D&D 3E/3.5 Converting Exceptional Strength to 3E

[Kai Lord]

What are the rules for converting a character with exceptional strength to 3e? Does a 1e character with 18/00 have an 18 in 3e or does it jump to 23?

 

[Grazzt]

From the conversion manual (which can be found on WotC's site):

Exceptional Strength: The exceptional Strength rule is no longer part of the game. If your character has an exceptional Strength game, score, convert it to a regular Strength score as shown in the table below:

Exceptional Score New Strength Score
18/01–18/50 19
18/51–18/75 20
18/76–18/90 21
18/91–18/99 22
18/00 23
19–20 24
21–22 25
22–23 26
24–25 27

 

[Thistleknot]

You can find a copy of the document you need here

 

[Kai Lord]

Great. Thanks guys.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

As a balance nazi, I think an 18/00 should just convert to 18. 18 Strength is still pretty darn impressive in 3e even if it isn't as rare as it once was.

The conversion guidelines have a lot of significant flaws in them. I would consider their strength conversion metric one of them, albeit a minor one.

 

[Artoomis]

As a balance nazi, I think an 18/00 should just convert to 18. 18 Strength is still pretty darn impressive in 3e even if it isn't as rare as it once was.

I'm not sure what to do about it, balance-wise. The fact is that exceptional strength just does not convert to 3e, really, so you have to decide what to do about it.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I would convert all 18 percentage Str to a straight 18 in 3e, very possibly allowing an 18(00) to be a 19 Str.

Even as a plain 18 it gives you a better bonus to hit than you used to get with 18(00), and if you use a 2H weapon it gives the same damage bonus.

Thus treating all percentage strength values as 18 in 3e doesn't shaft anyone - even the 18(00) guys are slightly better off.

Cheers

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The official method of converting exceptional strength is nonsense!
Why create a fighter with the D&D 3e rules??? I could create him in AD&D 2e, roll exceptional STR, convert the bastard, and would end up with a 19 (or even a number up to 23) as my strength at the beginning! And that's before you added racial adjustments. If I created a 2e wood elf I could end up with STR19. Convert him and I'll have STR 24 at first level!!!
I'm not for using foul tricks to gain better stats, but they are actually encouraging it!


No, just throw exceptional STR overboard and give them all 18. Maybe I could be convinced to make it a 19 in the case of someone actually having a "natural" (i.e. rolled, not got from gauntlets of ogre power) 18/00, but that would be it!

 

[Dr. Zoom]

The official method of converting exceptional strength is nonsense!
Why create a fighter with the D&D 3e rules??? I could create him in AD&D 2e, roll exceptional STR, convert the bastard, and would end up with a 19 (or even a number up to 23) as my strength at the beginning! And that's before you added racial adjustments. If I created a 2e wood elf I could end up with STR19. Convert him and I'll have STR 24 at first level!!!
I'm not for using foul tricks to gain better stats, but they are actually encouraging it!

Although I agree that the conversion table for exceptional strength is too high, I don't think this is what WotC meant for players to do. The conversion was so players could continue their campaign and characters that started in 2e. Anyone who now did what you described should be laughed at and forced to make a legitimate 3e character.

 

[Dr_Rictus]

I could create him in AD&D 2e...

You're not actually serious, right?

I'd ask you to either contribute to the discussion, or don't. Don't invent ridiculous straw man arguments like this. It's a waste of everybody's time.