Ability Score Capping... with added Sanity.

[Empath Negative]

Rather than flat cap everyone's scores at 20, why not cap them at base score +10.

So, for humans, scores would cap out at 20, regardless, whereas elven constitution would cap out at 18 and elven dexterity would cap out at 22.

It's BRILLIANCE... and works out wonderfully... because if an elven warrior caps out at 20 constitution... and a dwarven warrior caps out at 20 constitution... well, it just doesn't differentiate the two altogether that much.

 

[john112364]

Sounds good to me. And it's simple and shouldn't raise anyone's hackles. (I'm probably going to regret saying that.)

 

[Frostmarrow]

I like it. But for even more brilliance just get rid of racial bonuses altogether and instead rule that starting elves must have Dex higher than Con. Keeps everyone below 20 yet reinforces the stereotype.

Elf Dex > Con
Halfling Dex > Str
Dwarf Con > Dex
Half-elf Cha > Con
Gnome Con > Str

 

[BobTheNob]

Pretty much what I have thought they should do as soon as I heard about ability score capping

 

[Empath Negative]

Rather than flat cap everyone's scores at 20, why not cap them at base score +10.

So, for humans, scores would cap out at 20, regardless, whereas elven constitution would cap out at 18 and elven dexterity would cap out at 22.

It's BRILLIANCE... and works out wonderfully... because if an elven warrior caps out at 20 constitution... and a dwarven warrior caps out at 20 constitution... well, it just doesn't differentiate the two altogether that much.

This is an awesome idea. Four gold stars!

 

[Lanefan]

Rather than flat cap everyone's scores at 20, why not cap them at base score +10.

So, for humans, scores would cap out at 20, regardless, whereas elven constitution would cap out at 18 and elven dexterity would cap out at 22.

As a nice side effect, this gives all kinds of design space to fine-tune the caps for each stat for each race if so desired - Elves might cap at 18-21-19-22-18-22 in S-I-W-D-Co-Ch order, for example.

Elf Dex > Con
Halfling Dex > Str
Dwarf Con > Dex
Half-elf Cha > Con
Gnome Con > Str

This is also brilliant; and there's no reason whatsoever why these two ideas cannot be combined. That said, forcing one stat to be higher than another by race could somewhat limit class choice - unless one has two really good stat rolls a Dwarven Thief is going to start with less than stellar Dex (but be pretty tough!), for example.

I notice Int and Wis are not forced anywhere - intentional?

Lanefan

 

[Frostmarrow]

This is also brilliant; and there's no reason whatsoever why these two ideas cannot be combined. That said, forcing one stat to be higher than another by race could somewhat limit class choice - unless one has two really good stat rolls a Dwarven Thief is going to start with less than stellar Dex (but be pretty tough!), for example.

I notice Int and Wis are not forced anywhere - intentional?

Lanefan

Not intentional. Depends on the race in question. Yes, class choice will be somewhat limited. I thought that was the point. Maybe the point has become stat bonus in it self? However stat bonus is pretty meaningless in point buy anyway. A dwarven thief might rely more on stats other than dexterity or a dexterous dwarf is sure to be extremely healthy too. Either way, dwarves are tough as nails. You can count on that.

 

[CleverNickName]

It is very similar to my idea of capping all ability scores at (20 + Racial Modifier). If we use the 3.X racial modifiers, human ability scores cap at 20. Dwarves would have a max Con of 22 and a max Cha of 18.

This would apply to monsters and monstrous races as well. Minotaurs have a max Strength of 28, a human vampire has a maximum Strength of 26, pixies have a maximum Strength of 16, and so on. Creatures that have tremendous strength, like great wyrm dragons, are assumed to have tremendous racial modifiers.

 

[KidSnide]

Rather than flat cap everyone's scores at 20, why not cap them at base score +10.

So, for humans, scores would cap out at 20, regardless, whereas elven constitution would cap out at 18 and elven dexterity would cap out at 22.

A cap of base score +10 could be fine, but you want to adjust the bonuses so characters of the same class all have the same cap in their primary attributes.

The key to differentiating an elf and a dwarf is in the secondary attributes, not the primary attributes. Yes, there may be more dwarven fighters than elven fighters, but -- if you have an elf fighter -- that character should be able to hit the opponent just as well as the more numerous dwarven fighter allies. Similarly, dwarven thieves might be rarer than halfling thieves, but a lower dex cap shouldn't limit the dwarven character.

Instead, the races should be differentiated on the secondary attributes. A elf wizard and a dwarf wizard should have the same Int bonus, but the elf wizard should be more dexterous while the dwarf wizard has a greater constitution.

13th Age has the right idea here. Races and Classes both give stat bonuses, but they don't stack. Typically, a dwarf fighter would have bonuses to Str and Con, while the elf fighter would have bonuses to Str and Dex.

-KS

 

[Lanefan]

A cap of base score +10 could be fine, but you want to adjust the bonuses so characters of the same class all have the same cap in their primary attributes.

The key to differentiating an elf and a dwarf is in the secondary attributes, not the primary attributes. Yes, there may be more dwarven fighters than elven fighters, but -- if you have an elf fighter -- that character should be able to hit the opponent just as well as the more numerous dwarven fighter allies.

I suspect the idea behind this is to have it that some races are intentionally not as (potentially) good at being some classes than others are; but can still try it anyway if they like.

An Elf and a Dwarf can be equal as fighters while both are at Str 16, but the Elf can only ever go to 17 (for example) while the Dwarf can get to 20.

That said, an Elf fighter wil have a Dex cap of 20; allowing her to potentially dodge more blows than a Dwarf whose Dex might cap at 17. So it balances out that way, at least somewhat.

Lanefan