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Where are the Mental Stat Bonuses?
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<blockquote data-quote="Viktyr Gehrig" data-source="post: 2480667" data-attributes="member: 9249"><p>It doesn't break down quite like that.</p><p></p><p>The way the design philosophy seems to run is, a bonus to a physical stat is worth a penalty to two mental stats (though generally it's either Intelligence or Wisdom plus Charisma; I can't think of anything that has penalties to Intelligence and Wisdom and a normal Charisma), but mental stats are too powerful to give bonuses to at ECL 0.</p><p></p><p>Unless, of course, the creature is a Dwarf or an Elf.</p><p></p><p>It more or less makes sense if you accept their assumption that physical stats are more important to all characters and that a bonus to a potential spellcasting stat is unbalancing at ECL 0. (And you ignore the general inconsistency involved with Dwarves and Elves.)</p><p></p><p>One thing this last edition of D&D has done, though, is make Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma more important for more characters, and I simply don't think that the assumption about physical stats holds true-- especially with the variety of ways that mental stats can be used to great effect for non-magical characters in combat.</p><p></p><p>The second assumption holds a little more weight, in my opinion, so when handing out bonuses to mental ability scores, I try to be careful to make sure there's some kind of counter-balance-- such as limiting their ability in another class or encouraging them to pursue classes which make less effective use of their bonuses. Using the Gestalt rules (and Favored Gestalts) does wonders.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Viktyr Gehrig, post: 2480667, member: 9249"] It doesn't break down quite like that. The way the design philosophy seems to run is, a bonus to a physical stat is worth a penalty to two mental stats (though generally it's either Intelligence or Wisdom plus Charisma; I can't think of anything that has penalties to Intelligence and Wisdom and a normal Charisma), but mental stats are too powerful to give bonuses to at ECL 0. Unless, of course, the creature is a Dwarf or an Elf. It more or less makes sense if you accept their assumption that physical stats are more important to all characters and that a bonus to a potential spellcasting stat is unbalancing at ECL 0. (And you ignore the general inconsistency involved with Dwarves and Elves.) One thing this last edition of D&D has done, though, is make Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma more important for more characters, and I simply don't think that the assumption about physical stats holds true-- especially with the variety of ways that mental stats can be used to great effect for non-magical characters in combat. The second assumption holds a little more weight, in my opinion, so when handing out bonuses to mental ability scores, I try to be careful to make sure there's some kind of counter-balance-- such as limiting their ability in another class or encouraging them to pursue classes which make less effective use of their bonuses. Using the Gestalt rules (and Favored Gestalts) does wonders. [/QUOTE]
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Community
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Where are the Mental Stat Bonuses?
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