Ability Scores

[Grazzt]

How many times does it take before people realize that all of this different ability score modifiers shenanigans is all caused by wild speculation from one person over the Spined Devil stats.

There is no indication that ability scores have changed at all. It is probably as people say, ability modifier + half level, ala Saga.

Agreed. And I believe you would be correct. Ability score mods havent changed. They just lumped in the bonus/half-level bonus with the ability mod for ease of use on the Spined Devil's card.

 

[Baby Samurai]

Ability score mods havent changed. They just lumped in the bonus/half-level bonus with the ability mod for ease of use on the Spined Devil's card.

Exactly, for ease of making ability checks and untrained Skill checks or what have you.

If you notice the bonus to claw damage is still +4, as it has always been with a 19 Str since 3rd edition began…

 

[GreatLemur]

The thing I'd like to see done with 4E Ability Scores is prompted by something a newbie said to me recently as I was teaching him: "What's the point of calling my STR 14 when the bit that matters is +2?"

I think that your basic Ability score should be your Take10 value for that Ability, your bonus then being (Score-10).
Every point of an Ability then makes a difference, and it's way easier to keep track of Ability damage from poisons, undead etc.

Personally, I'd rather just ditch the scores completely and just use ability modifiers, the way True20 does. As far as I can tell, the 3-18 range is only being kept around for tradition's sake.

 

[Baby Samurai]

As far as I can tell, the 3-18 range is only being kept around for tradition's sake.

And for Feat prerequisites (Power Attack – Str 13 etc).

 

[Cadfan]

I know this is all only speculation.

But I don't understand people arguing that the game should set the "average" ability score to a +0 modifier.

First, that's only the average ability score if you roll 3d6 straight up. If you roll 4d6 and subtract the lowest roll, the average is about a +1.

Second, most races have ability score modifiers. Their average is different from the human average. I don't know why the human average should be proclaimed as the standard. Sure, humans might go around saying that elves are more dexterous than average, but from the elves' perspective, everyone else is just clumsy.

When you really think about it, it doesn't matter if the typical non modified ability score is set to +0 or +100. Its the difference in the scores, and the way that interacts with the game's math, that matters.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

And for Feat prerequisites (Power Attack – Str 13 etc).

Which could pretty easily be changed to Str: +1. It wouldn't change the face of the game much.

 

[Grazzt]

Which could pretty easily be changed to Str: +1. It wouldn't change the face of the game much.

I remember reading something somewhere back in the early days of 3e that basically stated the odd ability scores as feat prerequisites (like Str 13, e.g.) gave the player "something to do" with an odd ability score (or something to look forward to; because on an even ability score, your stat bonus increases).

But still..i tend to agree, I dont think it would change the game that much using only the ability mods. Hasnt seemed to hamper or hurt True20.

 

[Delta]

When you really think about it, it doesn't matter if the typical non modified ability score is set to +0 or +100.

So then have it be +0 and call it a day.

 

[Nightchilde-2]

Ditto.

They should just go for the bonuses = stats thing and forget the math for numbers equalling other numbers.

In 1st and even 2nd ed when stats weren't uniform and did different things for classes, it made sense in a bad way.

In 3e when it was a formula? Not at all. True 20 got that one right out of the box.

QFT.

I fail to see why, with the exception of placing your every-4-level-ability-point, we even have ability scores when they're never used.

Modifiers all the way, baby!