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Should 5E Characters be MAD?
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<blockquote data-quote="DEFCON 1" data-source="post: 6048736" data-attributes="member: 7006"><p>My personal preference would be to not force each class to have a specific count of which ability scores have to be primary. Becauyse you end up with cookie cutter ability score for each class. Instead, I'd rather that ALL the different things a class can do and has access to based on ALL the six different scores. Especially in cases where a class is currently getting a straight numerical bonus, I'd rather it be based upon one of the six ability scores. So for instance for the Fighter:</p><p></p><p>- Attack roll and damage add STR mod or DEX mod (depending on weapon)</p><p>- AC adds DEX mod (depending on armor)</p><p>- CON adds to hit points</p><p>- Defenses, saving throws and ability checks based on respective ability mods</p><p>- Weapon Attack bonus not automatically start at +3, but start at INT mod</p><p>- Expertise Dice progression be based on WIS mod (Mod +2 or less uses the 1d4 progression, +3 or higher perhaps uses a 1d6 starting progression for example)</p><p>- CHA mod determines how many starting Maneuvers the Fighter begins with (or the level progression of when you acquire new maneuvers)</p><p>- Fighting Styles and Maneuvers each based on and uses certain ability mods</p><p></p><p>This way each player decides for themselves which ability scores they care about, and actually can select options that are enhanced by those scores.</p><p></p><p>So for instance... if you wanted to play a more agile and stylish Fighter, mainly focused around DEX and CHA with perhaps a bit of INT... you'd voluntarily give up a bit of HP by taking a lower CON, you'd voluntarily give up the lower Expertise Die progression, but you could then select the Duelist Style and get additional bonuses from those Maneuvers based upon higher DEX and CHA scores, you might start with Deadly Strike and a second (or third) Maneuver based upon CHA mod, and your base Weapon Attack bonus would be better because of INT (which would then get added to via your DEX and a Finesse weapon.)</p><p></p><p>And this could be done across the board.</p><p></p><p>Why are the Wizard's and Cleric's Saving Throw DCs calculated using INT and WIS automatically? They already have other bonuses to their class based upon INT and WIS. Why not have each spell that requires a saving throw specify what ability mod of the Wizard or Cleric gets added to find the DC? </p><p></p><p>So Charm Person-- Target makes WIS saving throw to resist, DC is 10 + Wizard's <strong>CHA</strong> mod + Wizard's Saving Throw bonus. Because the Wizard should have to use his charisma to try and charm the person. Boom! A couple spells like that and CHA now becomes a possibly important part of a Wizard's abilities based upon the spells that Wizard wishes to cast. Hold Person? DC 10 + caster's <strong>STR</strong> mod (because you need to use your personal strength to influence the magic to hold someone at bay). Now you have some spells that require casters who have chosen to be strong.</p><p></p><p>And so on down the line.</p><p></p><p>I think the more often you can vary up the ability modifiers across the board across all worthwhile abilities... you will get more varied characters based upon which abilities they have chosen to highlight. But if you never require any class to ever need a specific ability score for anything (other than the occasional ability check)... like we currently have with Fighters and CHA and Wizards and STR for example... then we'll never get any PCs that go in those directions. Which would be a shame.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DEFCON 1, post: 6048736, member: 7006"] My personal preference would be to not force each class to have a specific count of which ability scores have to be primary. Becauyse you end up with cookie cutter ability score for each class. Instead, I'd rather that ALL the different things a class can do and has access to based on ALL the six different scores. Especially in cases where a class is currently getting a straight numerical bonus, I'd rather it be based upon one of the six ability scores. So for instance for the Fighter: - Attack roll and damage add STR mod or DEX mod (depending on weapon) - AC adds DEX mod (depending on armor) - CON adds to hit points - Defenses, saving throws and ability checks based on respective ability mods - Weapon Attack bonus not automatically start at +3, but start at INT mod - Expertise Dice progression be based on WIS mod (Mod +2 or less uses the 1d4 progression, +3 or higher perhaps uses a 1d6 starting progression for example) - CHA mod determines how many starting Maneuvers the Fighter begins with (or the level progression of when you acquire new maneuvers) - Fighting Styles and Maneuvers each based on and uses certain ability mods This way each player decides for themselves which ability scores they care about, and actually can select options that are enhanced by those scores. So for instance... if you wanted to play a more agile and stylish Fighter, mainly focused around DEX and CHA with perhaps a bit of INT... you'd voluntarily give up a bit of HP by taking a lower CON, you'd voluntarily give up the lower Expertise Die progression, but you could then select the Duelist Style and get additional bonuses from those Maneuvers based upon higher DEX and CHA scores, you might start with Deadly Strike and a second (or third) Maneuver based upon CHA mod, and your base Weapon Attack bonus would be better because of INT (which would then get added to via your DEX and a Finesse weapon.) And this could be done across the board. Why are the Wizard's and Cleric's Saving Throw DCs calculated using INT and WIS automatically? They already have other bonuses to their class based upon INT and WIS. Why not have each spell that requires a saving throw specify what ability mod of the Wizard or Cleric gets added to find the DC? So Charm Person-- Target makes WIS saving throw to resist, DC is 10 + Wizard's [B]CHA[/B] mod + Wizard's Saving Throw bonus. Because the Wizard should have to use his charisma to try and charm the person. Boom! A couple spells like that and CHA now becomes a possibly important part of a Wizard's abilities based upon the spells that Wizard wishes to cast. Hold Person? DC 10 + caster's [B]STR[/B] mod (because you need to use your personal strength to influence the magic to hold someone at bay). Now you have some spells that require casters who have chosen to be strong. And so on down the line. I think the more often you can vary up the ability modifiers across the board across all worthwhile abilities... you will get more varied characters based upon which abilities they have chosen to highlight. But if you never require any class to ever need a specific ability score for anything (other than the occasional ability check)... like we currently have with Fighters and CHA and Wizards and STR for example... then we'll never get any PCs that go in those directions. Which would be a shame. [/QUOTE]
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