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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 7255342" data-attributes="member: 58172">The problem with high ability score inflation goes beyond single-ability dependent versus multiple-ability dependent.Inflation makes the arrays themselves become unequal and unfair.For example, after race improvement, one of the best official arrays possible is: 16 16 14 10 10 8.Yet the proposed too-cheap array makes possible: 18 14 12 10 10 8.The multiple-ability dependent character would normally go for the official 16 16 14 10 10 8. Among the official arrays, the single-ability dependent character would normally go for the same official array. The score higher than 16 is unavailable (the odd number 17 being generally a waste of points that could be used elsewhere). And the extra 16 and 14 is useful for saves and so on.But with the cheap cost array, the single-ability character can now get the precious 18 − and no meaningful sacrifice for it: 18 14 12 10 10 8. A brokenly high primary, and still all around solid scores for the auxiliary abilities. Indeed, even the multiple-ability character is also likely to pick this same array, with the primary outshining everything and the auxiliaries good and not bad compared to other official arrays. The cheap array is better than the best that official can offer.In order to prevent such arrays from being strictly superior to official arrays, there must be a sacrifice − that hurts − to compensate the benefit of the 18 in the primary. In this case, it means raising the price of the 16 that is underlying this 18 before the +2 race improvements.A point cost system that balances should look something like the following.The resulting race-improved array should at most look more like: 18 12 10 10 10 8.Then it would be more comparable in value to picking the official array: 16 16 14 10 10 8.Even the single-ability character might still prefer the official top three 16 16 14 over the 18 12 10.(And we arent even talking yet about what happens when a broken 20 becomes available!)</blockquote>

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