Level Up (A5E) Do we need ability scores for A5E? And any racial/ancestry/lineage/background/culture ability bonuses?

[Horwath]

As we progress through editions ability score value is dropping and we more or less use only ability modifier.
Even character sheets now put modifier front and center have small font size for score value...

Why not axe the score completely and just have modifiers?

Modify point buy pool from standard 27 and +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1 or +1/+1 or +2/+2 bonuses from various things and have starting modifiers be from -1 to +3. +0 being the default average ability.

My suggestion is 16 pts pool with following costs:

mod -1: 0 pts
mod +0: 1 pt
mod +1: 2 pts
mod +2: 3 pts
mod +3: 5 pts
(you can always allow +4 starting point buy for 8pts?, but I would not use it at it would make highly specialized characters)

few mechanics that use ability scores can easy be recalculated in few minutes.
I.E: carry capacity is now 150lb + 30×mod.
long jump is 10 + 2×mod.
and similar.

ASIs would now give +1 modifier. Full feats would work as normal, only change with half-feats is that you would take two of them without any ability boosts instead of ASI.


without having to worry about ability boosts from any part of your Origins, you can focus on extra traits/skills/tools/weapons/etc.

 

[Morrus]

That conversation has been going on since 3E was released. No, you don't need the actual ability scores, but they are iconic. We aren't doing that in A5E. We'll let WotC take that particular leap off faith first if they want to, and good luck to them!

 

[Horwath]

maybe then just make workaround that avoids any odd ability scores in character generation and progression?

 

[Arilyn]

maybe then just make workaround that avoids any odd ability scores in character generation and progression?

I like odd ability scores. Makes you feel like sometimes it takes some effort to get to where you want to be. I like a mix of odd and even scores, and I don't want to see just modifiers. No reason, I'd just miss them if taken out.

 

[Horwath]

I like odd ability scores. Makes you feel like sometimes it takes some effort to get to where you want to be. I like a mix of odd and even scores, and I don't want to see just modifiers. No reason, I'd just miss them if taken out.

them maybe put that 10 is +0, 11 is +1, 12 is +2... 18 is +8.

you keep ability scores and keep them all relevant.

 

[Waller]

them maybe put that 10 is +0, 11 is +1, 12 is +2... 18 is +8.

you keep ability scores and keep them all relevant.

Then you have rewitten the underlying math of the entire game, and it's no longer compatible.

 

[Horwath]

Then you have rewitten the underlying math of the entire game, and it's no longer compatible.

minor tweak and it's compatible.

 

[Marc Radle]

Switching to ability modifiers only would be a non-starter for me. D&D uses ability scores, it’s part of the game. I would hate to see them eliminated.

Some things are just too much core concepts to start messing around with, even if it might (and I stress ‘might’) be a good idea.

I feel the same way every time someone starts bringing up eliminating classes. Some things are just too much a part of the game to change.

 

[Waller]

minor tweak and it's compatible.

Characters with double the ability modifiers they had before are not compatible with all the monsters and DCs in the rest of the game. You'd have to rewrite everything, and bounded accuracy has now gone out the window.

 

[Zio_the_dark]

I like odd ability scores. Makes you feel like sometimes it takes some effort to get to where you want to be. I like a mix of odd and even scores, and I don't want to see just modifiers. No reason, I'd just miss them if taken out.

Also a point, since 3rd edition having odd scores also allow to meet some feats prerequisites.
In old edition bonus were not linear so...