Floating Ability Bonuses - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Floating Ability Bonuses

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
tequila_sunrise
Nov 22, 2008 10:55:22 Someone came came up with this idea, and I like it--players assign their racial bonuses to whichever two abilities they want. It makes interesting and unusual character concepts more appealing, but I'm unsure of how to handle humans. I'm thinking of one of these rules for human characters:

1. Humans can trade one racial ability to get a second +2 bonus.
2. Humans automatically get a second +2 bonus.

Which is most balanced? Does either one scream 'HUMANZ RULE!' or 'HUMANZ SUCK!'?

TS
#2
dremik-the-taupe
Nov 22, 2008 13:23:26
Someone came came up with this idea, and I like it--players assign their racial bonuses to whichever two abilities they want. It makes interesting and unusual character concepts more appealing, but I'm unsure of how to handle humans. I'm thinking of one of these rules for human characters:

1. Humans can trade one racial ability to get a second +2 bonus.
2. Humans automatically get a second +2 bonus.

Which is most balanced? Does either one scream 'HUMANZ RULE!' or 'HUMANZ SUCK!'?

TS

It really depends on your assessment of the usefulness of the other races' powers. I'd say that suggestion 1 seems more reasonable, but that's because I'd say that the extra power, skill, feat, and defense bonus outweigh other races' miscellaneous abilities. I don't really care for the idea of floating ability bonuses myself, though, except possibly in a rather limited circumstances. Swapping one racial bonus to another that makes almost as much sense for the given race, like charisma for eladrin, strength for dwarves, and so forth might be a less tricky change to make to the system.
#3
tequila_sunrise
Nov 22, 2008 19:46:10
Swapping one racial bonus to another that makes almost as much sense for the given race, like charisma for eladrin, strength for dwarves, and so forth might be a less tricky change to make to the system.

Thanks for your thoughts. In 3e I let players tweak racial stats after I okayed the tweaks. I love that in 4e I can make one blanket rule like this and not have to worry about okaying the tweaks, thanks to 4e careful balance. I suppose it would be weird to have a player add a racial bonus to his halfling's strength, but it does provide an opportunity for a unique backstory.

TS
#4
aluman
Nov 22, 2008 23:50:52 Overall the first one is less over powered, maybe with a restriction like '+2 to a second ability score' that way someone getting +4 to one ability score won't happen (as thats abusable).

With the release of Martial Power I have also considered allowing Humans to choose a second race for purposes of feats.
#5
demiteddybear
Nov 23, 2008 8:04:39 I don't see anything wrong with deciding where you put your ability scores, I mean the ability scores are only there as a medium, something that gives that race a certain flavour based on their general characteristics. But you can get halfings that do a lot of weightlifting or a half-orc that decided to take up reading.
As for those human ones I would go with the first one, since humans get the other advantages that the other races don't which is why they only have one ability score.
#6
warcolonel
Nov 23, 2008 12:14:20 on this thread, http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1116114, the idea of human using their 1st level feat to gain the ability to take a single race's feats and PP. That feat, and this idea of floating ability bonuses, are definately going to be incorperated into my games.
#7
tequila_sunrise
Nov 24, 2008 9:29:28 Thanks for the comments everyone, this is the rule I will use:
"All races can assign their two bonuses to whichever two abilities they choose. Humans gain a second +2 bonus which can be assigned to a second ability. Additionally, a human can double-up one of their other racial traits (a second at-will, a second bonus skill, a second bonus feat or +2 NADs).

TS

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 tequila_sunrise Nov 22, 2008 10:55:22	Someone came came up with this idea, and I like it--players assign their racial bonuses to whichever two abilities they want. It makes interesting and unusual character concepts more appealing, but I'm unsure of how to handle humans. I'm thinking of one of these rules for human characters: 1. Humans can trade one racial ability to get a second +2 bonus. 2. Humans automatically get a second +2 bonus. Which is most balanced? Does either one scream 'HUMANZ RULE!' or 'HUMANZ SUCK!'? TS
#2 dremik-the-taupe Nov 22, 2008 13:23:26	Someone came came up with this idea, and I like it--players assign their racial bonuses to whichever two abilities they want. It makes interesting and unusual character concepts more appealing, but I'm unsure of how to handle humans. I'm thinking of one of these rules for human characters: 1. Humans can trade one racial ability to get a second +2 bonus. 2. Humans automatically get a second +2 bonus. Which is most balanced? Does either one scream 'HUMANZ RULE!' or 'HUMANZ SUCK!'? TS It really depends on your assessment of the usefulness of the other races' powers. I'd say that suggestion 1 seems more reasonable, but that's because I'd say that the extra power, skill, feat, and defense bonus outweigh other races' miscellaneous abilities. I don't really care for the idea of floating ability bonuses myself, though, except possibly in a rather limited circumstances. Swapping one racial bonus to another that makes almost as much sense for the given race, like charisma for eladrin, strength for dwarves, and so forth might be a less tricky change to make to the system.
#3 tequila_sunrise Nov 22, 2008 19:46:10	Swapping one racial bonus to another that makes almost as much sense for the given race, like charisma for eladrin, strength for dwarves, and so forth might be a less tricky change to make to the system. Thanks for your thoughts. In 3e I let players tweak racial stats after I okayed the tweaks. I love that in 4e I can make one blanket rule like this and not have to worry about okaying the tweaks, thanks to 4e careful balance. I suppose it would be weird to have a player add a racial bonus to his halfling's strength, but it does provide an opportunity for a unique backstory. TS
#4 aluman Nov 22, 2008 23:50:52	Overall the first one is less over powered, maybe with a restriction like '+2 to a second ability score' that way someone getting +4 to one ability score won't happen (as thats abusable). With the release of Martial Power I have also considered allowing Humans to choose a second race for purposes of feats.
#5 demiteddybear Nov 23, 2008 8:04:39	I don't see anything wrong with deciding where you put your ability scores, I mean the ability scores are only there as a medium, something that gives that race a certain flavour based on their general characteristics. But you can get halfings that do a lot of weightlifting or a half-orc that decided to take up reading. As for those human ones I would go with the first one, since humans get the other advantages that the other races don't which is why they only have one ability score.
#6 warcolonel Nov 23, 2008 12:14:20	on this thread, http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1116114, the idea of human using their 1st level feat to gain the ability to take a single race's feats and PP. That feat, and this idea of floating ability bonuses, are definately going to be incorperated into my games.
#7 tequila_sunrise Nov 24, 2008 9:29:28	Thanks for the comments everyone, this is the rule I will use: "All races can assign their two bonuses to whichever two abilities they choose. Humans gain a second +2 bonus which can be assigned to a second ability. Additionally, a human can double-up one of their other racial traits (a second at-will, a second bonus skill, a second bonus feat or +2 NADs). TS