D&D (2024) Using abilities for only ability checks.

[Mistwell]

If you read the stated goal on the dnd webpage, that is compatibility with published adventures, I see no problem with that.

No it's backwards compatibility. Including "supplements" which means characters built with those supplements must be playable at the same table. A fundamental change to almost all functions of abilities from checks would make a great deal of supplement material not compatible.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

No it's backwards compatibility. Including "supplements" which means characters built with those supplements must be playable at the same table. A fundamental change to almost all functions of abilities from checks would make a great deal of supplement material not compatible.

What exactly?
I mean, the subclasses don't care if attack bonus was derived from prof bonus + ability score or prof bonus x 2, or if class abilities use stat bonus per day or prof bonus per day.

Stat bonus for main class abilities usually range from +3 to +5, a secondary often goes from +2 to +4, prof bonus goes up from +2 to +6, so at the levels most people play the difference between stat bonus and prof bonus is usually 0 or 1, which does not destroy backwards compatibility.

Newer subclasses already use prof bonus times per day instead of stat bonus times per day and they work fine with older subclasses and classes.

 

[Mistwell]

What exactly?
I mean, the subclasses don't care if attack bonus was derived from prof bonus + ability score or prof bonus x 2, or if class abilities use stat bonus per day or prof bonus per day.

Stat bonus for main class abilities usually range from +3 to +5, a secondary often goes from +2 to +4, prof bonus goes up from +2 to +6, so at the levels most people play the difference between stat bonus and prof bonus is usually 0 or 1, which does not destroy backwards compatibility.

Newer subclasses already use prof bonus times per day instead of stat bonus times per day and they work fine with older subclasses and classes.

You know, it's a fair question. I just automatically assumed it would be a lot, but maybe it's not? Maybe you're right and there is little in supplements impacted by such a change? I dunno. Guess I'd have to look

 

[UngeheuerLich]

You know, it's a fair question. I just automatically assumed it would be a lot, but maybe it's not? Maybe you're right and there is little in supplements impacted by such a change? I dunno. Guess I'd have to look

I just thought, you could try replacing stat bonus by stat (max 2) + PB/2 rounded up as a compromise...

With 14 main stat, you would start with +3, increase to +4 at level 5 and +5 at level 13. This would be very close to the actual increase in your stat if you started at 16, and increased it to 18 and 20 with a feat in between.

This would take a lot of preassure from your main stat and allows to spread them around. Probably having all 14 will be the winning strat however... So there is room for improvement.
Maybe increasing the bonus to skills by 1 for each point beyond 14 instead of for each two points of a stat or something like that.