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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arlough" data-source="post: 5254266" data-attributes="member: 79335">As for inherent bonuses as you level, the DMG2 has a set of rules for this, so that part isn't really all that game chaning.The diminished importance of magical gear could even be a good thing.  For example, your party could be on a quest to do something important rather than be on a quest to get the gear that would allow them to do something important.The parts I see as being a problem are feats, player fun, and party synergy.I'll use spoiler tags for the more in-depth so if you just want the meat of it you don't have to filter through all my rantings, and then put a summary at the end.[spoiler]First, the feats:Many feats have stat requirements.  Armor specialization and multiclass feats are the ones that come to mind immediately.  These would become significantly less available to players unless you reduced the requirements.  (Example: A fighter looking forward to Scale Specialization at 11th level, for example, could take a 14 in DEX and dedicate the rest of his points to STR and WIS, expecting the level 11 stat increase to take care of the prerequisite and the lvl 4 & 8 stat increases to make up for diluting his initial stats.)The fun:The stories that most people I know find interesting are the ones of someone growing in some way to overcome obstacles.  Mariadoc was not the same hobbit at the end of the books that he was in the beginning of the books. Taran started out as an assistant pig keeper.  Cloud began completely delusional and grew to become a marginally well adjusted savior of the world.  Hell, even Ebenezer Scrooge is a good example of character growth.  The fact of the matter is that growing to overcome obstacles is fun.  It is what many people consider to be at the character's story.  Part of that growth is the ability to change with the times.  To become more excellent in some things, and maybe pick up some talent in others.  This would be diminished if you did away with periodic stat increases.Finally, the synergy:Being able to mold and meld your character so he or she becomes an integral part of the group is a powerful feature when looked at in a group setting. Each character starts filling in for the deficiencies of the group, and soon you have a symbiotic whole that is much greater than the sum of it's parts.  Not really a problem if you build a character at X level every time you play, but if you are carrying a group from level 1 through level 20, that growth as a group is a entertaining exercise in organic synergy.[/spoiler]Basically, you have prerequisites for many feats that will need to be adjusted and even then, you will limit the players options by a bit since they won't be able to adjust as they go along.  You will also have less of a player experience of growth, eliminating the anticipatory excitement that precedes each stat increase.  And finally, you will have a reduction in group synergy as they will not be as able to adapt to fill in for each-other as they level.Like so many other things, I think this will look good on paper, and work less well in practice.Of course, I have been wrong before.</blockquote>

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