D&D 5E Attribute Score Method

[tetrasodium]

Yeah, I understand about the shrinking value of the d20. But, looking at something like d20 SW, I think 40 as the cap works fine.

You could retune ability scores back to 3-18 for a -7 to +7 with 10-11 being average, and then cap proficiency at +8-10 maybe, allowing a few extra points for magic items, features like Archery fighting style, and so on, so that (sans Expertise) the cap total should be 19-20ish.

But, you would have to retool the entire game around that, which isn't worth it IMO. So, I would just retune abilty scores to 5-15 or go with straight -5 to +5 modifiers.

Yes it would be a huge ordeal to change like that & that's the beauty of expanding +/-0 to allow more room for magic items/feats/fighting styles/spells/etc since you don't actually need to rebalance monsters & such & can simply sprinkle in lots of little magic items*

.*but attune slots are woefullt inadequate for that & you need something like the return of body slots

Spoiler: 3.5 dmg288 body slot affinities

I'm pretty sure it may have been in ad&d too but not sure how to find it

 

[Ace]

27 Point Buy. Fair to everyone, decently balanced, room for some min/maxing if desired.

I've have played with 4d6 drop low / normal human only in 5E, I got lucky and made a pretty powerful character which was fun .I still won't use it as it can be less than fun for people with bad rolls. A hybrid is theoretically possible, 27 points or 4d6 whichever is better but I don't see the need unless i am trying for an anime protagonist vibe for some of the players and low rollers still might get cheated.

 

[Horwath]

27 Point Buy. Fair to everyone, decently balanced, room for some min/maxing if desired.

I've have played with 4d6 drop low / normal human only in 5E, I got lucky and made a pretty powerful character which was fun but I won't use it as it can be less than fun for people with bad rolls. A hybrid is theoretically possible, 27 points or 4d6 whichever is better but I don't see the need unless i am trying for an anime protagonist vibe for some of the players and low rollers still might get cheated.

I prefer PF1 point buy budget of 32.

15 is still the max as normal, but it gives little more room for all scores to get something

 

[Micah Sweet]

I'd love to try out point buy sometime, but I'll never do it in D&D. My wife hates point buy in D&D with the burning fury of a thousand alien suns. She's ok with it in other games, but D&D and rolling for stats are inseparable in her mind. It helps that she's also scrupulously honest.

 

[Ace]

I prefer PF1 point buy budget of 32.

15 is still the max as normal, but it gives little more room for all scores to get something

That's not too bad as a more powerful alternate but I'm not skilled enough with 5E to guess the balance changes.

 

[Lanefan]

Well sure... but I took it on faith that most of the D&D characters with 6s and less either had their stats thrown out and rerolled before hitting the table, or the character died so quickly that they never actually used those stats for anything meaningful.

Give me something that starts with 17-16-15-12-10-6 and I'll play it all day long.

 

[cbwjm]

Give me something that starts with 17-16-15-12-10-6 and I'll play it all day long.

I do enjoy playing those types of characters. When the rolling starts of well and then have a 6 or 7 in the mix, it can really lead to an interesting character. Especially great when you have no character concept in mind, roll in order, get that 18 right off the bat and think "I shall be a mighty warrior!" and then when you roll constitution you get a 5. Will you still be that mighty warrior or will you look at other options for your character.

 

[Horwath]

That's not too bad as a more powerful alternate but I'm not skilled enough with 5E to guess the balance changes.

no real change in balance as those extra points will be spent in tertial and lower priority ability scores.
having fighters having extra +1 in charisma and intelligence checks will not break combat balance, but it will add some roleplay value to characters(as oppose to having 8 int and 8 cha brutes).

 

[Lanefan]

I do enjoy playing those types of characters. When the rolling starts of well and then have a 6 or 7 in the mix, it can really lead to an interesting character. Especially great when you have no character concept in mind, roll in order, get that 18 right off the bat and think "I shall be a mighty warrior!" and then when you roll constitution you get a 5. Will you still be that mighty warrior or will you look at other options for your character.

Every game I've played in has allowed rearranging, and all kinds of interesting-fun-entertaining concepts are opened up by the presence of that 6. For gonzo (i.e. most of the time!) I'd chuck it in Wisdom. If I wanted to switch my brain off at the games I'd put it in Intelligence. Tossing it into Charisma gives me license to, in-character, offend anyone and everyone. Putting it in Strength or Con isn't nearly as exciting, though if one's after some slapstick having Dex 6 is a fine way to start.

 

[Ace]

Every game I've played in has allowed rearranging, and all kinds of interesting-fun-entertaining concepts are opened up by the presence of that 6. For gonzo (i.e. most of the time!) I'd chuck it in Wisdom. If I wanted to switch my brain off at the games I'd put it in Intelligence. Tossing it into Charisma gives me license to, in-character, offend anyone and everyone. Putting it in Strength or Con isn't nearly as exciting, though if one's after some slapstick having Dex 6 is a fine way to start.

To each his own.

While I gave a solidly positive review of 3d6 In Order back long ago, that style of gameplay isn't my thing. I prefer more heroic PC's or just build to order.

Back in the 2e days I often just let players use whatever set they wanted since it allowed people more choice and I felt comfortable scaling encounters , playing from the assumption bigger threats (higher stats) get more attention.

I did this with my own PC's. Its shocking how many wizards were S 10 I 16-19 W 12 D 10 C 16 CH 10-13 HP 4+Con 3+Con after No one complained though since I was usually regarded a very good team player and it felt balanced.

3x and up were a bit more fiddly mechanically so I always went point buy, organized play style hp rolls.