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<blockquote data-quote="billd91" data-source="post: 7391890" data-attributes="member: 3400">What roleplay potential is a move from 16 Str to 18 Str? Mosty, it means the character doesn't have to start maximized in his strength at 1st level - he can grow into being a bigger powerhouse instead of starting there - adding a relatively subtle mechanical reinforcement of a character's growth as their narrative progresses. That's been my take on stat boosting in D&amp;D since 3e and why I've been in favor of them. In 1e and 2e, stat boosting was... unreliable. You might find an item that would do it, or a magic fountain or something else that the DM had put in a dungeon setting. But there was a lot more pressure put on having high stats right from the start of the character in order to 1) get the bonuses most relevant to your class and 2) get the XP bonus for having high stats relevant to your class. That, far more than the stat bonuses and boosts in 3e, led to a lot of very favorable stat rolling arrangements - including Method V in 1e's Unearthed Arcana that used a heck of a lot of dice to get the high stats the player wanted.Incorporating natural increases in stats based on increasing levels (plus the removal of stat minimums for classes and access to bonuses starting at 12 rather than 15 or so) diminished the need to roll stratospheric stats and reinforced the narrative of growing in capabilities as a character becomes more experienced and grows from Zero to Hero. So you don't have that 18 strength at the start... you can still get it in your life as an adventurer.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="billd91, post: 7391890, member: 3400"] What roleplay potential is a move from 16 Str to 18 Str? Mosty, it means the character doesn't have to start maximized in his strength at 1st level - he can grow into being a bigger powerhouse instead of starting there - adding a relatively subtle mechanical reinforcement of a character's growth as their narrative progresses. That's been my take on stat boosting in D&D since 3e and why I've been in favor of them. In 1e and 2e, stat boosting was... unreliable. You might find an item that would do it, or a magic fountain or something else that the DM had put in a dungeon setting. But there was a lot more pressure put on having high stats right from the start of the character in order to 1) get the bonuses most relevant to your class and 2) get the XP bonus for having high stats relevant to your class. That, far more than the stat bonuses and boosts in 3e, led to a lot of very favorable stat rolling arrangements - including Method V in 1e's Unearthed Arcana that used a heck of a lot of dice to get the high stats the player wanted. Incorporating natural increases in stats based on increasing levels (plus the removal of stat minimums for classes and access to bonuses starting at 12 rather than 15 or so) diminished the need to roll stratospheric stats and reinforced the narrative of growing in capabilities as a character becomes more experienced and grows from Zero to Hero. So you don't have that 18 strength at the start... you can still [b]get[/b] it in your life as an adventurer. [/QUOTE]

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