helping balance VHuman. It actually makes it more powerful in comparison.

Like...a Half Elf gets two ASI's worth of stats. Why would they give that up for 1 feat?
I'd probably leave halfelf alone...they already get to be roughly V.Human-equivelent in ASIs. For everyone else you could maybe give them a feat instead of their Race's +1 attribute.

[strangebloke]

Just give everyone a free feat and use a generous rolling method. (2d6+6 flip is my favorite, currently). Dilute the currency. It's good business.

[Lombra]

Variant human with TWO starting feats!