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<blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 8520909" data-attributes="member: 7635">In Ye Olde Days of Basic (B/X or BECMI) ability scores had nearly no impact on your chosen class, save for bonus XP if it was high enough. Dexterity gave no bonus to thief skills, Intelligence didn't affect a magic-users ability to learn or cast spells, and Wisdom granted no additional spellcasting to Clerics. Only fighters got use out of a high Strength beyond bonus XP (as Str was still a bonus to hit/damage) but it was a very small bonus (Max +3) and technically, everyone benefited from high strength since outside bows and missile weapons, there was no other repeatable method of attack (no finesse weapons, no cantrips, no alternative ability score attacks). The net effect of this was for the years playing Basic, high ability scores weren't viewed as needed, only a perk. As long as you met the minimum requirements, it didn't matter a giant amount if the mage had a 9 or 17 Int. It wasn't until we moved to AD&amp;D (where modifiers began at 15 and directly affected class features) that high ability scores became &quot;the norm&quot;. WotC seems to be moving away from &quot;ability score based&quot; design and towards Proficiency bonus/static bonus design. Abilities that might have been &quot;Wisdom mod uses per long rest&quot; are becoming &quot;proficiency mod bonuses per long rest&quot; and I think that's a direct attempt to dissuade the &quot;necessity&quot; of high ability scores (especially secondary ones) and the desire to max out main stats by 8th level. Clearly, 5e would have to change a LOT more to fix the problem, but I wouldn't be all too surprised if more class features (as well as the core race racial features) are less tied to ability score mod and more tied to either proficiency bonus or just given a flat number of uses. Things like Flash of Insight or a paladin's Aura of Protection removing the Int/Cha modifier for a flat or PB-based one.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Remathilis, post: 8520909, member: 7635"] In Ye Olde Days of Basic (B/X or BECMI) ability scores had nearly no impact on your chosen class, save for bonus XP if it was high enough. Dexterity gave no bonus to thief skills, Intelligence didn't affect a magic-users ability to learn or cast spells, and Wisdom granted no additional spellcasting to Clerics. Only fighters got use out of a high Strength beyond bonus XP (as Str was still a bonus to hit/damage) but it was a very small bonus (Max +3) and technically, everyone benefited from high strength since outside bows and missile weapons, there was no other repeatable method of attack (no finesse weapons, no cantrips, no alternative ability score attacks). The net effect of this was for the years playing Basic, high ability scores weren't viewed as needed, only a perk. As long as you met the minimum requirements, it didn't matter a giant amount if the mage had a 9 or 17 Int. It wasn't until we moved to AD&D (where modifiers began at 15 and directly affected class features) that high ability scores became "the norm". WotC seems to be moving away from "ability score based" design and towards Proficiency bonus/static bonus design. Abilities that might have been "Wisdom mod uses per long rest" are becoming "proficiency mod bonuses per long rest" and I think that's a direct attempt to dissuade the "necessity" of high ability scores (especially secondary ones) and the desire to max out main stats by 8th level. Clearly, 5e would have to change a LOT more to fix the problem, but I wouldn't be all too surprised if more class features (as well as the core race racial features) are less tied to ability score mod and more tied to either proficiency bonus or just given a flat number of uses. Things like Flash of Insight or a paladin's Aura of Protection removing the Int/Cha modifier for a flat or PB-based one. [/QUOTE]

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