D&D 5E Why 19 not 20?

[Yardiff]

Why do the Headband of Intellect and the Gauntlets of Ogre Power only give the wearer a 19 instead of 20? Is it so you'll strive to increase that by ASI so you can get that extra +1?

Just wondering.

 

[devincutler]

I can only guess it is so that characters that actually invest to get their stats to 20 aren't upstaged entirely by someone who gets an item. In other words, to reward the investment needed to get to 20.

I have no special knowledge of this fact, but seems logical to me.

 

[discosoc]

Ogres have a strength of 19, so Guantlets of Ogre Power do as well. The headband was probably just set at 19 to keep the boost in line with the gauntlets.

 

[Illithidbix]

Ogres traditionally had a Strength of 19 in 1E and 2E AD&D.
And yes, I believe it was to keep a "natural" ability score of 20 to remain special.

I was somewhat surprised to see the interpretations of some of the magic items, such as the DMG Manuals and Tomes allowed you to increase your maximum beyond 20.
Also personally I'd have the Belt of Giant Strength provide a limited boost (perhaps per day) rather than setting a characters Strength at a number beyond 20.

 

[Unwise]

On a side note, my PCs just picked up a Belt of Ogre strength. The attuned guy has found that he is really hungry all the time and has worked out that is a side effect. What the belt is actually doing is turning him into an ogre, he grow and grows until his size and shape match his strength.

 

[Yardiff]

Actually in 1e and 2e AD&D Ogres had 18/00 strength and Hill Giants had 19 strength.

 

[Sunseeker]

WOTC has a thing for odd numbers this edition. Take a look at the number of creatures that have odd-numbered scores. It's mathematically irrelevant since we round DOWN.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

Tradition, mostly. Personally, I wish ability score increases were capped at 18, for much the same reason.

 

[Yardiff]

Tradition, mostly. Personally, I wish ability score increases were capped at 18, for much the same reason.

I agree.

 

[lowkey13]

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