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Are ability scores really needed?
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<blockquote data-quote="Chris_Nightwing" data-source="post: 5880006" data-attributes="member: 882"><p>Are you suggesting that you should be an effective spell-user without having a high intelligence, or indeed an effective fighter without a high strength?</p><p></p><p>That's fine. But then consider the player that is just a strong, tough fighter. He doesn't mind being stupid and saying nothing to NPCs. Should he as effective as your strong, tough, intelligent, charismatic fighter? Shouldn't he be more effective for focusing on one thing?</p><p></p><p>Ok, so let's make the difference between the two small - let's say ability scores don't contribute that much to fighting or magic ability. Great, but then.. we use a skill system? How does that help? You choose to take sword-swinging, armor-use, spell-casting and NPC-seducing skills. He just wants sword-swinging and armor-use. He can't become much better than you at those skills because you don't want to be ineffective. So he has to.. select other things to do in addition?</p><p></p><p>What you're asking for is to play a character who can not only do all four things, but is as good as others at all four things. You want to play a super character. If you think that you compromise your effectiveness by having 16 strength instead of 18, but that 14 intelligence is not enough for your smart fighter, then you're asking too much. Point buy is already exponentially scored so that all-rounders have more overall bonuses than those focused. Use more points. Removing ability scores doesn't solve your problem.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Chris_Nightwing, post: 5880006, member: 882"] Are you suggesting that you should be an effective spell-user without having a high intelligence, or indeed an effective fighter without a high strength? That's fine. But then consider the player that is just a strong, tough fighter. He doesn't mind being stupid and saying nothing to NPCs. Should he as effective as your strong, tough, intelligent, charismatic fighter? Shouldn't he be more effective for focusing on one thing? Ok, so let's make the difference between the two small - let's say ability scores don't contribute that much to fighting or magic ability. Great, but then.. we use a skill system? How does that help? You choose to take sword-swinging, armor-use, spell-casting and NPC-seducing skills. He just wants sword-swinging and armor-use. He can't become much better than you at those skills because you don't want to be ineffective. So he has to.. select other things to do in addition? What you're asking for is to play a character who can not only do all four things, but is as good as others at all four things. You want to play a super character. If you think that you compromise your effectiveness by having 16 strength instead of 18, but that 14 intelligence is not enough for your smart fighter, then you're asking too much. Point buy is already exponentially scored so that all-rounders have more overall bonuses than those focused. Use more points. Removing ability scores doesn't solve your problem. [/QUOTE]
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Community
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Are ability scores really needed?
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