What are the ability *scores* used for in 5e?

[Yaarel]

Heh, I am waiting patiently for the DM tradition to finally phase out scores complete, and just go with non-negative bonuses.

 

[Wiseblood]

They are a placeholder for half point bonuses and alternate HPs. Beyond that they are useless. IMO they are useless including those corner cases.

 

[MNblockhead]

They induce nostalgia. I would rather the game come up with ways to make the actual scores matter then get rid of the scores entirely.

 

[GMMichael]

And that's it. Are there any uses that I'm missing?

Um, ability scores are the best excuse players have for calling their character info "stats?"

I thought the ability-score-cap point was a good one, until I realized that you can just cap ability modifiers instead.

DCs is a very good use of scores, what with the resolution roll (check) being on a d20.

 

[5ekyu]

If you use the DMG variants for auto-success the ability score is used vs the DC in formula for determining auto-success.

In essense, with different math, it establishs a low dc "auto-success" based on score with the ability check for higher possible gains.

This is very similar to how jump is treated and imo provides a good consistency between ability scores, checks and DCs.

 

[Ganders]

Ability scores also make half-feats viable. It may not seem like an explicitly stated rule, but it does have effects and consequences. Many a character has chosen a half-feat when they have an odd score. But it has consequences even when a character intends to take two half-feats in a row, which you couldn't get if there were only the bonuses. Because after the first feat, there's another four levels where they are not yet benefitting from their score increase. That's part of the price their character pays for those feats, and is the reason that two half-feats are not exactly the same power-level as one regular feat and one ASI.

It's also common for a point-buy character to put a 13 in a secondary score, fully intending to raise it to 14 at level 4 with a half-feat. This allows him to avoid two points of point-buy for the 14 (see point-buy rules), but the cost is that he doesn't really benefit from that investment during levels 1-3. If there weren't scores in addition to bonuses, this sort of fiddliness would be removed from character creation. Some players are always glad to simplify things, but some players would miss it.

 

[BookBarbarian]

High level Barbarians can use their Strength score for Strength Checks, if their roll was lower than their score.

 

[Yaarel]

Ability scores also make half-feats viable.

That is a good point. ‘Half Feats’ are probably the most significant use of scores in 5e.



That said, there are other ways to integrate half feat options into the customization process, similar to integrating skill selection, for example.

Scores are like an appendix, a vestige of a previous stage of development that now lacks usefulness, and sometimes causes problems.

 

[Wiseblood]

If you use the DMG variants for auto-success the ability score is used vs the DC in formula for determining auto-success.

In essense, with different math, it establishs a low dc "auto-success" based on score with the ability check for higher possible gains.

This is very similar to how jump is treated and imo provides a good consistency between ability scores, checks and DCs.

Thanks I will look into that. You wouldn't happen to know that page number would you?

 

[5ekyu]

Thanks I will look into that. You wouldn't happen to know that page number would you?

Chapter 8 Role of the Dice Variant Automatic successes
Between Difficulty Class and Proficiency.

No,page numbers, i use Beyond cuz cant read book text with my eyes.