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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 7:23AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Dec 10, 2010
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Maby I am the only one who likes roling up a character with a few low numbers as well, but I feel that helps me build a good visual image and a backstory and personality for the character if I don`t have anything else planned to begin with..
The first character I roled up for dnd next had three high and three low numbers, it was fun to base a character on those stats.
He was going to be a cleric with the thug bacground. His backstory was that he had been burned horribly while the church he was robbing caught on fire. In the flames he saw the face of his god and he turned from the life of crime and became devoted to the god.
The three low numbers made so much sense because of his injuries and the high numbers were just right. The bonuses I got from class and the +2 from human was ok, but when he had +1 in everything else, he suddenly wasn`t the character I invisioned anymore.
I love 4e, but one of the things I didn`t like that much about it was that it was hard to escape the feeling of being a superhero at 1st level. Dnd next seems to have done a nice job in toning this down, but the stats and bonuses, at least as human still seemed a bit generous for my personal taste.
Just my personal thoughts. Anyone else?
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 7:52AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Sep 25, 2007
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I think that people are too caught up on ability scores being increased and aren't properly comparing those little pluses to the things that aren't being gained in their place.
Humans get a +1 or more to Constitution... but dwarves might have a higher hit die all-together.
Humans get a +1 or more to Strength... but most of the other races have an option that involves higher damage dice with iconic weapons.
Humans get a +1 or more to Dexterity... dwarves might have a higher AC despite that, and halflings will probably be able to successfully hide more often anyways.
In a large number of cases, the +1 not only doesn't really match up to an equivalent feature that another race gets, but it doesn't even change the ability modifier of the score it got added to.
Despite appearing to make the character "super", it is really the least thrilling of the racial packages thus far.
Careful, man. That much logic might be illegal on the internet. - Salla
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 8:06AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Dec 10, 2010
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I get what you are saying, but I`m not talking about balance, I`m talking about how the character feels and how it is reflected in his or her ability scores. I agree that it balances out with the other races.
The thing is that me and many others like being weak at first level, so that it actualy feels like you are getting stronger and more experienced as you are gaining levels. Developing your character and overcoming challanges despite his or her weaknesses feels good. Many folktale heroes and fantasy characters start out humble with more than one flaw, it is an archetype that is very compelling to a lot of players. A very basic and simple way to reflect flaws, weaknesses or streangths mechanicaly is to do it through the ability scores.
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 10:11AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Sep 20, 2004
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I don't mind the +1 to everything. I really don't like the +2 bonus to one stat though. I would also like the race to have a more flavorful ability, and/or the ability to trade out a +1 bonus to one of their stats for something else (that is more flavorful).
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 10:57AM
#5
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Maby I am the only one who likes roling up a character with a few low numbers as well, but I feel that helps me build a good visual image and a backstory and personality for the character if I don`t have anything else planned to begin with..
The first character I roled up for dnd next had three high and three low numbers, it was fun to base a character on those stats.
He was going to be a cleric with the thug bacground. His backstory was that he had been burned horribly while the church he was robbing caught on fire. In the flames he saw the face of his god and he turned from the life of crime and became devoted to the god.
The three low numbers made so much sense because of his injuries and the high numbers were just right. The bonuses I got from class and the +2 from human was ok, but when he had +1 in everything else, he suddenly wasn`t the character I invisioned anymore.
I love 4e, but one of the things I didn`t like that much about it was that it was hard to escape the feeling of being a superhero at 1st level. Dnd next seems to have done a nice job in toning this down, but the stats and bonuses, at least as human still seemed a bit generous for my personal taste.
Just my personal thoughts. Anyone else?
I absolutely agree. First of all, creating a human is just boring compared to other characters. At least there you have meaningful choices to make. A simple addition to every stat adds no flavor to the character. Now, if you gave extra skills or feats to humans at first level, adding to their versatility, and maybe a +2 in one stat and two +1s, you still get to make some choices. On top of that, you can give different abilities to urban dwellers, nomads, and other human cultures. That would be just like the variants available to other classes. Despite the advantages, I hate creating human characters.
I also agree that first level characters are too high powered at this point. The cleric spell lance of faith is a prime example. It should not be a cantrip. It should be a first level spell at least. Doing a 2D6 ranged attack at will at first level is just broken. Why even pull out your mace when you can do that every round. Choices stop being meaningful when one choice is obviously superior to all other choices.
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 12:08PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Dec 10, 2010
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Having a 16, 17 or even 18 in something doesn`t feel special anymore either, but that`s not as big of a deal to me than it eing so damn hard to be crap at something:p Well, at least it`s not as bad as magic items not feeling special at all anymore, but I know they are fixing that 
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 9:44PM
#7
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Can't say I feel the same way. Humans are supposed to be a kind of jack-of-all-trades race. So they get a bit of bonus in everything. And you're really limiting yourself if you think a +1 in a stat will dramatically change how your character plays, roleplaying wise. Roleplay it how you want to. Playing a human actually fit in perfectly for me, because I needed a character that was a bit good in everything. So my 2 highest stats were 16. It was pretty balanced.
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 11:09PM
#8
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Can't say I feel the same way. Humans are supposed to be a kind of jack-of-all-trades race. So they get a bit of bonus in everything. And you're really limiting yourself if you think a +1 in a stat will dramatically change how your character plays, roleplaying wise. Roleplay it how you want to. Playing a human actually fit in perfectly for me, because I needed a character that was a bit good in everything. So my 2 highest stats were 16. It was pretty balanced.
Sure I can roleplay it, but I would want more to hang a character on. Creating a halfling or elf is like eating a taco or sweet-and-sour pork. Creating a human is like having to eat nothing but boiled potatoes, without salt, pepper, or any other seasoning.
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 11:14PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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Sure I can roleplay it, but I would want more to hang a character on. Creating a halfling or elf is like eating a taco or sweet-and-sour pork. Creating a human is like having to eat nothing but boiled potatoes, without salt, pepper, or any other seasoning.
That's kind of the point though. Humans are supposed to be a more or less class- and culture- agnostic racial choice. You pick them if already have your own sauce you want to put on the dish and don't want the flavor of sweet-and-sour pork drowning it out.
<Ioun> they're apparently making a MolIsCool pp
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5 months ago ::
Dec 28, 2012 - 11:59PM
#10
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Sure I can roleplay it, but I would want more to hang a character on. Creating a halfling or elf is like eating a taco or sweet-and-sour pork. Creating a human is like having to eat nothing but boiled potatoes, without salt, pepper, or any other seasoning.
That's kind of the point though. Humans are supposed to be a more or less class- and culture- agnostic racial choice. You pick them if already have your own sauce you want to put on the dish and don't want the flavor of sweet-and-sour pork drowning it out.
I would like to see something more like the 3.x approach. A couple of meaningful ability bonuses, combined with possibly feat and skill bonuses. The "bonuses across the board" approach just leaves me utterly unimpressed. Besides, humanity should also have the largest range of attributes, thus allowing for low scores as well.
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