D&D 5E A Proper Ability Score Generation Preference Poll

[Wulffolk]

[MENTION=6801845]Oofta[/MENTION] I am going to cross-post something I wrote in another thread. I think it highlights the source of our differences as being Bounded Accuracy and suggests a possible solution that reduces the impact of Abilities.

[MENTION=42437]Wiseblood[/MENTION] I share your feelings about Abilities, and it also bothers me that so many character's end up looking exactly the same. I mentioned in an earlier post that I think this is the direct result of Bounded Accuracy, in which Proficiency Bonus and Level mean less than Ability scores for almost the entire career of most character's.

I am just thinking aloud here, but maybe this would make a positive difference:
Change the Ability Score Bonuses to half of what they currently are, rounded down.
Change the Proficiency Bonus to be half of current level, rounded up.
Change Skill checks to be rolling under the associated Ability Score, so even odd Ability scores matter.

Ability Bonus would equal:
3 = -2
4-7 = -1
8-13 = +0
14-17 = +1
18-20 = +2

This broadens the range of "Average" similar to earlier editions of D&D.

Currently the max bonus is +5 Ability +6 Profiency = +11
This option the max bonus is +2 Ability +10 Proficiency = +12

What are your thoughts about this theory?

 

[Caliban]

Yup, you have me pegged. I see nothing beyond stats, despite the numerous posts I have made to the contrary. Thank you for enlightening me on breaking out of my mold.

Sounds like I hit a nerve. Seriously, you are the one who keeps going on about "The point was that if everybody is the same then why bother."

And when we point out all the ways they are different, you just repeat that like a mantra. You seem to be talking about stats.

If you aren't, then please make an effort to explain yourself better, because that's all I'm getting from your posts.

I find it ironic that people that would not ever consider risking the need to play a sub-par character attempt to characterize those with a different view from their own as people obsessed with stats. My earlier post must have hit a nerve.

Not really. Sorry for trying to explain things in more detail when I thought you didn't understand. You still don't seem to understand, but now you are getting angry and insulting.

So... meh. Whatever.

 

[Caliban]

I am going to cross-post something I wrote in another thread. I think it highlights the source of our differences as being Bounded Accuracy and suggests a possible solution that reduces the impact of Abilities.



What are your thoughts about this theory?

So you make the stat bonus nearly meaningless so that you can have characters with a wider range of ability scores without it actually making any difference?

You complain about characters all being the same, then you propose changing it so that the characters are functionally the same regardless of their ability scores?

Seems pointless. Your changes seem to indicate you only want a cosmetic difference between characters, not an actual difference.

 

[Wulffolk]

I will try to help you understand. Following my suggestion every point of an ability would make a difference, instead of just the even numbers, since Ability checks would become about rolling under your Ability. What you have focused on in your response is that bonuses to attack stats would mean less than a character's level. So now there could be more diversity of Abilities without it being absolutely necessary for everybody to have the same scores.

 

[Caliban]

I will try to help you understand. Following my suggestion every point of an ability would make a difference, instead of just the even numbers, since Ability checks would become about rolling under your Ability. What you have focused on in your response is that bonuses to attack stats would mean less than a character's level. So now there could be more diversity of Abilities without it being absolutely necessary for everybody to have the same scores.

Ah, I missed the rolling under the ability instead of rolling high like the current system.

Meh, seems like way to much work for minimal value, but then I'm not the one who has a problem with the system. .

If you like it go ahead, but I'll stick with 5e.

 

[Wulffolk]

That is great. If you have fun with the system as it is then you have no need for house-rules. You can safely ignore curmudgeons like me that have issues with it. I wish I could have fun with this system as it is, but there are too many things that bother me.

 

[Lanefan]

The main aim of it is to avoid the 'I grab it!', 'I saw it first' mentality.

Fair enough, but if the party send their Thief ahead to explore a room* and she pockets a bit off the top before reporting what she found, so what?

* - such exploration done by note or with the player separately, of course

I'm not interesting in adjudicating who saw what loot first, and I don't want to DM a game in which the players spend any significant amount of time arguing,

As long as the arguments in character stay in character, they can argue all night if they want...and sometimes they do. I'm patient. I can wait...

it breaks all concentration (and with ADHD, mine is very easily broken!!). The DM has to enjoy the game too, and I enjoy games where the group work as a team, with lots of roleplaying, exploration and puzzle solving.

I enjoy games when we're all having fun, however said fun is arrived at...which can sometimes include in-character arguments and-or characters not always working fully on behalf of the party...

Note that they are also *terrible* at book-keeping, insisting on a shared party loot sheet just makes everything so much simpler. The one player who is remotely organised handles that during play, and then divides it up after each adventure.

We do this too, for party treasure. In games I play in I often end up as party treasurer.

Lan-"this might be worth its own thread"-efan

 

[Oofta]

[MENTION=6801845]Oofta[/MENTION] I am going to cross-post something I wrote in another thread. I think it highlights the source of our differences as being Bounded Accuracy and suggests a possible solution that reduces the impact of Abilities.



What are your thoughts about this theory?

I can see it giving you more of an old school feel, and there are times when medium-to-high PCs have ridiculously high modifiers. This edition does better than 3 or 4, but there are still ways to get near godlike skill bonuses if that's your thing. For example I had a 7th level bard with a passive perception in the mid 20s.

But honestly? I don't see the point. With point buy by the time people get that 20 they've invested a lot to get there and I don't have a problem with them being effective at something. It's one of the reasons I like a cap of 15 at first level, it gives you room to grow.

 

[Yardiff]

Maybe I'm misunderstand some of the last several post....

"Ability score matter less then RP and character story." "I don't like rolling ability scores because you can roll subpar scores (and "I" usually do) compared to others who rolled better."

So if what ability scores you have don't matter, why does the it matter if you roll or array or point buy?

 

[Oofta]

Maybe I'm misunderstand some of the last several post....

"Ability score matter less then RP and character story." "I don't like rolling ability scores because you can roll subpar scores (and "I" usually do) compared to others who rolled better."

So if what ability scores you have don't matter, why does the it matter if you roll or array or point buy?

You're conflating different things. I'm not saying that ability scores don't matter, obviously they do. That's not the same thing as saying that ability scores define my character, or are the only thing that makes my character different and unique.

My character isn't defined by their ability scores but I do want to feel like an equal part of the team. I see no point in one person being a sidekick because they rolled low any more than I see a reason for someone else to be a superstar merely because they got lucky.

Why is it so important to you to have winners and losers in the dice rolling lottery?