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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 5800646" data-attributes="member: 3424">Ability scores were mostly static in earlier editions of D&D. At character creation, players usually had some scope to adjust their ability scores though racial bonuses and penalties, or (as a variant rule in Basic D&D) reducing other ability scores to increase their prime requisite. However, once play started, the only options to increase ability scores were wishes and magic items such as various tomes.The Unearthed Arcana cavalier (and the cavalier-subclass paladin) were, as far as I know, the first characters that could increase their ability scores simply by levelling up.3e took this further, by allowing all characters to increase any ability score they wanted by +1 every four levels, and 4e had the most generous ability score increase rules to date: +1 to all ability scores at 11th and 21st level, +1 to any two ability scores at 4th, 8th, 14th, 18th, 24th and 28th level, and the possibility of gaining further ability score increases from an epic destiny. On the other hand, 4e also cut down significantly on other avenues for ability score increases - as far as I know, wishes and magic items that boost or increase ability scores are practically non-existant.Given the importance of ability scores in 5e, and hints that there will be a general flattening of bonuses and limits to ability scores that cannot be exceeded without magic, it seems likely that the rate of ability score increases will be scaled back from the 4e rate. On the other hand, there is something appealing about an ability score increase (at least for me) - apart from gaining levels, it is the most tangible and organic sign that your character is growing and becoming stronger, wiser and tougher. I know we haven't got much information yet, but it's still fun to speculate. What would be your preferred rate of ability score growth? How much of it should be from levelling up and how much from magic?</blockquote>

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