Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DND_Reborn" data-source="post: 8531805" data-attributes="member: 6987520">No, but it should be something neither mental nor physical-- like a magic, essence, or similar ability.Which brings me to a different point: they shouldn't be call abilities, they should be attributes. Nothing "magical" really except they stem from a fairly logical break up of the attributes people have: some are strong, some dexterous, some intelligent, some charismatic, etc. IMO they have enough distinction to set each apart, as where if you tried break them down further it might be too granular, if you group them together (like combining STR and CON) they might be too broad.There are systems out there with 2 or even 3 scores, others with a dozen or more, any number can work IMO as long as each score is required and serves a purpose--hopefully for each PC regardless of their focus or role in the game.IMO in 5E this is already the case if you look at the game as it is now.IME this is the typical ranking of abilitiesBarbarian: STR/CON/DEXBard: DEX/CHA/WIS (or INT)Cleric: WIS/CON/STR (or DEX)Druid: WIS/DEX/CONFighter: STR or DEX/ CON/ DEX or STRMonk: DEX/WIS/CONPaladin: CHA/STR (or DEX)/CONRanger: DEX/WIS/CONSorcerer: CHA/CON/DEXWarlock: CHA/DEX/CONWizard: INT/CON/DEXUnless you have a combat-lite style of play, DEX and CON are already usually the #2 and #3 scores, helpful regardless of class in significant ways. Most classes can have a score that is primary, allowing them to focus on these as secondary and tertiary, but a some classes (e.g. Paladin) also needs to have other abilities to focus on. This is why players sometime are disgruntled about such classes, because they feel their DEX and/or CON must suffer to be good at what they need to be good at.Now, by retooling DEX and CON so they are "helpful" but don't feel nearly as essential, it helps mitigate this.IMO all you would be doing is taking a score which is already good, and making it two scores that would both be highly desired. This falls into the "too focused" concept for the separate scores.And this would fall into the "too broad" category IMO.Finally, I would get rid of ability scores in the current sense altogether. One thing I've said before related to skills in 5E is this:Being strong doesn't make you good at athletics, practicing athletics is what makes you strong.Being intelligent doesn't make you know more, knowing more makes you intelligent.And so on.It wouldn't be "D&D" really at that point, but something like having proficiency in three Strength-based skills would give you a +3 STR mod, having two Charisma-based skills would give you +2 CHA mod, etc.I've always liked the idea, but never taken the time to try to flesh any of it out.</blockquote>

Verification