making odd ability scores matter

[jeff0]

The "Attribute scores don't make sense" thread got me thinking. I've always hated the fact that raising an even ability score to an odd gives no immediate benefit (feats requirements and 4e hp aside). Here's a house rule to change this that fits right into the 4e framework*. At odd levels, all level-dependent modifiers tied to odd scores get an extra +1. In other words,

bonus = [(stat-10)/2 round down] + [level/2 round down]

becomes

bonus = (stat-10+level)/2 round down.

So a 1st level Cleric with 19 Wisdom would get +5 to hit with Lance of Faith rather than +4. He still only gets +4 on his Lance damage and his Healer's Lore bonus. At 2nd level, his attack bonus with Lance of Faith remains at +5. The pros and cons that immediately come to mind are:


PROS

More viable arrays of starting ability scores.
Ability score increases always matter at either the current level or the next. No more waiting 3 or 4 levels for the bump to an even score.
Even scores are somewhat better than odds (because of damage bonuses and the like), so the extra point cost for 14s and 18s in 4e is still justified.


CONS

The PCs are slightly better than they would be normally. If this worries you, have solo monsters follow the same rule as PCs. For all other combats, add a couple extra minions when the PCs are odd-leveled (if anything, the PCs will be worse at even levels, due to changes in optimization strategy).
It doesn't fix the problem with feats that WotC's odd-stat solution created**. You still needs to figure out which stat prerequisites are game-balancing and which are only there to boost the importance of odd scores before tossing out stat prerequisites.


--Jeff***

* My profuse apologies in advance in case someone else has already come up with this.

** Whether this is actually a problem is up for a debate. Though I personally hate having to plan feats ten levels ahead when making a 1st level character. I think 4e is a vast improvement over the previous editions, by the way. So to any WotC employees listening in, please don't take too much offense at my nasty comment.

*** Lurker no more.

 

[Blackbrrd]

A good solution for your irritation

It does give +1 to hit/ac/defences/initative 50% of the levels. The easiest way to balanse this is to go for 19* pointbuy instead of 22 for instance.

I am using an excel sheet that autocalculates everything, so it is not as it would be hard to use.

*or 16, or whatever

 

[jeff0]

A good solution for your irritation

It does give +1 to hit/ac/defences/initative 50% of the levels. The easiest way to balanse this is to go for 19* pointbuy instead of 22 for instance.

Thank you

I suggested tweaking combat encounters rather than point buy values for a couple reasons. First, being that the system gives no benefit to PCs at even levels. Second, because it's more fun to be seen as a generous DM than it is have players snarl at you for taking their points away.

Given the controversy over skill challenge difficulties, I don't think giving the PCs a potential +1 will break things on that end.

--Jeff

 

[Family]

On an 18 build I'd suggest putting the 11 in Con, 1 extra hp at 1st level and with ~half of the builds you get an even # when you level to lvl 2. On a few acounts it makes it devideable by 4 without a remainder. Not much use elsewhere until level 11.