Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Beginning of the End" data-source="post: 5487578" data-attributes="member: 55271">Is it the recalculation of derived attributes or the ability to target (with greater difficulty) a small, non-inflationary pool of points?We've been toying with the idea of handling ability drain like energy drain, but with a shorter term limit: For every two points of ability damage  (regardless of which ability), you suffer a -1 penalty on all skill checks, ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws. (Two special cases: Con loss still subtracts hit points and caster's who have their spellcasting attribute targeted have to adjust the save DCs of their spells.)When an encounter ends, re-calculate the actual penalties.We combine this with a system where a lot of save-or-die effects instead inflict ability score damage. (So, for example, a petrification effect deals Dex damage and death effects deal Con damage.)If the potentially lethal end-game also bugs you, simply eliminate those effects: You can drain someone down to 1 point in their attributes, but that's as low as they go. (Obviously this wouldn't work with the save-or-die as ability score damage variant.)</blockquote>