Variant Ability Bonuses
Nurture over Nature
To simulate the way class matters more than race for gameplay in World of Warcraft, 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. For information on the Warcraft 5E Conversion this is homebrewed for, see Warcraft 5E Tools.
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 Backgrounds, representing a version where Abilities come from Training and your Upbringing rather than your Birth.
Changes
Racial Abilities
- Races lose their Ability Bonuses.
- They maintain their other Racial Features.
Class Abilities
Death Knights gain:
- +1 to Charisma, +1 to Strength.
Demon Hunters gain:
- +1 to Intelligence, +1 to Dexterity or Constitution.
Druids gain:
- +1 to Wisdom, +1 to any Physical Ability.
Hunters gain:
- +1 to Dexterity, +1 to Wisdom.
Mages gain:
- +1 to Intelligence, +1 to Wisdom.
Monks gain:
- +1 to Dexterity, +1 to Wisdom.
Paladins gain:
- +1 to Charisma, +1 to Strength.
Priests gain:
- +1 to Constitution, +1 to Wisdom.
Rogues gain:
- +1 to Dexterity, +1 to any Mental Ability.
Shamans gain:
- +1 to Wisdom, +1 to any Physical Ability.
Warlocks gain:
- +1 to Constitution, +1 to Intelligence.
Warriors gain:
- +1 to Constitution, +1 to Strength.
Background Abilities
The Backgrounds below are chosen to best reflect 'generic' backgrounds from the source material found. This list attempts to be fairly exhaustive.
WC5E Specific Backgrounds
- Double Agent gain +1 to Any Ability
- Faction Fostered gain +1 to Any Ability
- Kirin Tor Apprentice gain +1 to Intelligence
- Tribal Member gain +1 to Wisdom
Other 5E Backgrounds
Granting +1 to any Mental Ability:
- Acolyte
- Anthropologist
- Clan Crafter
Granting +1 to any Physical Ability:
- Marine
- Mercenary Veteran
- Soldier
Backgrounds granting +1 to Any Ability:
- Charlatan
- City Watch/Investigator
- Criminal
- Entertainer
- Far Traveler
- Folk Hero
- Gladiator
- Knight
- Outlander
- Spy
Granting +1 to a Specific Ability:
- Hermit (+1 to Intelligence)
- Sage (+1 to Intelligence)
- Smuggler (+1 to Charisma)
- Urchin (+1 to Dexterity)
Concerns
There is a risk this may over-direct players to maximize rewards to certain Backgrounds over others. However, keep in mind, this means we are seeing just a shift in the former system, where a player was over-directed to a Race for optimal Class choices.
While this model intentionally accepts that risk, it is largely why Backgrounds are mostly generalized to 'any Physical', or 'any Mental', or just 'any', to promote creative background pairs.
The other option is to just add your third Ability Bonus to the Class, such as making Mages +2 to Intelligence and Warriors +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.
Any questions or critiques, reach out to @Bowie on the WC5E Discord!
