Poll: Ability scores - How intrinsic are they to D&D?

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Not saying that other ability systems are invalid, but I am saying that Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha are fundamental to D&D.

Don't you mean Str/Int/Wis/Con/Dex/Cha?

 

[Squire James]

Don't you mean Str/Int/Wis/Con/Dex/Cha?

My recollection had the two "C's" being at the end - Str/Int/Wis/Dex/Con/Cha. Maybe it was a change from OD&D to Basic (which is where I started in the 70's).

 

[Hungry Like The Wolf]

Ever since 3e unified ability score modifiers, I've wondered whether it's actually useful in any way to keep the scores themselves, since they're hardly used in any game element.

99% of the time, I don't need to know that my Strength score is 18 - I just need to know that I have a +4 bonus to Strength-related actions. So why not make the +4 the only entry for that ability?

I think I remember the designers wanting to do exactly that with some edition. Eventually, I think that's what will happen.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

My recollection had the two "C's" being at the end - Str/Int/Wis/Dex/Con/Cha. Maybe it was a change from OD&D to Basic (which is where I started in the 70's).

Yep. OD&D was Str/Int/Wis/Con/Dex/Cha; Basic/AD&D went to Str/Int/Wis/Dex/Con/Cha; then 3E went to Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha. The last is more useful, really, and the first is the original, but I'd agree the middle is "the classic".

 

[Fanaelialae]

And then there's 4e's Str/Con/Dex/Int/Wis/Cha.