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Ability Score Balance: through the eyes of fresh players
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<blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 7961613" data-attributes="member: 6987520"><p>I've done a lot towards re-balancing ability scores.</p><p></p><p><strong>Strength</strong></p><p>Used for damage, including ranged weapons (but not loading, they receive no bonus to damage)</p><p>Ranged weapons do not get the bonus at long range, but penalties still apply</p><p>Heavy weapons do 1.5x STR mod (round down)</p><p>Light weapons do half STR mod (round down)</p><p>Encumbrance strictly enforced</p><p></p><p><strong>Dexterity</strong></p><p>Can be use for attacks for finesse, but not damage.</p><p>Monks can use DEX mod for damage with monk weapons and unarmed strikes.</p><p></p><p><strong>Constitution</strong></p><p>No only affects HP per level.</p><p>Grants "free" levels of exhaustion before effects are felt.</p><p></p><p><strong>Intelligence</strong></p><p>Grants additional proficiencies.</p><p></p><p><strong>Wisdom</strong></p><p>Grants favor, a once per long rest bonus to any roll.</p><p></p><p><strong>Charisma</strong></p><p>Grants a bonus or penalty whenever Inspiration is used to reroll a d20 check, attack, or save.</p><p></p><p>So...</p><p>low STR? Can't carry much and always a penalty to weapon damage.</p><p>low DEX? Well, bad AC of course!</p><p>low CON? Exhaustion affects you sooner.</p><p>low INT? Lose a skill.</p><p>low WIS? DM can impose a penalty to your roll, usually at the worst time!</p><p>low CHA? A penalty whenever you reroll a check using Inspiration.</p><p></p><p>Finally, your HP are modified per level by your maximum ability score modifier, NOT Constitution. This prevents the <em>need</em> for CON to be 12 or higher pretty much with every character.</p><p></p><p>While hardly perfect, all this has helped a lot to make nothing a dump stat unless it is part of the character's design (low CON for sickly character, low WIS for foolish, etc.).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="DND_Reborn, post: 7961613, member: 6987520"] I've done a lot towards re-balancing ability scores. [B]Strength[/B] Used for damage, including ranged weapons (but not loading, they receive no bonus to damage) Ranged weapons do not get the bonus at long range, but penalties still apply Heavy weapons do 1.5x STR mod (round down) Light weapons do half STR mod (round down) Encumbrance strictly enforced [B]Dexterity[/B] Can be use for attacks for finesse, but not damage. Monks can use DEX mod for damage with monk weapons and unarmed strikes. [B]Constitution[/B] No only affects HP per level. Grants "free" levels of exhaustion before effects are felt. [B]Intelligence[/B] Grants additional proficiencies. [B]Wisdom[/B] Grants favor, a once per long rest bonus to any roll. [B]Charisma[/B] Grants a bonus or penalty whenever Inspiration is used to reroll a d20 check, attack, or save. So... low STR? Can't carry much and always a penalty to weapon damage. low DEX? Well, bad AC of course! low CON? Exhaustion affects you sooner. low INT? Lose a skill. low WIS? DM can impose a penalty to your roll, usually at the worst time! low CHA? A penalty whenever you reroll a check using Inspiration. Finally, your HP are modified per level by your maximum ability score modifier, NOT Constitution. This prevents the [I]need[/I] for CON to be 12 or higher pretty much with every character. While hardly perfect, all this has helped a lot to make nothing a dump stat unless it is part of the character's design (low CON for sickly character, low WIS for foolish, etc.). [/QUOTE]
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