Start with TWO 8's?

[oldbone]

When you are purchasing ability scores, the phb says you start with:
8, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10


Can you lower any of the 10's to 8?

Thanks!

 

[Mistwell]

Not to gain an advantage. They've intentionally restricted it that way to prevent some min/maxing.

 

[Tervin]

When you are purchasing ability scores, the phb says you start with:
8, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10


Can you lower any of the 10's to 8?

Thanks!

I would allow it, but not give any bonuses for it. I am generous like that.

 

[oldbone]

That's what I thought...

I think an early "character gen" xls sheet allowed it, so I wasnt sure if they knew something I didn't know

Thanks!

 

[Nifft]

I would allow it, but not give any bonuses for it. I am generous like that.

I like this ruling.

Thanks, -- N

 

[Surgoshan]

I would allow it, but not give any bonuses for it. I am generous like that.

Ha! I love it! You can lower all the stats you want, but you still only get 22 points!

 

[Particle_Man]

Not to gain an advantage. They've intentionally restricted it that way to prevent some min/maxing.

For example, some people think a great wizard's build is Int 16, wis 16, cha 12, dex 12, con 10, str 8 (before racial bonus to int or wis). Why cha 12? So you can get the juice paragon feat spell focus at 11th, when you get cha 13. Dex for initiative (battlefield control works better if you go first).

But there is another juicy feat for wizards, arcane reach, but this requires dex 15. But that requires some hard choices, even with a racial bonus from a dex boost race. Do you stop boosting either int or wis to boost dex by one point? Do you cut initial point allocation to cha, waiting until 21st to get spell focus? Do you cut initial point allocation to int or wis?

Now if one can sack str and con and get two more points, then one can get int 16, wis 16, boost int and wis whenever one can, *and* get arcane reach and spell focus at 11th level (feat retraining is awesome).

I don't know if the game's point-buy vs. feats and other goodies is structured this way for other classes, mind you.

 

[Mistwell]

For example, some people think a great wizard's build is Int 16, wis 16, cha 12, dex 12, con 10, str 8 (before racial bonus to int or wis). Why cha 12? So you can get the juice paragon feat spell focus at 11th, when you get cha 13. Dex for initiative (battlefield control works better if you go first).

But there is another juicy feat for wizards, arcane reach, but this requires dex 15. But that requires some hard choices, even with a racial bonus from a dex boost race. Do you stop boosting either int or wis to boost dex by one point? Do you cut initial point allocation to cha, waiting until 21st to get spell focus? Do you cut initial point allocation to int or wis?

Now if one can sack str and con and get two more points, then one can get int 16, wis 16, boost int and wis whenever one can, *and* get arcane reach and spell focus at 11th level (feat retraining is awesome).

I don't know if the game's point-buy vs. feats and other goodies is structured this way for other classes, mind you.

That's the example I had in mind actually, but was too lazy to type it out. Thanks for posting it.

For my wizard, I really wanted arcane reach, but I know it's just not in the cards for the type of wizard I went for. And I am fine with that. I shouldn't be able to have everything I want, or I will be overpowered.

 

[Dark080matter]

That's the example I had in mind actually, but was too lazy to type it out. Thanks for posting it.

For my wizard, I really wanted arcane reach, but I know it's just not in the cards for the type of wizard I went for. And I am fine with that. I shouldn't be able to have everything I want, or I will be overpowered.

Somewhere, a DM of an insufferable min-max group (or a regular joes group with 1 ubermunchkin min-maxer in it) just got a huge chubbie, and has no idea why.