Variant Ability Bonuses
Nurture over Nature
To simulate class mattering more than race for gameplay, this has been created as an alternate method to distribute Ability Bonuses. For further insight on the inspiration behind this, check out Reimagining Racial Ability Scores.
While Ability Score Bonuses attached to a Race are standard in 5E, this Variant will explore separating them from that and applying them to Classes and personal choice, representing a version where Abilities come from Training principally rather than your Birth.
Changes
- All characters gain +1 to any Ability score of their choice.
Racial Abilities
- Instead of Orc, must use "Orc of Exandria".
- Races lose their Ability Bonuses.
- Maintain other Racial Features, noting changes:
- Half-Elves +1 to one ability not already increased at character creation.
- Humans gain +1 to three abilities not already increased at character creation.
- Variant Humans are unchanged. This buff is intended to keep them a very competitive choice.
Class Abilities
Artificers gain:
- +1 to Constitution, +1 to Intelligence.
Barbarians gain:
- +1 to Constitution, +1 to Strength.
Bards gain:
- +1 to Charisma, +1 to Dexterity.
Blood Hunters gain:
- +1 to Intelligence, +1 to Strength or Dexterity.
Clerics gain:
- +1 to Wisdom, +1 to Strength or Constitution.
Druids gain:
- +1 to Constitution, +1 to Wisdom.
Fighters gain:
- +1 to Constitution, +1 to Strength or Dexterity.
Monks gain:
- +1 to Dexterity, +1 to Wisdom.
Paladins gain:
- +1 to Charisma, +1 to Strength.
Rangers gain:
- +1 to Dexterity, +1 to Wisdom.
Rogues gain:
- +1 to Dexterity, +1 to Intelligence or Charisma.
Sorcerers gain:
- +1 to Charisma, +1 to Constitution.
Warlocks gain:
- +1 to Charisma, +1 to Wisdom.
Wizards gain:
- +1 to Intelligence, +1 to Wisdom.
Options
If you want more guided stats, instead of the floating +1 to any Ability for all characters, the other option is to just add your third Ability Bonus to the Class, such as making Wizards +2 to Intelligence and Fighters +2 to Strength.
Feel free to customize this to your needs, just remember to never allow for an initial start of +3 to any stat without something like a Feat doing it.
