Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 8629522" data-attributes="member: 6987520">My newest change to the D&D (5E) design is to remove ability modifiers. Instead, for each "+1" bonus a creature would have had they now gain an ability merit and for each "-1" an ability flaw, which are traits of that ability.The thought process is two-fold:1. Have more meaningful "traits' to impact the game instead of a simple numerical modifier.2. A way to differentiate in a more significant fashion between two creatures with the same ability score.For example, Dexterity merits might include:Sharp-Eyed: You gain advantage on Perception checks involving sight.Sure-Footed: Moving through difficult terrain does not cost you extra speed.Lighting Reflexes: You can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on an attack made against you. You must be aware of the attack to use this feature.While some Dexterity flaws might be:Weak-Eyed: You have disadvantage on Perception checks involving sight.Stumbler: When you take the Dash action, you must make a DC 10 Acrobatics check or you do not gain additional speed.Slow-Acting: You have disadvantage on your Initiative check.While most merits would have a corresponding flaw, it is not essential of course.So, before a creature with Dexterity 8 is essentially the same as another creature with Dexterity 8. Now, both creatures would have a flaw (which certainly could be the same...), but one might have poor vision while the other is clumsy. These ability traits would have different impact on the game and be more meaningful that a simple -1 modifier (in theory, anyway).Finally, there would be no more ability checks. You might have noticed I omitted Wisdom from Perception checks, for example. The idea is simply that unless a creature has a merit or flaw related to what it is doing, it is just as capable or incapable as any other creature. There is a lot of game design philosophy behind all this, but I will spare you further details. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />A feature (not a bug) is that it also makes modifiers (gained primarily through proficiency bonus) to rolls smaller since you are not adding ability modifiers any more. I would also like to add a few more thoughts:1. Many merits and flaws could be taken more than once, depending on how this is all designed.2. I am thinking for 3 levels for each merit/flaw, so that the system can be geared to the play-style of the group: Heroic (realistic), Hercules/Xena (sort-of plausible, but beyond real-life limits), and Super-heroic (yep, this would be the big stuff). Optionally, you could use all three levels in your game in a fashion similar to the tiers in 5E (heroic levels 1-10, Herc/Xena levels 11-16, Superhero levels 17-20 or so).3. Instead of races having floating or set ASIs, each race would get to choose a merit (for a specific ability--like Goliaths with Strength) or from any (if you want the "floating" equivalent).4. IF you want to keep higher total modifiers, this is a prime time to increase the impact of proficiency bonus.5. During PC creation, you would begin with 5 merits, limited to 3 merits for any single ability. You can elect to take a flaw an ability to gain a merit elsewhere. An option might also be to take a flaw in an ability to gain a merit as well. These would allow you to have 4 merits as a cap instead of 3. Instead of ASIs when you level, you gain a new merit, etc. There could also be a method for generating a random number of merits, or you could roll ability scores and replace the modifiers with merits/flaws.For example, you want to play a Rogue and select DEX 3 merits, CON 1 merit, and INT 1 merit. You also select WIS 1 flaw to gain CHA 1 merit. In current 5E terms your ability scores would be STR 10, DEX 16, CON 12, INT 12, WIS 8, CHA 12, essentially.If you used the standard array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) you would have 2 merits, 2 merits, 1 merit, 1 merit, 1 flaw based on the +2, +2, +1, +1, -1 5E modifiers.Anyway, I am taking my sweet time raiding the coffers (as it were) of other game systems looking for inspiration as well as scrounging through 5E's materials. I am sure it will take months before I have anything concrete to offer, but I think people should get the gist of the idea well enough.Personally, I think it would lead to a greater variety of ideas like "How is my PC strong?" "What makes my PC clever?" Few individuals truly excel in many ways, and this idea would let you choose how your PC excels in an ability which is above the norm.I know people might have a lot of questions or suggestions or concerns, so please voice them and I will try to answer when I can. I just started a new job, so I don't know how quickly I will be able to reply and appreciate your patience. Thanks for your interest!</blockquote>

Verification