D&D 5E Please Cap the Ability Scores in 5E

[Mouseferatu]

As others have said/implied, I'd rather deal with the whole issue not by capping stats, but by reducing--or even eliminating--stat-boosting items.

 

[CleverNickName]

Absolutely not.

You wanna cap it in your own game? Do so.

Easier said than done, shidaku. If ability scores work the way they do in 3.X and 4E, they will be tied to every other mechanic. If they get capped at all (and I hope they do), they will have to cap them at the core.

 

[Lwaxy]

in 3.x it is assumed that characters will spend all of their hard-earned gold on "buff" items and spells.

Don't know who assumed that, we never did. It's all in the playstyle and I see no reason why that should change. For half of the polls on here, I can just shake my head because it is the GM's option how to handle that. It doesn't even need to be in the RAW.

 

[CleverNickName]

Don't know who assumed that, we never did. It's all in the playstyle and I see no reason why that should change. For half of the polls on here, I can just shake my head because it is the GM's option how to handle that. It doesn't even need to be in the RAW.

Heh. It's not an assumption or a "playstyle," and it is already in the RAW. From pg. 135 of the 3.5E DMG:

As the campaign progresses, the PCs get more powerful through level advancement, the acquisition of money and magic items, and the establishment of their reputations. You have to carefully match this advancement with increasing challenges, both in foes who must be overcome and in the deeds that must be performed.​

and

One of the ways in which you can maintain measurable control on PC power is by strictly monitoring their wealth, including their magic items. Table 5-1: Character Wealth by Level is based on average treasures found in average encounters compared with the experience points earned in those encounters. Using that information, you can determine how much wealth a character should have based on their level.

The baseline campaign for the D&D game uses this "wealth by level" guideline as a basis for balance in adventures.​

So yes...not only CAN you adjust the CRs and ELs on the fly if need be, you are actually SUPPOSED to. I just think that it would be better if we didn't have to adjust them as much, or at all.

(As for playstyle, I would love it if my players would put more emphasis on the "establishment of their reputations" part, and less of the other two. But that's a whole 'nother thread.)

 

[triqui]

I'm sorry, but I have to agree with the original post. "limiting play style" just does not sound like a reasonable excuse. It would be child's play to increase this cap (or eliminate it altogether) if that is what floats your boat. 4E just encouraged you to join the arms race of increasing your attack stat at the cost of almost all else. You can differentiate your epic hero in other ways than his/her strength score; I'm pretty sure there will be lots of options for that.

I guess you are aware that 4E removed the Stat boosters (like +6 giant strength belt) from game, and that you were able to have much higher stats in 3E, do you?

 

[Sunseeker]

Easier said than done, shidaku. If ability scores work the way they do in 3.X and 4E, they will be tied to every other mechanic. If they get capped at all (and I hope they do), they will have to cap them at the core.

Assuming that ability scores are tied to mechanics in 5e like they have been in every edition, capping them isn't going to happen.

If ability scores are independent of all other aspects of the game, what's the point?

 

[Mark CMG]

In a (roughly) ten level system it is far more meaningful to gain an Ability Score Bonus (or advancement) and caps to ability scores based on physicality, like the type of creature (human, bear, dragon) also make more sense (relative to one another) and are less onerous because the system doesn't require regular increases to avoid the math breaking down in other areas. This is another example where stretching the number of levels a system covers breaks down in more obvious ways.

 

[trancejeremy]

Assuming that ability scores are tied to mechanics in 5e like they have been in every edition, capping them isn't going to happen.

If ability scores are independent of all other aspects of the game, what's the point?

Capping them happened pre-3e. At 25. And in practice, 20 was the limit for PCs.

Any system that lets a 3 Foot, 50 pound hobbit fight a 25', titan weighing tons on a more or less equal basis is clearly a very abstract system.

So why people have to make it more "realistic" by exploding ability scores (and hit points) to extremely high levels is just beyond me. It doesn't add realism, it just bogs down the rules.

I guess you are aware that 4E removed the Stat boosters (like +6 giant strength belt) from game, and that you were able to have much higher stats in 3E, do you?

3E is where things went wrong, IMHO. That's a great example - instead of giving the character the strength of a giant (under the hard cap of 25, it would have been from 19 to 24 depending on the belt), it provided a boost.

 

[Minigiant]

To me, there is less a maximum value issue as it is the designers not monitoring the aspects they place in the game.

Under and overvaluing the power of increased ability scores.
Not realizing the changes to the game by putting in a +4 race when the standard is +2.
Not monitoring the many modifier types and the expected maximum for each.
Forgetting what stack
Feats and spells that that seem to be made without consulting the standard and precedent of the current feats and spells
Making goals and doing sloppy or flawed math to reach them (4E feat faxes)


Caps. Bad in sports. Bad in D&D. Go Yankees.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

stat boossting items are ok, as long as they raise to a score, not by a score. This way, a naturally strong fighter is still the best of the best. And does not rely on magic to be super good...