D&D 5E Why do ability scores cap at 20 instead of 18?

[Tonguez]

Because d20 maths is easier than 3d6 maths

 

[Horwath]

Because d20 maths is easier than 3d6 maths

so true, but 3d6 is superior in every other way.

 

[d24454_modern]

so true, but 3d6 is superior in every other way.

How?

 

[Knight_Marshal]

With bounded accuracy and the way DCs are, I imagine that since the game was designed with players being able to get a 20 in their class ability score the game would start to have problems around 8-12 and you would have to start fixing the problems a forced lower score would cause once your players started encountering monsters set up for players with a 20 stat.

 

[Micah Sweet]

1) 18 is more fun than 20.

2) A d20 roll caps at 20 (before modifiers). Your level caps at 20. So ability scores having a cap at 20 is synergy. It doubles down on the brand.

20 is higher than 18, therefore it is more fun.

 

[Micah Sweet]

No you don't. There are no +2 bonuses to specific scores anymore. Put it in a different place.
Actually rolling attributes with floating ASIs and 18 cap are a bit more balanced now, as some pressure is taken off to get a crucial 18 or pick a certain race to have a good character.

Why should I? The whole point of floating bonuses is that you can put them where you want.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Yes, because it is outdated. There are strong hints that they soon go the way of the dodo and rightfully so.

It is not outdated. Tasha's way is just different and new. Not objectively better. I really dislike the term outdated as some assumed pejorative where new is always better.

 

[Micah Sweet]

You can debate as long as you want, but the giff boost to strength ability checks does a (mathematically) far better job at increasing strength than a meak +2 boost.

One could argue that hitting something with greater force should increase the damage, but the giff version of increased strength doesn't do that.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It depends on what these ability scores mean.

For example, in my settings.

10 is average. 14 is extraordinary.

A 16 is something that most humans dont really come across day-to-day. There are stories about such people and their exploits, but they are often more like entertainment and legends.

18 is the peak of human possibility.

20 is superhuman. Because of magic (ancestry, fate, magical training, whatever), some humans are superhuman. But they are unique individuals in special circumstances.



Because tiers are important to set the tone in my settings, I like to keep the "apprentice tier" 1-4 (roughly college) moreorless like reallife. So a cap at 14 would help maintain this modest tone.

Then in the "professional tier" 5-8, some individuals come into their own prowess. But even then a score of 16 is rare, and life experience and dedication are part of it.

Scores of 18 and higher are non-normal.

I sometimes find it hard to put stats onto those tiers when the reality is that we're talking about a 1 point difference. Seems to me peak human and superhuman should mean more than that.

 

[Micah Sweet]

You can homebrew as much as you ike.

So can you. As people have insisted on reminding me, floating ability bonuses are technically optional.