add 1/2 level to ability checks? What? Why?

[Nadaka]

Imagine this.

At first level a really strong dragonborn fighter with strength of 18 has difficulty lifting a portcullis (DC20). His spindly halfling mage companion with a strength of 8 doesn't have a chance of lifting it.

at level 10 the same duo pass through again. Sure the dragonborn is stronger and he can typically get this portcullis open on the first try. The spindly mage, who is no stronger, is now just as effective at lifting the portcullis as the dragonborn was the last time.

At level 20 the same duo pass through again. Now the dragonborn doesn't even have to try to get it open the first try as he is stronger. And yet, the spindly little mage, who is no stronger than at level 1, can now easilly lift this same portcullis in one or two tries.

At level 30, the dragonborn doesn't even have to roll to lift the gate. And t he spindly little mage, with his same 8 strength and no reasonable expectation of growth through physical training, can now lift that gate a full 75% of the time with a single action.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

 

[Thasmodious]

Yes. Thanks.

 

[Evenglare]

Yeah, pretty much.

 

[Nadaka]

OK, so how does it make sense for someone to gain on ability checks like this as they level? Why is a weak mage more able to lift massive objects as he grows in level, while at the same time the amount of weight he can carry does not change? How does this make sense?

 

[NMcCoy]

Dang, beaten to the terse answer.

So, yes, it makes sense within the larger conceit of the 4th edition world and system. Remember, all your attributes get bumped by 1 upon reaching a new tier, so even direct improvements to your stats happen without any "growth through physical training". The general +1/2level mod, which essentially applies to all d20 rolls except saves (which have an essentially fixed difficulty so don't need to improve with level), represents "getting better at doing stuff" across the board. Lifting a portcullis is Doing Stuff, and by level 30 (at which point death doesn't keep characters from Doing Stuff), the mage has enough arcane energy flowing through his body to will the portcullis out of existence, let alone lift it.

 

[IanArgent]

Doesn't bother me in particular, sorry. If it wasn't this corner case, it'd be another. I'm willing to accept this as the price for the entire party having a chance to sneak past a not-too-alert guard in a level-appropriate challenge.

 

[silentounce]

Well, reaching 30th level requires around 290 encounters not including quest/roleplaying XP and other rewards. If you figure an extended rest after every three encounters... he's had about 97 of those six hour power naps. If one of them can heal you of all wounds, refresh your healing surges, and give you all of your daily/encounter powers back imagine what that many can do!! Besides, it's common knowledge that one of the ongoing processes of the natural sleep state is to build muscle tissue.

 

[PeterWeller]

OK, so how does it make sense for someone to gain on ability checks like this as they level? Why is a weak mage more able to lift massive objects as he grows in level, while at the same time the amount of weight he can carry does not change? How does this make sense?

Everyone gets more awesome. Perhaps the weak mage channels arcane energy into helping him lift the bars. Or perhaps the bars simply aren't enough of a challenge to stop him anymore. At this point, the weak mage can survive supernatural explosions and getting swatted about by ogres and trolls (and dragons even!), but we don't question the logic behind that.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

You can ban adding half your level for this specific situation if you feel like it. Or you can rationalize it as previous posters have done. Doesn't really matter either way, just a matter of taste.

 

[Mercule]

The halfling's a wizard. That means he's smart. By 30th level, he's invented... The Lever.