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<blockquote data-quote="Truename" data-source="post: 5839199" data-attributes="member: 78255">Rather than ability score leading to class, what if class and ability score could be chosen separately?4e approached this idea--for example, Str clerics and Wis clerics--but your prime attribute was so important everything had to be shoehorned to fit. So you got weapon-based attacks that used cha, and so on, which never really scratched my verisimilitude itch.What I'm thinking instead is that each attribute has a defined, unchangeable purpose in the world, and then each class is customizable according to the character's high ability scores. This gives more customization and flavor and emphasizes the internal consistency of the world.For example, all one-handed weapons use strength, two-handed weapons use con, light blades use dex, spell memorization uses int, divine spells use wis, and spontaneous casting uses cha. (This list could use work. It's just an example.)Then your fighter with good dex and poor strength uses a rapier, your wizard with good cha and poor int has lots of at-wills/encounters (but no Vancian dailies), etc.AND the ability score curve is de-emphasized a bit, so ~14 is good enough, and you don't end up with the 4e situation of everyone needing an 18 or higher in their prime stat in order to reliably hit and have fun.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Truename, post: 5839199, member: 78255"] Rather than ability score leading to class, what if class and ability score could be chosen separately? 4e approached this idea--for example, Str clerics and Wis clerics--but your prime attribute was [i]so[/i] important everything had to be shoehorned to fit. So you got weapon-based attacks that used cha, and so on, which never really scratched my verisimilitude itch. What I'm thinking instead is that each attribute has a defined, unchangeable purpose in the world, and then each class is customizable according to the character's high ability scores. This gives more customization and flavor and emphasizes the internal consistency of the world. For example, all one-handed weapons use strength, two-handed weapons use con, light blades use dex, spell memorization uses int, divine spells use wis, and spontaneous casting uses cha. (This list could use work. It's just an example.) Then your fighter with good dex and poor strength uses a rapier, your wizard with good cha and poor int has lots of at-wills/encounters (but no Vancian dailies), etc. AND the ability score curve is de-emphasized a bit, so ~14 is good enough, and you don't end up with the 4e situation of everyone needing an 18 or higher in their prime stat in order to reliably hit and have fun. [/QUOTE]

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