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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bill Zebub" data-source="post: 8609608" data-attributes="member: 7031982">So I decided to write a little simulation.  I wanted to roll millions of dice (in a computer program) to see how much better 16 strength is than 15 strength.  The problem was, I couldn't decide which opponent to use.Then it hit me: make 'em fight each other.No, I'm not into PvP, but I figured this would be a good test of just how much better that +1 is.First, I fought two 1st level sword and board fighters against each other.  Chainmail, sword, shield, 14 Con, Defensive fighting style.I ran 100,000 simulated fights to the death, with the two characters taking turn going first.The guy with 16 strength ("Hutch" in my code) beat the guy with 15 strength ("Starsky) 60% of the time.So then I bumped them up to 3rd level, meaning HP went from 12 to 28.Now Starsky won 67% of the time.Hmmm.So, next I wondered how that +1 compares to Action Surge.  I gave Starsky, but not Hutch, an Action Surge, thinking that would turn the tide in his favor.  Nope.  Hutch still won (at 3rd level) 58% of the time.Just to check my code, I reduced Hutch's strength down to 15, but left Starsky with Action Surge.  That finally flipped the board, and Starsky won 57% of the time.Conclusion: the +1 modifier is significantly better than Action Surge, at least in terms of pure damage output.  And that's not even factoring in that it's on all the time, not just for one fight per rest.Epilogue: maybe Action Surge would shine with two-handed weapons, making that bonus attack worth more?  I gave them each greataxes, which also meant they lost their shields, and then finally it was nearly a tie, with Hutch winning just slightly more than 50% of the time.</blockquote>

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