Ability Score Increase vs Low magic Setting

[swordsmasher]

Hi,
I am working on my campaign right now; it's low magic and therefore I wanted a different way for pc's to increase thier ability scores and junk. While at first I thought about giving them a stat point at each level or even every two levels, there'd always be the player that throws them all into his strength or what-not. Also, i believe that over time, adventurers get smarter, more wise, and even a stronger force of personality.

So what I plan on doing is allowing my pc's to increase all thier ability scores at 4th level and every four levels thereafer instead of just gaining the one ability increase.

I am also thinking about creatiung some feats that allow you to spend a certain amount of skill points at certain levels (like every level divisible by 3) to increase an ability score.

so, will this unbalance my low magic campaign, or what?

thanks

kc

p.s.
I heard that the Conan rpg does something like this. Anyone know how they handle it?

 

[Falling Icicle]

So what I plan on doing is allowing my pc's to increase all thier ability scores at 4th level and every four levels thereafer instead of just gaining the one ability increase.

I'm confused. How is giving a character an increase in every stat better than the person who puts just one point in the ability they care about most?

I am also thinking about creatiung some feats that allow you to spend a certain amount of skill points at certain levels (like every level divisible by 3) to increase an ability score.

Sounds like what you want it more flexibility in character growth and development than what the current level based system offers.

so, will this unbalance my low magic campaign, or what?

Possibly. Keep in mind that what you are proposing will give characters alot higher ability scores than normal. This may not have much impact, though, since you are only getting a +1 bonus per 2 attribute points. But still, at every 4 levels, that would be a +5 to all attributes at level 20, which is 6 times what characters normally get.

My suggestion would be to offer ability points at every level, and have the cost of increasing an ability go up the higher the ability score is, similar to the point buy system in the DMG. For example, let's say a character gets one ability point every level. The cost to raise an ability by one could be 1 point if the ability is 3-14, 2 points if it is 15-16, 3 points if it is 17-8, and 4 points if it is 19 or higher. This would give characters more flexibility than they have now, and the ability to improve lower scores more often, but would also prevent characters from reaching insane levels in one attribute by dumping all their points into it. You'd probably want to play around with the numbers a bit, until you reach the balance that best suits you.

 

[Maester Luwin]

Hey Falling Icicle!!! That was great advice! But Swordsmasher if you're going for a Low magic - more gritty campaign why go with anything but increasing one ability by 1 point/ 4Lvls anyway? I like it when my players have to do more with less. Just my 2 coppers. Good gaming & thanks Maester Luwin

 

[Cheiromancer]

I think the Conan RPG gives a +1 to all ability scores at 6th level, and again every 4 levels thereafter. This helps compensate for a low treasure (i.e. low magical treasure) setting.