The Old Strength System (Question)

[johnsemlak]

Yeah, but it seemed that 1 in 10 fighters with an 18 strength had an 18/00 strength.

or guantlets of ogre power

 

[Whimsical]

Percentile strength was at the top of my list of game elements that needid' killin'.

Although I did enjoy my orc fighter with 18/98 STR who was specialized in darts. I came up with that cheese myself. (as in...I didn't copy n' paste this well known cheese at the time.)

 

[diaglo]

i blame Greyhawk Supplement I (1975).

prior to that Str only went to 18 for PCs.

 

[Kuld]

I think that the old system worked better. I mean, having your ability modifiers increase at every two points just doesn’t seem worth wasting a good racial bonus to make a 16 into a 17.

Now, back in the day, if you rolled an 18 for Str, you would have the whole table watching you roll the percentiles. Also, a 19 Str meant so much more…

 

[Bront]

I think that the old system worked better. I mean, having your ability modifiers increase at every two points just doesn’t seem worth wasting a good racial bonus to make a 16 into a 17.

Now, back in the day, if you rolled an 18 for Str, you would have the whole table watching you roll the percentiles. Also, a 19 Str meant so much more…

That's exactly why it didn't work.

So you occasionaly make a half step with the current system, big deal, given stats never increased in 2nd ed.

But a character with a +1 Str, even a non-fighter, went from an 18 (+1 to hit, +2 to damage) to a 19 (+3 to hit, +7 to damage) instantly.

If you want stats to increase more, have it happen more often (ever 2 levels, every level, every night, whatever floats your boat). But the difference between a 10 and a 12 strength is much more pronounced now than it was in earlier edditions, much the same as 10 to 12 in every other stat.

 

[Mercule]

It was probably just something that I did then...

Nope. I did it, too. Slashes look... quirky, and the decimal looks just plain silly.

 

[Kuld]

That's exactly why it didn't work.

So you occasionaly make a half step with the current system, big deal, given stats never increased in 2nd ed.

But a character with a +1 Str, even a non-fighter, went from an 18 (+1 to hit, +2 to damage) to a 19 (+3 to hit, +7 to damage) instantly.

If you want stats to increase more, have it happen more often (ever 2 levels, every level, every night, whatever floats your boat). But the difference between a 10 and a 12 strength is much more pronounced now than it was in earlier edditions, much the same as 10 to 12 in every other stat.

There is a difference between ‘perceived’ benefits and actual benefits I agree. I guess the ability score system’s change was the most dramatic for my players and me, mainly because rolling up a character is a very important part of the game. Not to mention it was the first change that they encountered, of course.

If you take into account the LVL increases it more than makes up for the initial disappointment, you’ve got me there.

 

[Luce]

You need 11 wishes to move from STr18 to 19. (and 20wishes for 16 to 18)
Finding the aproptiet manual in those days was great accomplisment.

Also I could be wrong, but in 2ed only fighter benefit from sertain high scores.
Constitution for sure, but can remember if the same goes for STR.

 

[Kuld]

You need 11 wishes to move from STr18 to 19. (and 20wishes for 16 to 18)
Finding the aproptiet manual in those days was great accomplisment.

Also I could be wrong, but in 2ed only fighter benefit from sertain high scores.
Constitution for sure, but can remember if the same goes for STR.

You are correct.

CON HP bonuses helped all classes only up to a certain degree (+2 hp for 16 and greater CON) and only warrior classes could use the bonuses in the parenthesis (+3, +4, etc...)

The STR percentile was only used for warrior classes and was part of the benefits of the class.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I never could figure out why everyone was so fired up about percentile strength. All you needed to do was locate some Gauntlets of Ogre Power, which were not uncommon, and you were at 19 Str...and then you were looking for a Belt of Giant Strength.

I never wasted my 18s on Str when I was a fighter. I put them into Con for the extra HP (and regeneration if you could boost it high enough with wishes and stuff).