Ability Scores and game playability.

[justanobody]

So for years D&D has had 6 ability scores. Many other games have mostly the same scores, or the same number of relative scores. D&D also had a seventh score for a time. Some game may only have 5 scores.

Does the number of scores affect the playability of a game?

Say those D&D scores were reduced to just 3. Close to the way 4th emulates the saves/defenses and pair up scores to 3 groups.

But you only have 3 scores total.

-Physical
-Mental
-Social

Do you think these scores alone would allow for RPGs to encompass all that the existing scores represent?

Does this exist in some mainstream game of the past or present, and maybe I did not notice?

If you only had those 3 "ability" scores for a character would it affect your ability to play the game due to any sort of limitations real or perceived?

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

3 Scores could work fine for a game. It wouldn't be d&d but could work fine for a system.

 

[Delta]

That's what they do in Microlite20 (STR, DEX, MIND). For me that makes it a non-starter.

 

[jdrakeh]

Storyteller has long used those three core attributes to great effect, as did the Tri-Stat System for the better part of a decade (although it used Body, Mind, and Spirit).

 

[Victim]

Tri-Stat/BESM does the same thing, pretty much.

One issue here is that the number of attributes is misleading. Sure, DnD has STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA. But it also has other important abilities - like HP, AC, attack bonus, etc. In many cases, these other abilities are more important than the primary stats.

I mean, 3 primary attributes and then 200 major skills would be too much, not too little. And while 20 attributes is a lot, that could be really efficient if it covers lots of ground with those stats.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Storyteller has long used those three core attributes to great effect

Er. Nine, wasn't it? Three categories, each with three attributes?

Personally, I don't like fewer than say, five?. . . generally speaking. For example, GURPS has too few*, IMO. As does Tri-Stat, and Microlite20 (although, props for fitting much of their core rules, and some sample monsters, on *two pages*!)

Six is a good number, but no, a bit of variation either way - and particularly up - isn't going to be a deal-breaker for me.


* However, if four was the go, I would prefer two physical stats and two psychological/spiritual stats, not three and one respectively, as in the case of GURPS. Yuk. :/

 

[darjr]

Faery's Tale uses Body, Mind, and Spirit. Very very rules lite. Its a great game.

 

[jdrakeh]

Er. Nine, wasn't it? Three categories, each with three attributes?

D'oh! You're absolutely correct (I haven't played a WW game since 2003 or so).

 

[Aus_Snow]

D'oh! You're absolutely correct (I haven't played a WW game since 2003 or so).

Yeah, I gave the nWoD a bit of a bash not so long ago, so I had the ambush advantage.

Regarding a possible reason why I like at least a certain number of core traits (i.e., not specific skills or narrow 'gifts' or powers) - I guess I don't like things like Strength and Agility/Dexterity bundled together, or Intuition and Will.

Mind you, the latter is more or less that mess called 'Wisdom' in D&D, yeah? When it's not overlapping and crossing wires with 'Charisma', that is. Hm.

Well then, mark me down as really liking the Unisystem stats.

 

[Henrix]

Sof or years D&D has had 6 ability scores. Many other games have mostly the same scores, or the same number of relative scores. D&D also had a seventh score for a time. Some game may only have 5 scores.

Does the number of scores affect the playability of a game?

Say those D&D scores were reduced to just 3. Close to the way 4th emulates the saves/defenses and pair up scores to 3 groups.

Ooooh, flashback to the late '70's!

Metagaming's Melee reduced it to two abilities, Strength and Dexterity, and the Wizard expansion upped it to three, adding IQ.
This later became The Fantasy Trip, and when the developer Steve Jackson left Metagaming to found his own company it became GURPS (and added a fourth ability, Health).

As for how many basic stats a RPG needs, I'd say none, like HeroQuest. The game can be just as enjoyable.