My Documents
Become a Patron!
# Three-Choice Rules for 1st Level ASI's ## Introduction The D&D community has been talking about character creation and how a first level ability score increase that is based entirely on race might not be the best option for customizability and choice. These rules are meant to provide a more open 1st level ASI while maintaining a sense of realism. ## The +2 Ceiling No ability score may be increased by more than 2 from these rules. In other words, the highest ability score a 1st level character can have is 17. This is to allow characters room to progress and grow, while also maintaining bounded accuracy at low levels. ## ASI from Class Once you have determined your ability scores from the standard array, point buy, rolling, or another method, and have chosen your race, class, and background, you may begin your 1st level ability score increase by considering your class or your background. It does not matter which one you choose to apply first, so long as you apply both your class and background's ability score increase before your race's. You increase your class's primary ability score by 1. Your class's primary ability score is given in the following table. ## Class Ability Score Increase | Class | Source | Primary Ability | |:-----:|:------:|:--------:| | Artificer | E:RftLW | Intelligence | |Barbarian | PHB | Strength | | Bard | PHB | Charisma | | Cleric | PHB | Wisdom | | Druid | PHB | Wisdom | | Fighter | PHB | Strength or Dexterity | | Monk | PHB | Dexterity or Wisdom | | Paladin | PHB | Strength or Charisma | | Ranger | PHB | Dexterty or Wisdom | | Rogue | PHB | Dexterity | | Sorcerer | PHB | Charisma | | Warlock | PHB | Charisma | | Wizard | PHB | Intelligence | \columnbreak ## ASI from Background The table below gives the ability scores associated with each background. Choose one of these to increase by 1. While the scores listed for classes and races are mostly set in stone, the score increase from the backgrounds is less constrained. If a player has a good reason for how their background strengthened one ability score, then they should be allowed to increase that score by 1, regardless of whether that ability score is listed in the table below. ### Background Ability Score Increase | Background | Source | Suggested Ability | |:----------:|:------:|:--------:| | Acolyte | PHB | Wisdom | | Anthroplogist | ToA | Intelligence | | Archeologist | ToA | Intelligence | | Athlete | MOoT | Constitution | | Azorius Functionary | GGtR | Charisma | | Boros Legionnaire | GGtR | Strength | | Celebrity Adventurer's Sion | AI | Any | | Charlatan | PHB | Charisma | | City Watch | SCAG | Wisdom | | Clan Crafter | SCAG | Intelligence | | Cloistered Scholar | SCAG | Intelligence | | Courtier | PHB | Charisma | | Criminal | PHB | Charisma | | Dimir Operative | GGtR | Charisma | | Entertainer | PHB | Charisma | | Faceless | BG:DiA | Charisma | | Faction Agent | SCAG | Any | | Failed Merchant | AI | Intelligence | | Far Traveler | SCAG | Constitution | | Fisher | GoS | Wisdom | | Folk Hero | PHB | Charisma | | Gladiator | PHB | Strength | | Golgari Agent | GGtR | Wisdom | | Grinner | EGtW | Charisma | | Gruul Anarch | GGtR | Wisdom | | Guild Artisan | PHB | Intelligence | | Guild Merchant | PHB | Charisma | | Haunted One | CoS | Constitution | | Hermit | PHB | Wisdom | | House Agent | E:RftLW | Charisma | | Inheritor | SCAG | Intelligence | | Izzet Engineer | GGtR | Intelligence | | Knight | PHB | Strength | | Knight of the Order | SCAG | Strength | | Marine | GoS | Strength | | Mercenary Veteran | SCAG | Strength | | Noble | PHB | Charisma |
Page 1 | Three-Choice Rules
