Attribute Retraining

[ghearus]

Hey all,

I am considering pitching a rule to the DM for one of my games:

Attribute Retraining
When you gain a level, as an alternative to retraining a power, feat, or skill, you can choose to subtract one point from an attribute, and add one point to another.

Limitations:
- You may not lower an attribute below 10
- You may not increase an attribute above 18
- You may not lower an attribute that has recieved a racial modifer below 12

Thoughts?

 

[FireLance]

As a min-maxer, I will probably start with ability scores that are as balanced as possible, and then slowly lower my less important stats to get my important stats as high as I can.

I could start with base stats of 14, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13 (22 points) and raise it to base stats of 17, 16, 16, 10, 10, 10 (32 points) over the course of 9 levels.

 

[cmbarona]

I took part in a similar discussion a while back on these forums. Here was my solution:

Instead of taking any other retraining options, you may instead retrain your ability scores. Keep track of your initial scores, before racial mods. You may shift up to 4 points worth of point-buy points per level. As with all other retraining, if any feats have prerequisites, you must train out of those feats before adjusting their prerequisites.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

Keep track of your initial scores, before racial mods.

Yes, this! (Unless of course you want power gamers to become get more and more bonuses every level by shifting around their ability scores. Maybe you do...) I wouldn't require anyone to retrain feats with prereqs before retraining the ability prereq, but if the stat drops below what the feat requires than you can't use the feat anymore.

TS

 

[CapnZapp]

You may shift up to 4 points worth of point-buy points per level.

Agreed.

This perhaps comes off as complicated, but is really the only solid way to keep things level.

(I too wouldn't have any problems with people retraining away from feats needed for other feats. The simple solution is indeed to deactivate those feats. Obviously, this means that the rule remains - who'd want to lose feats? - but in a less absolute and therefore friendlier way)

 

[cmbarona]

I wouldn't require anyone to retrain feats with prereqs before retraining the ability prereq, but if the stat drops below what the feat requires than you can't use the feat anymore.

Hmm, this might actually work better. This way, they can retrain in whatever order they wish, if changing their stats is more important that the feats it would deactivate. Good idea, thanks!