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

[Felnar]

2nd edition's players option skills and powers broke the 6 core stats each into two components
str = muscle and stamina(?)
dex = agility and balance
con = health and endurance
etc, etc... anyway something like those

the six core stats were rolled as standard, then the player could increase one component of the stat and recude the other component (with a max of 4 point difference between the two)
sort of like adjusting your chars percentage of fast twitch versus slow twitch muscles

 

[papastebu]

Strength--> Lift/Carry, damage bonus/penalty, every point is a multiplier for maximum TK lift/Carry capacity.

Agility--> Dodge bonus/penalty, skills like balance, tumbling, etc, general flexibility and movement modifier, sometime Reflex save modifier

Dexterity--> attack bonus/penalty, parry bonus/penalty, pick locks, prestidigitation, speed-
based iterative attacks, etc, sometime Reflex save modifier

Body--> hit-point modifier, personal, unarmored damage resistance (minimal at best and requires a Fort save, so don't freak out) Fort save modifier for poisons, disease

Endurance--> skills like running, how much pain can the character take? how long can he hold his breath? Morale for NPCs, duration for things like Barbarian Rage, duration for maintained spells or psionics

Mind--> mental alertness, more or less (modify at will).

Perception--> listen, spot, all senses, really, modified by this one, also modifies spellcraft checks, certain artistic skills, such as musical performances, painting and the like, appraise skill, general detection, psionic mental-power modifier

Presence--> this is how much and how you are noticed by those around you. "As he stepped into the barroom, his shadow snuffed out conversations, like a wet blanket on a merry blaze." A lawful evil person with a high presence.

Influence--> this is exactly what it sounds like, and provides a modifier to things like intimidation or other forms of persuasion, gather info, leadership, morale boosts from NPC leaders for their henchies, a basic indicator of what people are willing to do for you if you ask them.

Appearance--> sheer good looks or cussed-ugliness. (modify as needed)

Sorry, but I couldn't pick just one. The ones in here that are part of the abilities list as it stands have been modified enough that I thought they deserved to be at least mentioned.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Sir Brennen]

From the Paranoia RPG: Chutzpah

"The quality of being able to murder your parents then plead for mercy because you're an orphan."

See Also: Cajones

 

[Acid_crash]

If I added one, it would be Adroitness.

Adroitness, as defined in the dictionary, is
1. expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body.
2. cleverly skillful, resourceful, or ingenious.

It would replace Dexterity and Intelligence, and mold them into one ability.

If I had to redo the Ability Scores, I'd change most of them like this:

Strength -> Power - bonus to damage and some skills, not melee attacks.
Dexterity -> Prowess - bonus to combat rolls, not initiative, few skills.
Constitution -> Body or Stamina - bonus to fortitude.
Intelligence -> Adroitness - bonus to skill points and many former dexterity skills and reflex saves.
Wisdom -> Perception - bonus to perceptive skills and initiative.
Charisma -> unchanged or Presence - bonus to conversation and will saves.

 

[Master of the Game]

I would love to split Dex into Agility and Dexterity, and I have considered doing it many times in my game.

I've also toyed with a Backgroud stat that could be used to buy off LAs from races or Social status as presented in AGoT. very +1 lowers the LA by 1. Sure, it's not hugely balanced, but I don't really feel that making a character that will always be at least one level lower than the rest of the part because their Strength is 2 points higher is really balanced either.

 

[Mighty Veil]

I really think the 6 current ones are enough, but since that wasn't the question. You know, I read a few posts, thought about it. Tougher to answer than I thought it would be.

First reaction is a "beauty" stat. But then I thought: It would be just a dumping ground. Easier to have the player simply say whether his character is good looking or not. The "magic" stat sounds okay on paper. In practice it would make the current use for "charisma" useless. Oddly, the one which at first I thought was a bit silly, a "luck" stat, is looking the best of the 3 here. A stat bonus could be an 'action dice'. Though how to do stat penalty for it, especially with my example of 'action dice'. Anti-dice? A DM picks a number of times he'll roll against the PC.

An XP bonus one. You get your modifier as a XP bonus. stat of 14 gives you plus 2%. Do you go with a high strength or con, or go for the XP bonus.

I really think the current 6 are enough.

 

[Kaodi]

If you were to use Luck, your modifier could apply in any situation where you roll a disastrous or wonderful result, like all those things that say " If you fail by five or more, " and " If you succeed by 10 or more, " . It would also apply to critical confirmation rolls, certain types of spells, like insta-death saving throws, though generally, anything where you can do worse than failure or better than success.