D&D (2024) Sacred Cows: Ability Scores

[billd91]

See, I gave up on rolling stats like decades ago. Rolling to determine stats is in essence rolling to determine class. I would rather as little of character creation as possible be behind RNG gates and leave random outcomes to actual gameplay to maintain a sense of tension and create a possibility of failure.

See, your thing isn't my thing. We still roll.

 

[ReshiIRE]

I'm worried about attaching bonuses to class (and not just as a free floating 'thing' or balanced around an ancestories other abilities) because I feel that could cause unfortunate restrictions on how to play certain classes. Obviously, a lot of cases already have restrictions on how you play a class because at-least one ability score is quite important to play the class, but a lot don't force you to invest in two stats for sure (the whole SAD vs MAD) and some are quite flexible as of right now - Fighter and Paladin can be played as Strength or Dexterity based, for example (and I certainly wish the somewhat common homerule of Warlocks either being Charisma or Intelligence based was just the standarad).

I feel that attaching bonuses to class might not allow the flexibility - it is possible by the book but I can easily see decisions being that leads to Fighters only getting a +2 to Strength and a +1 to another, making Dexterity based fighters more difficult.

I also don't see this happening as it would likely make a 6e really incompatible with a 5e, and I think that compatibility is important not only business wise, but also community wise.

 

[Yaarel]

Bonuses should be guided by Class and Background, or whatever the 6th ed equivalent to those might be.

I prefer narrative character concept decides the high ability.

Obviously choice of class is an important part of the choice of concept, and depends on certain abilities.

It is probably ok to use an array or point buy to determine the bonuses at level 1. Then while leveling put the ability bonus improvement wherever one wants.

We dont really need extra bonuses from race, class, or background.

 

[Professor Murder]

See, your thing isn't my thing. We still roll.

Sorry if that came across as fun policing. Not my intention. You do you and game on.

 

[Rabulias]

I would say keep the stats. A lot of it is tradition, but there are a few minor benefits scattered about. They can provide a way to break ties, like for Initiative, differentiating between two characters with equal modifiers. As an example, a 17 Dex (+3 modifier) will beat a 16 Dex (also a +3 modifier). They are also useful for things like the Encumbrance rules; for instance, multiplying Str by 15 to get your maximum carrying capacity. Also, some houserules can go back to using Ability Score damage or drain (like in D&D 3rd edition) with more granularity.

 

[Professor Murder]

I'm worried about attaching bonuses to class (and not just as a free floating 'thing' or balanced around an ancestories other abilities) because I feel that could cause unfortunate restrictions on how to play certain classes. Obviously, a lot of cases already have restrictions on how you play a class because at-least one ability score is quite important to play the class, but a lot don't force you to invest in two stats for sure (the whole SAD vs MAD) and some are quite flexible as of right now - Fighter and Paladin can be played as Strength or Dexterity based, for example (and I certainly wish the somewhat common homerule of Warlocks either being Charisma or Intelligence based was just the standarad).

I feel that attaching bonuses to class might not allow the flexibility - it is possible by the book but I can easily see decisions being that leads to Fighters only getting a +2 to Strength and a +1 to another, making Dexterity based fighters more difficult.

I also don't see this happening as it would likely make a 6e really incompatible with a 5e, and I think that compatibility is important not only business wise, but also community wise.

I suspect a part of the issue is that some classes really only need a single stat, like most arcane casters, and some other classes need as many as 3 stats to work ideally.

 

[Bolares]

We dont really need extra bonuses from race, class, or background.

Yeah, just add them to the character creation math and be done with it.

 

[Bolares]

As an example, a 17 Dex (+3 modifier) will beat a 16 Dex (also a +3 modifier). They are also useful for things like the Encumbrance rules; for instance, multiplying Str by 15 to get your maximum carrying capacity.

Well, I think there could be easy fixes for this problems, just adjust the math for the new reality. But as I said in the beginning... it all depends on how granular you want the game to be

 

[Yora]

Ability scores from 3 to 18 exist to roll attributes on 3d6, and to make roll under attribute checks.
Both haven't been done for over 20 years.

 

[BookTenTiger]

As anachronistic as the six ability scores are... I really like them! They are very, very "D&D" to me.

So if I were making 6e, I would actually have the ability scores do something other than just give a bonus! There should be a reason that a 13 strength is different than a 12 strength.

For example, you could have a simplified Encumbrance system based on your Strength Score. Items could have a Heavy Tag, and you can carry a number of Heavy Items (non-light weapons, armor, items weighing more than 10 lbs, etc) equal to your Strength Score.

Or you gain a number of Proficiencies (skills, languages, tools) equal to your Intelligence Score - 10.

Or rather than having a Perception Skill, your Perception is equal to your Wisdom score.

Those are ideas just off the top of my head, I don't expect any of them to stand to scrutiny, but it would be fun for there to be a reason to have an odd score.