If you could add one new ability score, what would it be?

[Space Coyote]

I've always like the idea of splitting Dexterity into Dexterity (manual dexterity) and Agility (full body adroitness). So, Dexterity would be your bonus to hit with an attack (instead of Strength), bonuses to manual skills like open locks and pick pockets. While Agility would be the bonus to Reflex saves and skills like tumbling and escapte artist.

In 1st and 2nd Edition D&D I used a Perception ability score that I garnered from a Dragon magazine. Back then Perception helped with things like a Thief's Hear Noise skill, a Rangers tracking skill and modified chances to be surprised.

 

[GreatLemur]

I don't really feel the need for more than six ability scores, but I do have a serious urge to mess around with a few of the existing ability scores.

Wisdom, as it stands now, is an extremely poorly-defined score. Apparently, it means sensory acuity, willpower, and . . . receptiveness to higher powers? Is that what Clerics use it for? I don't even know. Anyway, none of these things are very strongly related, and none of them are really "wisdom", anyway.

Charisma is also pretty weird. Apparently, Charisma is also willpower (sort of), in addition to being social presence, and possibly physical attractiveness, too.

I'd like to revise those two scores into more clearly-defined Perception and Willpower (or maybe Ego?) scores. I can actually kind of buy perception--in a mental receptiveness and sensitivity sense--being useful for Clerics and other divine types. Obviously, it would be used for skills like Sense Motive, Spot, Listen, and also Search, and would have nothing to do with Will saves. It could, however, be associated with Reflex saves and Initiative checks (which, as long as we're revising stuff, should probably be the same thing, as in Conan d20). I also kinda dig the idea of using Perception for projectile attacks or, at the very least, magical ray attack rolls. (I know I'm robbing Dexterity, here, but I'd also like to use Dex for melee attack rolls, and possibly some of those Str-based athletic skills.)

Willpower/Ego/whatever could keep Charisma's social skills, since it would quite logically include a sort of "presence" factor, and would obviously take over Will saves. And it'd make all the sense in the world for Sorcerers and Use Magic Device checks, of course.

As for the "appearance" aspect of Charisma, I feel pretty comfortable not using a stat for physical attractiveness. It's an impossible enough thing to quantify in the real world; it'd be completely absurd to even try it in a setting with three dozen intelligent species running around.

 

[BRP2]

I've always like the idea of splitting Dexterity into Dexterity (manual dexterity) and Agility (full body adroitness). So, Dexterity would be your bonus to hit with an attack (instead of Strength), bonuses to manual skills like open locks and pick pockets. While Agility would be the bonus to Reflex saves and skills like tumbling and escapte artist.

This is what I was/am working on for a certain style of DnD/D20 based on a game coming up. I also turned Dex into "Perception" type stat, which involved Listen and Spot. It totally needs a new name though.

At its basic form:

Wisdom is your awareness to the world. Things with 0 Wisdom don't know the world exists.
Charisma is your presence to the world. Things with 0 Charisma don't know it exists.

It gets so confusing after that. I was thinking of kind of fusing them a little and making two new stats out of them and giving Bluff/Diplomacy to INT, Mind and Force/Charisma, but this is in a campaign where "Chi" governs all physical fighting. Er, but that wouldn't be adding "One new stat"....

Since I alright know I'll be adding it for this one game, I say Agility.

 

[GreatLemur]

I'd add some sort of 'Magical Talent' ability, so spellcasters can be powerful without being extremely wise/smart/charismatic. Particularly for campaigns where all or most of the PCs are spellcasters.

I do kinda dig that idea. It would represent an intrinsic quality that the average individual wouldn't even be aware of, even in themselves. It could be used as the spellcasting stat for all classes, obviously, and also for the Use Magic Device skill, and maybe Spellcraft, too (although a case could be made for that staying an Int thing). And a lot of magical feats could be developed to use that ability score in non-spellcasters, too; things like "Add your Magical Talent bonus to one melee damage roll per day," etc.

I also like the idea of it affecting a character's resistance to magic. Possibly, it could work something like spell resistance, but it might be even cooler to make a high Magical Talent score a liability in that regard, and have its modifier reversed and then applied to saving throws against spells (so a score of 16 gives you a -3 to you Will save against a charm person attempt, etc.).

