Wyvern
Explorer
Here's a list of all cases, outside of character creation, where either the player or the GM needs to know the ability score (as opposed to ability modifier) of their PC or another creature.
General
- Each class grants periodic increases to your ability scores.
- Some feats require a minimum score of 13 in a specified ability score.
- In order to multiclass, you must have a minimum score of 13 in one or more ability scores determined by your current class and the new class you wish to add.
- Some magic items described in the DMG (such as Ioun stones, manuals and tomes) grant a temporary or permanent bonus to one of your ability scores, as can divine blessings (DMG p.227-8).
- The greater restoration spell allows you to regain any points lost from an ability score.
- As an optional variant rule, the DM may allow a PC to automatically succeed on an ability check (but not a save, attack roll, or opposed check) if the PC's ability score exceeds the DC of the task by 5 or more (DMG p.239).
- At 7th level, the Battle Master fighter gains the Know Your Enemy ability, which allows them to determine an enemy's capabilities (including Strength, Dexterity and Constitution scores) relative to their own (PHB p.74).
Strength
- Your Strength score determines how much you can carry, push, drag or lift (PHB p.176).
- Most heavy armor requires you to have a certain minimum Strength or suffer a reduction in speed (unless you're using the optional encumbrance rules from PHB p.176).
- Your Strength score determines how far you can jump (PHB p.182).
- Bigby's interposing hand compares the hand's Strength score against the target's to determine whether the target can move through the hand's space.
- At 18th level, a barbarian gains Indomitable Might, which allows them to use their Strength score in place of a Strength check, if the score is higher than the check result (PHB p.49).
- A shadow (undead creature) drains Strength from anyone it hits. (Lost Strength points can be regained by resting, or by the greater restoration spell.)
Constitution
- You can survive immersion in frigid water without ill effect for a number of minutes equal to your Constitution score (DMG p.110)
Intelligence
- The DC to crack a cipher created using the Linguist feat is equal to the Intelligence score + proficiency bonus of the cipher's creator.
- The animal friendship spell is ineffective against a target with an Intelligence of 4 or higher.
- Tasha's hideous laughter is ineffective against a target with an Intelligence of 4 or less.
- Movement rate in the astral plane is equal to 3 x Intelligence score (DMG p.47)
- An intellect devourer can reduce a target creature's Intelligence to 0 on a failed Int save, if it equals or exceeds the target's Intelligence score on a roll of 3d6. (The lost Intelligence points can be restored by the greater restoration spell.)
Wisdom
- At 17th level, a cleric with the Knowledge domain gains the Visions of the Past ability, which lasts a number of minutes equal to their Wisdom score and has a temporal range equal to their Wisdom score in days (PHB p. 60).
Charisma
- If using the optional loyalty rules for NPC followers, their maximum loyalty is equal to the highest Charisma score among all PCs in the party, and starting loyalty is half that number (DMG p.93).
If you know of any additional instances that I've missed (either core rules or official variants, not your own house rules), please post them below.
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Original post:
Note the emphasis in the thread title. I'm not new to D&D. I'm well aware of what the functions of the individual abilities are; I also know that the numbers that actually get used in-game are the ability modifiers, and that the ability scores are (and have been since 3rd edition) mostly a historical artifact, carried on for the sake of tradition.
However, I also know that there are a few rules that still make reference to the raw score, and I'm trying to make a list of them (to assist in explaining character creation to new players). These are the ones that I've found so far:
- Strength score is used to determine carrying capacity, and how far you can jump. A few types of armor have minimum Strength requirements.
- A few feats have an ability score prerequisite (which is always 13, as far as I can tell), as does multiclassing.
And that's it. Are there any uses that I'm missing?
Wyvern
General
- Each class grants periodic increases to your ability scores.
- Some feats require a minimum score of 13 in a specified ability score.
- In order to multiclass, you must have a minimum score of 13 in one or more ability scores determined by your current class and the new class you wish to add.
- Some magic items described in the DMG (such as Ioun stones, manuals and tomes) grant a temporary or permanent bonus to one of your ability scores, as can divine blessings (DMG p.227-8).
- The greater restoration spell allows you to regain any points lost from an ability score.
- As an optional variant rule, the DM may allow a PC to automatically succeed on an ability check (but not a save, attack roll, or opposed check) if the PC's ability score exceeds the DC of the task by 5 or more (DMG p.239).
- At 7th level, the Battle Master fighter gains the Know Your Enemy ability, which allows them to determine an enemy's capabilities (including Strength, Dexterity and Constitution scores) relative to their own (PHB p.74).
Strength
- Your Strength score determines how much you can carry, push, drag or lift (PHB p.176).
- Most heavy armor requires you to have a certain minimum Strength or suffer a reduction in speed (unless you're using the optional encumbrance rules from PHB p.176).
- Your Strength score determines how far you can jump (PHB p.182).
- Bigby's interposing hand compares the hand's Strength score against the target's to determine whether the target can move through the hand's space.
- At 18th level, a barbarian gains Indomitable Might, which allows them to use their Strength score in place of a Strength check, if the score is higher than the check result (PHB p.49).
- A shadow (undead creature) drains Strength from anyone it hits. (Lost Strength points can be regained by resting, or by the greater restoration spell.)
Constitution
- You can survive immersion in frigid water without ill effect for a number of minutes equal to your Constitution score (DMG p.110)
Intelligence
- The DC to crack a cipher created using the Linguist feat is equal to the Intelligence score + proficiency bonus of the cipher's creator.
- The animal friendship spell is ineffective against a target with an Intelligence of 4 or higher.
- Tasha's hideous laughter is ineffective against a target with an Intelligence of 4 or less.
- Movement rate in the astral plane is equal to 3 x Intelligence score (DMG p.47)
- An intellect devourer can reduce a target creature's Intelligence to 0 on a failed Int save, if it equals or exceeds the target's Intelligence score on a roll of 3d6. (The lost Intelligence points can be restored by the greater restoration spell.)
Wisdom
- At 17th level, a cleric with the Knowledge domain gains the Visions of the Past ability, which lasts a number of minutes equal to their Wisdom score and has a temporal range equal to their Wisdom score in days (PHB p. 60).
Charisma
- If using the optional loyalty rules for NPC followers, their maximum loyalty is equal to the highest Charisma score among all PCs in the party, and starting loyalty is half that number (DMG p.93).
If you know of any additional instances that I've missed (either core rules or official variants, not your own house rules), please post them below.
------------------------------------------------------------
Original post:
Note the emphasis in the thread title. I'm not new to D&D. I'm well aware of what the functions of the individual abilities are; I also know that the numbers that actually get used in-game are the ability modifiers, and that the ability scores are (and have been since 3rd edition) mostly a historical artifact, carried on for the sake of tradition.
However, I also know that there are a few rules that still make reference to the raw score, and I'm trying to make a list of them (to assist in explaining character creation to new players). These are the ones that I've found so far:
- Strength score is used to determine carrying capacity, and how far you can jump. A few types of armor have minimum Strength requirements.
- A few feats have an ability score prerequisite (which is always 13, as far as I can tell), as does multiclassing.
And that's it. Are there any uses that I'm missing?
Wyvern
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