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<blockquote data-quote="clearstream" data-source="post: 8019792" data-attributes="member: 71699">Is your question - can D&amp;D ability scores be replaced with resource pools? The answer is no, because ability scores feed into more than just dice rolls. For example, your Dex sets an AC level that is a bar to creatures hitting you, while your Int sets a number of spells limit for some classes.The reason I point that out is that you might answer your own question by listing out each mechanic ability scores feed into, and then considering if there is an alternative method that would work? You could then define what = good for your purposes so as to establish if the alternatives are superior to the original on some criteria.In that vein, you seem to say that what = good is that there should be no fundamental array of scores that impacts on a characters efficacy in a class. Personal resource pools seem to me to fail that test, because if I can spend from Will to activate spells it seems to me that the more Will I have, the better I will be at activating spells. You might be saying that all characters have the same Will, or they choose whatever Will they want, or apply whatever pool they want to activating spells. Those terms could all be applied equally well to ability scores. For a change in rules to be worthwhile, it should be more streamlined and robust in play, and/or it should have differentiable outcomes on the criteria that matter.My advice would be to dig deeper into what you want to achieve prior to ideating your solutions. A standard approach to design problems is essentially problem definition &gt; success definition &gt; divergence &gt; convergence. What is my burning problem, what are my terms for success, ideate divergently, bring it back in. And you can always travel back up the path and refine as you go. Iteration.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="clearstream, post: 8019792, member: 71699"] Is your question - can D&D ability scores be replaced with resource pools? The answer is no, because ability scores feed into more than just dice rolls. For example, your Dex sets an AC level that is a bar to creatures hitting you, while your Int sets a number of spells limit for some classes. The reason I point that out is that you might answer your own question by listing out each mechanic ability scores feed into, and then considering if there is an alternative method that would work? You could then define [I]what = good[/I] for your purposes so as to establish if the alternatives are superior to the original on some criteria. In that vein, you seem to say that what = good is that there should be no fundamental array of scores that impacts on a characters efficacy in a class. Personal resource pools seem to me to fail that test, because if I can spend from Will to activate spells it seems to me that the more Will I have, the better I will be at activating spells. You might be saying that all characters have the same Will, or they choose whatever Will they want, or apply whatever pool they want to activating spells. Those terms could all be applied equally well to ability scores. For a change in rules to be worthwhile, it should be more streamlined and robust in play, and/or it should have differentiable outcomes on the criteria that matter. My advice would be to dig deeper into what you want to achieve [I]prior[/I] to ideating your solutions. A standard approach to design problems is essentially [B]problem definition > success definition > divergence > convergence[/B]. What is my burning problem, what are my terms for success, ideate divergently, bring it back in. And you can always travel back up the path and refine as you go. Iteration. [/QUOTE]

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