 

[Nifft]

Hmm... now I'm remembering an old idea I had for reducing the number of ability scores.

Basically, you have four base stats, which break down into mental and physical, agility and strength. So:

Str
Dex
Int
Cha

Then, four derivative stats which result from the combination of the base stats:

Stamina = Str + Dex (overall physical ability)
Will = Int + Cha (overall mental ability)
Wit = Int + Dex (reflexes and initiative)
Fortitude = Str + Cha (resisting death through mental and spiritual means)

You'd attack with Str + Dex, you'd resist poison with Str + Cha, you'd dodge a fireball with Int + Dex, etc.

... but I got side-tracked.

 

[Tonguez]

The way a person looks should have no more bearing on the game than the clothes they are wearing.

So why would it need a stat then?

 

[starwed]

As for the "appearance" aspect of Charisma, I feel pretty comfortable not using a stat for physical attractiveness. It's an impossible enough thing to quantify in the real world; it'd be completely absurd to even try it in a setting with three dozen intelligent species running around.

Agreed. And it drives me crazy when a cha penalty is justified by something related to physical appearance.

Since appearance should modify some social interactions, there should be some game mechanic for it, but it shouldn't be as primary as an ability score. Maybe have it be a skill? Although, that doesn't fit so well with other skills.

 

[Nifft]

Since appearance should modify some social interactions, there should be some game mechanic for it, but it shouldn't be as primary as an ability score.

Nah, the thing is, appearance can enhance or undermine your credibility (or trustworthiness or whatever).

"Back off, man, I'm a scientist!" works best if you look like a scientist. Looking like a hoodlum or supermodel isn't going to help.

"Back off, man, or I brake-a you kneecaps!" works less well with labcoat & glasses, but nicely with the hoodlum outfit. The supermodel is right out.

The scenarios in which it helps to look like a supermodel are left as an exercise for the reader.

SO: I think we should have some sort of trait "stereotypical appearance" which specifies what you look like. Not how cute or whatever -- what your default social class or role appears to be. You can change this with Disguise, Perform(Acting) and an appropriate outfit, but the point is, for some things you're a natural, for others you gotta work.

Cheers, -- N

 

[smootrk]

Charisma is most definitely not equatable with Good Looks. A great number of attractive people are absolutely ridiculous at leading others. Appearance might have a modifying effect on Charisma/Leadership scenarios, but it would still be rather minor - especially in extended situations where one gets to know the 'attractive person'.

As an example of the opposite effect, take Mr. Ross Perot (who ran for president), whom I have personally met. He is quite a peculiar fellow, with strange mannerisms, but he is quite interesting, and very personable otherwise. His leadership was integral to IBM and other businesses, and I would rate him quite high on any Charisma scale.

 

[GreatLemur]

Agreed. And it drives me crazy when a cha penalty is justified by something related to physical appearance.

Since appearance should modify some social interactions, there should be some game mechanic for it, but it shouldn't be as primary as an ability score. Maybe have it be a skill? Although, that doesn't fit so well with other skills.

I think Mutants & Masterminds does this pretty logically with an Attractive feat (or something like that), which gives a +4 on interaction roles with anyone who might logically find you attractive (based on gender, sexual orientation, species, etc.). I think it leaves the door open for pretty people getting bonuses to Intimidate rolls, which doesn't really make sense to me, but otherwise it's cool.

Of course, it can certainly be argued that sexual attraction isn't really necessary to somebody to want to believe or follow someone else, so I think it'd be reasonable to still give the character a +2 when they ain't the right gender to qualify for the full bonus.

SO: I think we should have some sort of trait "stereotypical appearance" which specifies what you look like. Not how cute or whatever -- what your default social class or role appears to be. You can change this with Disguise, Perform(Acting) and an appropriate outfit, but the point is, for some things you're a natural, for others you gotta work.

Sounds like a circumstancial bonus, to me. Something that should be adjudicated on a case-per-case basis, with a suggested bonus of, say, +2. Or, for that matter, a penalty of -2. I don't think it really has to be part of anybody's character sheet.