Racial Ability Bonuses

If you're the kind of group that has the kind of DM that needs to have WotC "allow" a rule before it can be utilized, and have yearned for the day when your deva, genasi, goliath, kalashtar, shadar-kai, or warforged could benefit from a floating ability score modifier, then your wait is over. Yeah, there's some flavor content mixed in there, but the real gem here is the table tucked away at the end of page 2. Since the article doesn't require a DDI account to view, I'll just sum it up here:

  • Deva: +2 Wisdom, +2 Intelligence/Charisma
  • Genasi: +2 Intelligence, +2 Strength/Constitution
  • Goliath: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution/Wisdom
  • Kalashtar: +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence/Wisdom
  • Shadar-kai: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence/Wisdom
  • Warforged: +2 Constitution, +2 Strength/Intelligence
The rest of the races are organized on the table, too, which could be handy if a player is looking to skim for a race that best suits a class (or if you both don't use Essentials or the Character Builder). Unfortunately, no word on bladelings, bullywugs, gnolls, or their ilk. Le sigh.

Edit: Was going to put this in the comments in response to dwarf74, but figure I might as well put it up here. While I don't think that optimal stats is necessary for a concept to work, a few things come to mind that work a lot better with the flexible modifier.

  • Devas: Devas can make excellent Charisma-based paladins and prescient bards, as well as better warlocks and sorcerers. Hrmm...deva infernal-pact warlock?
  • Genasi: Staff or tome wizard immediately springs to mind, as well as shielding swordmages. Unfortunately, having to pick between Strength or Constitution limits their utility in most melee characters.
  • Goliath: A Wisdom bonus means that now they're suited for the rest of the primal-suite, or any divine class they care to apply themselves to. Unfortunately, none of the primal classes except warden use Strength, and the same goes for the divine with the exception of paladin.
  • Kalashtar: In 3rd Edition these guys were ideal for psionic classes, and now that they get an Intelligence bonus they're good to go as psions, especially telepaths. Infernal and fey-pact warlocks also get something out of Intelligence, as to illusionist wizards and one of the bard-types. 
  • Shadar-kai: Hrmm...never really cared for these guys much, but with a Wisdom bonus they make a much better fit for divine classes, especially pursuing avengers.
  • Warforged: Artificer is a no brainer, but they can also better apply themselves as psions (psi-forged), and arcane classes like the shielding swordmage or tome/staff wizards. 

3 comments:

  1. I'm loving the Genasi option. (1) Finally, an Int/Con race. (2) Finally, they rock as shielding swordmages, too!

    Also, the thought of a warforged artificer makes me all tingly.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ah, bullywugs... some day, some day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So why no March of the Phantom Brigade, Week 7 (or 6)?

    ReplyDelete

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