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[Elric]

Originally Posted by eamon

Using stat raises is comparatively easy; just raise all stats on levels 4/8 and (in combination with the general 5/15/25 raise) players will lose only 1 point vs. the monsters over their career, which looks OK to me.
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I'm also not too thrilled about the way feat-prerequisites really punish people that don't pre-plan their character 20 levels in advance. Getting rid of those stat prerequisites is probably a good thing - unless it breaks game balance (I can't, off the top of my head, think of any examples thereof, however).

It also ameliorates the need for "fixer" feats like heavy armor for Str/Wis Rangers (still attractive, but no longer absolutely required) or like the primal con-to-AC feat (also still attractive for a non-Dex/Int build, but again, not absolutely required).

That's a bunch of nice side effects, IMNSHO :-).

There was a good discussion of having three discretional stat raises in this thread: Alternatives to the feat-tax solution to to-hit and F/R/W defenses. Compared to the default, besides the increase in weak FRW defenses, raising all six stats would mean that many characters gain additional surges and initiative from Con/Dex increases.

Some scaling benefits like Barbarian Agility could be problematic; my suggestion was to remove the scaling from "Barbarian Agility" as compensation. There are a few feats that might lead to problems; a Tactical Warlord/Battle Captain who gets 19 Cha at little cost and can take Supreme Inspiration (from mp) is one example.