D&D 5E Rethinking Ability Scores

[ro]

I have three goals in my head:
1) balance the abilities in importance with each other
2) make it easier to explain character creation to new players
3) keep the power level consistent with the game as written

My ideas probably don't go very far in addressing any of the above. But to start off, what do you think?

Ability Scores
Dex -> Accuracy
Str -> Power
Con -> Resilience
Int -> Spell Accuracy
Cha -> Spell Power
Wis -> Spell Resilience

Weapon Attacks
Weapon attacks all use Dex/Accuracy:
--- Attack bonus = Prof + Dex
Weapon damage always uses Str/Power:
--- Damage bonus = + Str

Magic Attacks
Spell attacks all use Intelligence:
--- Spell attack bonus = Prof + Int
Spell damage always uses Charisma:
---Spell damage = (spell level + 2 * Cha [up to spell level]) * dX

Magic Defense
Saving throws against spells always use your Wisdom modifier.

Spell Damage Dice
When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, roll a number of damage dice equals to the spell's level. You may also roll additional damage dice equal to twice your Charisma modifier, up to the spell's level. When you cast the spell with a higher level spell slot, roll an addition damage die for each level higher.

Modifying Spell Damage
Each spell is assigned a damage die size, dX, rather than a fixed number of dice to roll, as follows:
--- Single target, no damage on save: d10
--- AoE/Multitarget, no damage on save: d8
--- If the spell imposes a condition, decrease the die size by one step.
--- If the spell gives half damage on a save, decrease the die size by one step.
--- Leave Magic Missile as-is.

Consequences
All martials need Dex and Str. All spellcasters need Int and Cha. Everyone needs Con and Wis.

-------------------------------------

[Edit: Moved from top.]
Proficiency Bonus is one less:
1 @ Levels 1-4
2 @ Levels 5-8
3 @ Levels 9-12
4 @ Levels 13-16
5 @ Levels 17-20

[Added to improve/clarify spell damage calculation.]
You spells gain extra damage dice according to your Spell Damage Modifier. This modifier is your Charisma modifier up to half your highest spell slot plus your proficiency bonus:

Spell Damage Modifier = Prof. + Cha (max spell level/2)

The number of damage dice you roll for a spell equals the spell level plus your spell damage modifier.

Spell damage = (Level + Cha (max Level/2) + Prof) * dX

[Edited to clarify. Formerly "Spell saves always use your Wisdom modifier."]
Saving throws against spells always use your Wisdom modifier.

 

[Charlaquin]

I have three goals in my head:
1) balance the abilities in importance with each other
2) make it easier to explain character creation to new players
3) keep the power level consistent with the game as written

My ideas probably don't go very far in addressing any of the above. But to start off, what do you think?

Dex -> Accuracy
Str -> Power
Con -> Resilience
Int -> Spell Accuracy
Cha -> Spell Power
Wis -> Spell Resilience

Weapon attacks all use Dex/Accuracy: Attack bonus = Prof. + Acc.
Weapon damage always uses Str/Power: Damage bonus = Pow.

Spell attacks all use Intelligence: Spell attack bonus = Prof. + Int.
Spell damage always uses Charisma:
- Spell damage is based on spell level, proficiency bonus, and Cha modifier
- Spell damage is also based on effect type:
--- Single target, no damage on save: d10
--- Single target, half damage on save: d6
--- AoE/Multitarget, no damage on save: d8
--- AoE/Multitarget, half damage on save: d4
Spell damage = (Level + Cha (max Level/2) + Prof) * dX

Spell saves always use your Wisdom modifier

Consequences:
All martials need Dex and Str. All spellcasters need Int and Cha. Everyone needs Con and Wis.

I like this idea a lot. I’m not seeing how non-casters need Wis, though. The spell damage math also seems a little over complicated.

 

[ro]

I like this idea a lot. I’m not seeing how everyone needs Wis, though.

Just that all spells use Wis saves. No more Dex, Con, Str saves, etc.

 

[Phineas Q. Conundrum]

This is a pretty serious overhaul. I happen to very much agree with the changes to attack bonus vs damage with Strength and Dexterity. It's a classic risk-reward system: reliability of damage or amount of damage. Quality decision. I think Wisdom and Intelligence are a bit scrambled here though. It really minimizes the usefulness of Wisdom and makes Intelligence much more powerful than it currently is. I would say the Str/Dex changes are a good start. But I would be careful tinkering too much with the spellcasting scores. Spells can be really unpredictable from the homebrew perspective.

 

[ro]

The spell damage math also seems a little over complicated.

Yeah, I am unsure of that. Although mostly it should be something that you calculate as you level. I was trying to make "Spell power" a useful idea while keeping the damage consistent with current spells.

 

[Charlaquin]

Just that all spells use Wis saves. No more Dex, Con, Str saves, etc.

Oh! I misunderstood, I thought “spell saves always use your Wisdom modifier” meant using it to calculate the save DC.

 

[ro]

This is a pretty serious overhaul. I happen to very much agree with the changes to attack bonus vs damage with Strength and Dexterity. It's a classic risk-reward system: reliability of damage or amount of damage. Quality decision. I think Wisdom and Intelligence are a bit scrambled here though. It really minimizes the usefulness of Wisdom and makes Intelligence much more powerful than it currently is. I would say the Str/Dex changes are a good start. But I would be careful tinkering too much with the spellcasting scores. Spells can be really unpredictable from the homebrew perspective.

I have an idea in my head of characters having a Spell AC. But also, without other changes, Wisdom would still be very important for Perception and other skills, much more so that Intelligence.

Spells are tricky, for sure.

 

[Phineas Q. Conundrum]

Although admittedly, Wisdom is very powerful as is because of Perception. I'm just not sure about changing the damage of spells from what is written, considering the other effects inflicted other than damage.

 

[Phineas Q. Conundrum]

I have an idea in my head of characters having a Spell AC. But also, without other changes, Wisdom would still be very important for Perception and other skills, much more so that Intelligence.

Spells are tricky, for sure.

I think I like this. 10 plus your Wisdom modifier plus some spell armor; could be pretty cool.

 

[ad_hoc]

In my experience the best house rules are simple, easy to learn, and easy to implement.

This is complex, difficult to learn, and as it requires an overhaul of the system it is difficult to implement.

Character creation is much more difficult to learn and understand under this system. Previously all a person needed to learn was which abilities are good for their character. Now they need an excel spreadsheet to learn how the different ability scores interact with their class abilities.

Here is an example of a much simpler way of rebalancing ability scores:

1) Initiative is now a special ability check (like death saving throw) that is not tied to an ability score.
2) Some Wisdom saving throws are now Int or Cha as thematically appropriate (eg. Charm abilities are Cha saving throws)
3) To achieve a better balance overall of classes who favour the different abilities make Warlock an Int caster rather than Cha.