\pagebreak ### Background, cont | Background | Source | Suggested Ability | |:----------:|:------:|:--------:| | Orhov Representative | GGtR | Charisma | | Outlander | PHB | Wisdom | | Pirate | PHB | Charisma | | Plantiff | AI | Intelligence | | Rakdos Cultist | GGtR | Charisma | | Rival Intern | AI | Intelligence | | Sage | PHB | Intelligence | | Sailor | PHB | Strength | | Selesnya Initiate | GGtR | Wisdom | | Shipwright | GoS | Intelligence | | Simic Scientist | GGTR | Intelligence | | Smuggler | GoS | Charisma | | Soldier | PHB | Strength | | Spy | SCAG | Dexterity | | Urban Bounty Hunter | SCAG | Wisdom | | Urchin | PHB | Dexterity | | Uthgardt Tribe Member | SCAG | Constitution | | Volstrucker Agent | EGtW | Intelligence | | Waterdhavian Noble | SCAG | Intelligence | ## ASI from Race Races have a primary and secondary ability score. You may choose to increase either the primary or secondary ability score by 1, unless doing so would violate the +2 Ceiling. In the case of Mountain Dwarves, both scores are increased by 1. If one score has already increased by 2, then the other score increases by 2. In the case of Humans, all scores increase by 1. \columnbreak ### Race Ability Score Increase | Race | Source | Primary | Secondary | |:----:|:------:|:-------:|:---------:| | Aarakocra | EEPC | Dex | Wis | | Aasimar, DMG | DMG | Cha | Wis | | Aasimar, Fallen | VGtM | Cha | Str | | Aasimar, Protector | VGtM | Cha | Wis | | Aasimar, Scourge | VGtM | Cha | Con | | Bugbear | VGtM | Str | Dex | | Centaur | GGtR | Str | Wis | | Changeling | E:RftLW | Cha | Any | | Dragonborn | PHB | Str | Cha | | Dwarf, Duergar | SCAG | Con | Str | | Dwarf, Hill | PHB | Con | Wis | | Dwarf, Mountain | PHB | Con | Str* | | Elf, Drow | PHB | Dex | Cha | | Elf, Eladrin | MToF | Dex | Cha | | Elf, High | PHB | Dex | Int | | Elf, Sea | MToF | Dex | Con | | Elf, Shadar-Kai | MToF | Dex | Con | | Elf, Wood | PHB | Dex | Wis | | Firbolg | VGtM | Wis | Str | | Genasi, Air | EEPC | Con | Dex | | Genasi, Earth | EEPC | Con | Str | | Genasi, Fire | EEPC | Con | Int | | Genasi, Water | EEPC | Con | Wis | | Githyanki | MToF | Int | Str | | Githzerai | MToF | Int | Wis | | Gnome, Forest | PHB | Int | Dex | | Gnome, Rock | PHB | Int | Con | | Gnome, Svirfneblin | SCAG | Int | Dex | | Goblin | VGtM | Dex | Con | | Goliath | EEPC | Str | Con | | Half-Elf | PHB | Cha | Any | | Half-Orc | PHB | Str | Con | | Halfling, Ghostwise | SCAG | Dex | Wis | | Halfling, Lightfoot | PHB | Dex | Cha | | Halfling, Stout | PHB | Dex | Con | | Hobgoblin | VGtM | Con | Int | | Human | PHB | All | All | | Human, Variant | PHB | Any | | | Kenku | VGtM | Dex | Wis | | Kobold | VGtM | Dex | Any | | Lizardfolk | VGtM | Con | Wis | | Loxodon | GGtR | Con | Wis | | Minotaur | GGtR | Str | Con | | Orc | VGtM | Str | Con | | Simic Hybrid | GGtR | Con | Any | | Tabaxi | VGtM | Dex | Cha | | Tiefling, Abyssal | MToF | Cha | Con | | Tiefling, Spawn of Asmodeus | MToF | Cha | Int | | Tiefling, Spawn of Fierna | MToF | Cha | Wis | | Tiefling, Spawn of Glaysa | MToF | Cha | Dex | | Tiefling, Spawn of Baalzebul | MToF | Cha | Int |
Page 2 | Three-Choice Rules
\pagebreak ### Race, cont | Race | Source | Primary | Secondary | |:----:|:------:|:-------:|:---------:| | Tiefling, Spawn of Disapter | MToF | Cha | Dex | | Tiefling, Spawn of Levistus | MToF | Cha | Con | | Tiefling, Spawn of Mammon | MToF | Cha | Int | | Tiefling, Spawn of Mephistopheles | MToF | Cha | Int | | Tiefling, Spawn of Zariel | MToF | Cha | Str | | Triton | VGtM | Str | Wis | | Vedalken | GGtR | Int | Wis | | Warforged | E:RftLW | Str | Con | | Yuan-ti | VGtM | Cha | Int |
Page 3 | Three-Choice Rules