My attention span for the 5e playtest was pretty spotty, but I would swear that there was some discussion of an alternate method for assigning stat bonuses. Now I can't find anything about that, and if it existed at all it obviously didn't make it into the PHB.

The idea was that instead of getting +2/+1 to two stats for being of a certain race, you might get +1/+1 to two stats for race, and then a +1 to a stat based on class choice. That sort of thing.

The idea appeals to me for several reasons, not the least of which is my strong commitment to Diversity in the Dungeonplace.  I just typed and deleted some more detail about my interest in this, because by Ningauble's eighth, brown eye, I do not want to rekindle the whole roll/point buy poo-fling. Suffice it to say that I'm noodling on running a campaign later in the spring, and I'm sussing out some ideas.

So, did such a thing exist, or did I just pick the wrong day to stop sniffing glue?  Has anyone done anything similar?

While I don't remember it existing as a thing during the playtest off the top of my head I think it is a step in the right direction.

I would prefer to go:
+1 from Race
+1 from Class
+1 from Background

It kind of counters "race X are good at Y class" combinations, which I think would be a good thing.

Quote from: snooggums;810747While I don't remember it existing as a thing during the playtest off the top of my head I think it is a step in the right direction.

I would prefer to go:
+1 from Race
+1 from Class
+1 from Background

It kind of counters "race X are good at Y class" combinations, which I think would be a good thing.

I hadn't even thought of backgrounds for this until you mentioned it. Hmmm.

Opening up race:class options to folks who might not have gone there otherwise is definitely something I'm looking for.

I seem to recall it was a proposal for a bit also...maybe in one of the "what do you prefer polls?"

Quote from: Natty Bodak;810765I hadn't even thought of backgrounds for this until you mentioned it. Hmmm.

Opening up race:class options to folks who might not have gone there otherwise is definitely something I'm looking for.

If you're arranging the abilities you buy or roll anyway, does it matter where the bonuses come from? You need +2 if you're going to start with a 20 (if you rolled an 18) and the bonus means the minimal value in an ability is higher, but otherwise it doesn't make a huge difference to me.

If you roll in order or otherwise assign abilities before considering race and class, this would be interesting; but class already provides so much more of the character's features that it seems excessive to add something more.

I don't recall it from the playtest but I was in rather late so that doesn't prove anything.

Quote from: rawma;810775If you're arranging the abilities you buy or roll anyway, does it matter where the bonuses come from? You need +2 if you're going to start with a 20 (if you rolled an 18) and the bonus means the minimal value in an ability is higher, but otherwise it doesn't make a huge difference to me.

If you roll in order or otherwise assign abilities before considering race and class, this would be interesting; but class already provides so much more of the character's features that it seems excessive to add something more.

I don't recall it from the playtest but I was in rather late so that doesn't prove anything.

It doesn't much matter where they come from I suppose, but how much to which stats does factor in the process. For example, if you're using the standard point buy, you can hit 17 charisma as a half-elf sorcerer, whereas a gnome sorcerer you'll have a 15 at best. For folks that feel strongly about that inflection point for being effective out of the gate ( this the part where I feel like I need to speak in hushed tones), splitting the bonus between race and class can open up some more options.

That's really goal - keeping the stat bonus system in play but opening up more options.

Quote from: Natty Bodak;810780It doesn't much matter where they come from I suppose, but how much to which stats does factor in the process. For example, if you're using the standard point buy, you can hit 17 charisma as a half-elf sorcerer, whereas a gnome sorcerer you'll have a 15 at best. For folks that feel strongly about that inflection point for being effective out of the gate ( this the part where I feel like I need to speak in hushed tones), splitting the bonus between race and class can open up some more options.

That's really goal - keeping the stat bonus system in play but opening up more options.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szhs8BjgYH8

Do you envision a combination that would get +3 on a single ability? Then you could start with an 18 under point buy. That would prevent so many PC tragedies.

Quote from: rawma;810786https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szhs8BjgYH8

Do you envision a combination that would get +3 on a single ability? Then you could start with an 18 under point buy. That would prevent so many PC tragedies.

I was thinking of having the max single stat limit as +2, but that was just my initial reflexive fear of too much bonus stacking. Which may or may not be justified...

Quote from: rawma;810786https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szhs8BjgYH8

Do you envision a combination that would get +3 on a single ability? Then you could start with an 18 under point buy. That would prevent so many PC tragedies.

On the one hand, I rather like the idea of one stat bonus each from Race, Class, and Background.

On the other and, I am literally Laughing Out Loud at the idea that Not Having an 18 could ever be considered a "tragedy" for someone. :rotfl:

/em zips up his biohazard suit. I have only myself to blame.

I am not seeing it in any of the packets I saved.

It was likely one of the numerous ideas they tossed around and discarded throughout the development. Really. A-lot changed along the way.

Quote from: Omega;811067I am not seeing it in any of the packets I saved.

It was likely one of the numerous ideas they tossed around and discarded throughout the development. Really. A-lot changed along the way.

My foggy memory seems to recall that it was something that was maybe mentioned as under consideration for one of the future packets at the time, but like several such things it never saw the light of day for whatever reason.

Quote from: Natty Bodak;810822/em zips up his biohazard suit. I have only myself to blame.

You could have blamed me, although the danger seems to have passed. I speculate that the forum's strategic reserves of feces were depleted by all the flinging in the earlier threads.

Quote from: rawma;811084You could have blamed me, although the danger seems to have passed. I speculate that the forum's strategic reserves of feces were depleted by all the flinging in the earlier threads.

In the poo-free interregnum I'll say that I like concept well enough and so far nobody has thrown a brick through the window of its viability.

If I survive the week I make back with a straw man proposal.

I thought I'd share the system we came up with in case anybody else is/was interested.  After a couple of months of use it seems to work fine.

We ended up with the bonuses coming from race and class only, snubbing backgrounds.  There were arguments for and against backgrounds contributing to bonuses, but ultimately we left them out of the equation, primarily because we didn't want them to be seen as driving "builds."  Also snubbed were humans, as we felt they had the flexibility they needed already.

Here's a link to the Google doc.

This thread on BGG was a useful reference.