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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 5700677" data-attributes="member: 82106">Interesting point, but of course the game could simply shift the math around such that +0 is terrible and represents 'mindless' etc and +10 is the highest starting bonus. The average bonus would then be +5. In fact this might be the most straightforward sort of implementation. Base AC starting at say 17 would mean a guy with a s+10 would hit on a 7, and a guy with a +5 (equivalent to a primary ability score of 10) would hit on a 12. Kind of works pretty well. The actual base AC/DEF number would depend on what other basic bonuses existed of course, but the math would generally be very similar to 4e. In other words there's no real mechanical argument for 3-18 stats. They can't be used directly as modifiers because the range is too great for a d20. Truly old fashioned stats really ARE pretty much a holdover feature from a design sense. They are just a VERY classic one that is far more sacred than the rest of the cows. I suspect you could change every other aspect of the game except ability scores, AC, and hit points, and people will still see the game as 'D&D' in some measure. I'm just going to have to guess that those 3 things are simply untouchable.</blockquote>