Change in ability score = proportional change in bonus/penalty...

[SoldierBlue]

Okay, looking for intelligent contribution here...

A minor annoyance I've always had with every edition - I know the 3-18 spread is historical to D&D, but I would like a change in an ability score to mean an immediate and proportional bonus and/or penalty.

For example, I'd like a -2 change in Str to mean a -2 to one's to hit and damage score, not a -1 to hit and a -1 to damage. It's a fiddly piece of math that always comes up when spells like bear's strength and eagle's splendor are cast, or when a PC is hit with a condition that affects an attribute score...

For a while, I almost thought D&DNext was going to do this, with an 18 meaning a +8 bonus, but I think we can all agree this would mean to much influence over the die roll at low levels. Could I propose a 4-14 spread (rolled by 2d6 +2), with 10 being the median, and a 14 being a natural maximum that has a +4 bonus on die rolls? I don't know this is the solution, but I'm looking for input.

I have a feeling that the 3-18 spread is too much of a sacred cow to remove. But as far as I can tell, the only time I think the 3-18 spread matters is at every 4th level, when a PC gains an ability point, but then it only matters if they've invested in making that ability score an odd number...

Play on, Gamer Nation!

 

[Abstruse]

Makes perfect sense. Never going to happen.

 

[SoldierBlue]

Thought as much...I'm all for retaining tradition for flavour's sake, but not when it means holding on to fiddly mechanics that cannot be logically argued for anymore...

Beware (pointless) nostaligia, Gamer Nation!

 

[GX.Sigma]

Thought as much...I'm all for retaining tradition for flavour's sake, but not when it means holding on to fiddly mechanics that cannot be logically argued for anymore...

Beware (pointless) nostaligia, Gamer Nation!

They had their chance with 4th Edition, but they didn't go all the way.

D&D Next is the one that goes back to tradition. They can't remove or replace traditional aspects of the game; the best they can do (and this is what they're doing throughout the system) is to implement them in such a way that they don't seem nonsensical and irrelevant. See the "ability scores as passive checks" thing, the "hit dice as mundane healing" thing, etc.

 

[an_idol_mind]

They could always reconfigure the math so instead of adding a modifier you're adding the entire ability score. That way you get the 3-18 spread and the ability scores still mean something.

 

[Abstruse]

They'd probably be best served by going to a decimal system. Since 3 is the lowest PC score and that equates to -4 and 20 is the highest with a +5, it would make more sense. 1 = -4, 2 = -3, 3 = -2, 4 = -1, 5 = 0, 6 = +1, 7 = +2, 8 = +3, 9 = +4, 10 = +5

Keeps the bonuses the same, average is 5, anything double digits is rare and superhuman.

If anyone from WotC is reading this and you decide to go that way, please give me a heads up so I can invest heavily in Home Depot and Walmart. Stocks will go through the roof thanks to increased pitchfork and torch sales.

3d6 for 3-18 range on a bell curve is too much a core part of the game's history and that's never going to change, even if most groups don't use that method anymore.

 

[El_Gran_Jefe]

Actually 3-18 does not exist. I'd expect less than 10% of chars to have less than 9 in anything, and those will have an 8 or 7 in a dump stat.

What it does do is tell you - above 10 in everything, "I'm doing well" and close to 18 "I'm GOOD at this"

 

[Abstruse]

Actually 3-18 does not exist. I'd expect less than 10% of chars to have less than 9 in anything, and those will have an 8 or 7 in a dump stat.

What it does do is tell you - above 10 in everything, "I'm doing well" and close to 18 "I'm GOOD at this"

Depends on edition and character generation method. 3d6 means you were as likely to see a 3 as you were an 8. 4d6 drop lowest meant that you had a 1 in 1296 chance to see a 3 but a 1 in 62 chance of seeing an 18. Use point buy and there'll never be a 3 because most games have a limit to buy-downs to prevent people from min-maxing too much.

 

[ren1999]

I'd like to see a very nice flat math system for leveling up in
ability score improvements
feat/power learning
power area burst radius increases
number of attacks per turn
hit dice hit points
to hit dice
damage dice

We just have no idea how this is going to happen. Here is what I would like to see.
+1 to any of the 6 ability scores per level-up
ability scores determine the bonus to toHit, damage, saves, DC and skill challenges
+1 feat/power per level-up
+1 to burst area every 10 levels
+1 attack or standard action per turn every 10 levels
multiply the damage dice by your level? a 20th level fighter does 20d10+str mod damage?
constitution score at 1st level+static hit points every level-up

 

[El_Gran_Jefe]

Depends on edition and character generation method. 3d6 means you were as likely to see a 3 as you were an 8. 4d6 drop lowest meant that you had a 1 in 1296 chance to see a 3 but a 1 in 62 chance of seeing an 18. Use point buy and there'll never be a 3 because most games have a limit to buy-downs to prevent people from min-maxing too much.

3d6 went out the door veery soon, in house rules first and the next set of rules. And there were details saying if you got some really bad results you could reroll. Or the GM would allow you to, and rightly so.

So again, nothing below 7 is likely at any time, and most above 9. In 4e, its codified right from the start, and 20 is the normal for a favored attribute.