What is MAD?

[Kwalish Kid]

Hunh?

 

[Shado]

Multiple Ability Dependency.

 

[Derren]

Multiple Ability Dependency.

= A class needs more than one good ability to be effective.

 

[Kaffis]

Or Multiple Attribute Disorder, as I'd always seen it.

Either way, it describes a class that is too reliant on several high attribute scores. Monks are the classic example, needing above average strength, dex, wis, and con to really be effective.

 

[Duvall]

Mutually Assured Destruction

 

[roguerouge]

The TWF Ranger is another good example, as he needs: DEX (compensate for light armor), CON (compensate for d8s and light armor), STR (damage for melee character), INT (maximizes skills, a class strength), and WIS (if he doesn't want to wait 2 levels to cast the spells he has access to.)

 

[TerraDave]

Mutually Assured Destruction

That is what MAD stands for.

As far as ability scores go, each 4E class seems to be desinged to have a primary ability, a couple of secondary abilities, and a couple of obvious dump stats.

 

[AllisterH]

Then there's SAD which admittedly is much rarer...However, the 3.5 druid comes close. Once 6th level and Natural spell, you pretty much could junk all your other stats and even before, the only high stats needed would be WIS.

 

[Larrin]

Then there's SAD which admittedly is much rarer...However, the 3.5 druid comes close. Once 6th level and Natural spell, you pretty much could junk all your other stats and even before, the only high stats needed would be WIS.

actually a wizard/sorceror tends to have better SAD, they don't need physical stats because they won't be smacking anyone, and they're going to avoid getting hit as much as possible through spells and cowardice (and if they are going to get hit, even high dex and con won't make much difference). The don't need wisdom (much) and they don't need their non-casting stat if they don't want it (mostly only if the want skills/social usefulness)

Druids are only SAD because they can magically give themselves a full set of physical stats for no cost at character creation. They still end up depending on more than a single attribute, they just get those attributes for free.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Thanks!

That question was driving me crazy!