With a quick perusal of the Player’s Handbook for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, you’ll notice each Race and sub-Race grant characters a bonus to their initial Ability Scores (AS). The standard Human, for example, provides a +1 bonus to every AS and the Mountain Dwarf provides a +2 to Strength and Constitution. Veteran players of D&D know these racial bonuses have existed since the early days, but I believe this is a trend we need to break for the betterment of the game.

When we tie the initial AS bonus to the Races, we find a lot of “typical” Race-Class builds (e.g. the Half-Orc Barbarian or Rock Gnome Wizard) dominate character creation forum threads or general discussions. This is for good reason, as those initial bonuses (or lack thereof) can determine whether a character lives or dies in their role prior to 4th Level (when they receive their first earned AS bonus, assuming they don’t multi-Class). For a game which prides itself on the infinite creativity of our imaginations, this crucial starting bonus being attached to the Race massively undermines any unique character ideas.

In addition, it’s a baffling sentiment to say your Race determines your proclivity for intelligence, brawn, endurance, nimbleness, etc. Shouldn’t those factors be determined, for the most part, by the vocation in which you dedicate the majority of your time?

The Fix

Instead of tying the initial AS bonus to a character’s Race, why don’t we make it a Class feature (akin to the size of the Hit Die, Proficiencies, and the like) instead? Because most Race/sub-Race groups offer a +2/+1 bonus spread, I suggest we keep these numbers for two reasons. First, it helps maintain the AS balance at 1st Level and keeps the mental math to a minimum (my favorite reason of the two). Second, the bonus differences help maintain the idea your Players’ characters have chosen to focus on one aspect of their Class over another.

When it comes to which Ability Scores should receive the bonuses for each Class, the simplest option comes straight from the Quick Builds section of each Class description in the Player’s Handbook. The Barbarian, for example, recommends Players focus on Strength and Constitution, in that order. So, you could easily say all Barbarians receive a +2 to STR, and a +1 to CON.

Certain Classes, like the Fighter, can become a bit tricky since they recommend a wider array of Ability Scores (Strength or Dexterity, followed by Constitution or Intelligence) depending on which archetype the Player wishes to pursue later on. In these cases, as a DM you could give the Player a +2 to STR or DEX, and a +1 to CON or INT.

For a full Class breakdown:

Class	Ability Score Distribution
Barbarian	+2 STR / +1 CON
Bard	+2 CHA / +1 DEX
Cleric	+2 WIS / +1 STR or CON
Druid	+2 WIS / +1 CON
Fighter	+2 STR or DEX / +1 CON or INT
Monk	+2 DEX / +1 WIS
Paladin	+2 STR / +1 CHA
Ranger	+2 STR or DEX / +1 WIS
Rogue	+2 DEX / +1 INT, CHA, or WIS
Sorcerer	+2 CHA / +1 CON
Warlock	+2 CHA / +1 CON
Wizard	+2 INT / +1 CON, DEX, or CHA
Artificer	+2 INT / +1 CON or DEX

An Extra Twist

For a little more flexibility in how your Players create their characters, give them the freedom to decide where they want to place their +2 and +1 bonuses across the possible AS for the Class. For example, a Player may decide their Barbarian is more durable than she is strong and puts her +2 into CON and her +1 into STR. For new Players, I would walk through this process with them and be there to address any questions.

Update: What to Do with Variant Human

If you’re going to allow the Variant Human option, simply change the Class AS increase a +1/+1 and incorporate the additional skill proficiency and feat as usual.

Test It, Break It, Rebuild It

With this small change, I believe your Players will be much more willing to create the character they imagined. The Half-Orc Wizard now becomes just as viable as his Rock Gnome compatriot, and the Halfling Fighter can wade into the front lines alongside his Mountain Dwarf allies.

Don’t take my word for it though, try this out for yourself. If you find critiques, breaks, or other unforeseen accidents arise from this new rule, then I implore you to leave a comment below and tell me about your experiences!

Blessed be and until next time,

Matthew Wulf

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