D&D 5E With Only 4 Ability Scores, How Would You Handle Spellcasting Abilities (+)

[ezo]

Although tagged 5E, this could be applied to earlier editions I sure. The basic premise is this:

Many times I've seen people lament the six ability scores, thinking only four would really be needed. A common idea is combining Strength and Constitution, as well as Intelligence and possibly Wisdom.

While thinking about this today, it occured to me if someone went this route, which ability scores would you tie in to each class for use in spellcasting?

As an example, let's say you changed the six ability score to four in this manner:

• Charisma (same)
• Dexterity (same)
• Might (was Str & Con)
• Savvy (was Intelligence and Wisdom)

Then the 5E spellcasting classes would have to pick from just these four:

• Bard - Charisma
• Cleric - Savvy
• Druid- Savvy
• Sorcerer - Charisma (or Might?)
• Warlock- Charisma
• Wizard- Savvy

And of course we have Paladin and Ranger to consider as well.

So, what FOUR ability scores would you create/use, and which would the spellcasters use for spellcasting?

 

[Reynard]

If I had to pick 4 stats, I would go with Prowess (the fighty/athletic parts of Str and Dex), Finesse (The skill parts of Dex and Int), Will (the willpower parts of Wis and Cha) and Wits (the remainder of Int ans Cha).

I think there are too many kinds of casters in general, so i would make just 2 kinds: Channelers use Will (these are clerics, warlocks, druids, etc) to pull power from outside, and Magi use Wits (these are wizards and bards and other people who "study" magic).

 

[Reynard]

And I did not "forget" Con. It just isn't important. Give everyone HP based on their clas and let a player take "toughness" if they want to be even beefier. Just like I would make a "mule" feat for players that want their character to carry a lot, rather than make Str so fiddly.

 

[soviet]

I wouldn't have them at all. They just force characters to be optimised along predictable routes and take away the possibility for characters to have certain kinds of weaknesses. Just keep stats for normal skill checks and have all attacks and save DCs solely a factor of one's level.

 

[ezo]

And I did not "forget" Con. It just isn't important. Give everyone HP based on their clas and let a player take "toughness" if they want to be even beefier. Just like I would make a "mule" feat for players that want their character to carry a lot, rather than make Str so fiddly.

What about the other aspects of CON besides hit points? Would those be regulated to Prowess?

Just keep stats for normal skill checks and have all attacks and save DCs solely a factor of one's level.

Would the attacks/saves be class dependent as well. or uniform?

 

[Reynard]

What about the other aspects of CON besides hit points? Would those be regulated to Prowess?

Probably. I mean, that is pretty much limited to "fortitude" type saves and, what, how long you could hold your breath. I think it is fair to put that under Prowess if you can't just use a universal rule.

 

[ichabod]

I would go with Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom. It's a double split, two physical (str/dex) and two mental (int/wis); also two about power (str/wis) and two about finesse (dex/int). I think a bard would become an int caster, while warlock and sorcerer would be wis casters. Although I might have it that just as a fighter can be str or dex, allow the casters to be int or wis, and have that play toward different types of spells in each class.

 

[DarkCrisis]

 

[Maxperson]

Although tagged 5E, this could be applied to earlier editions I sure. The basic premise is this:

Many times I've seen people lament the six ability scores, thinking only four would really be needed. A common idea is combining Strength and Constitution, as well as Intelligence and possibly Wisdom.

While thinking about this today, it occured to me if someone went this route, which ability scores would you tie in to each class for use in spellcasting?

As an example, let's say you changed the six ability score to four in this manner:

• Charisma (same)
• Dexterity (same)
• Might (was Str & Con)
• Savvy (was Intelligence and Wisdom)

Then the 5E spellcasting classes would have to pick from just these four:

• Bard - Charisma
• Cleric - Savvy
• Druid- Savvy
• Sorcerer - Charisma (or Might?)
• Warlock- Charisma
• Wizard- Savvy

And of course we have Paladin and Ranger to consider as well.

So, what FOUR ability scores would you create/use, and which would the spellcasters use for spellcasting?

• Bard - Charisma
• Cleric - Charisma
• Druid- Savvy
• Sorcerer - Charisma
• Warlock- Charisma
• Wizard- Savvy

That's how I would do it. Clerics convert non-believers, preach to the masses and have fanatical devotion to their gods which intensifies their personalities. That all screams charisma to me.

 

[Horwath]

1. Strength;
current STR and CON saves
Athletic skill,
Melee and thrown attack and damage,
carry capacity,
bonus HPs,

2. Dexterity;(no change)
current DEX saves
Acrobatics, Stealth, Sleight of hand(thievery) skills, thief tools
Finesse and ranged attack and damage,
bonus AC, limited by armor
initiative,

3. Cunning
all current INT, WIS and CHA skills, almost all tools
bonus skills,
bonus tools/languages/weapons

4. Willpower, THE magic ability. For ALL spellcasters, your potential to shape Weave or whatever is that you use to manipulate magic in your setting.
magic attack, damage and DC bonus
all current INT, WIS and CHA saves,


then you have your 4 archetypes of heroes;

a Strong in-your-face tank hero
a Fast, agile hero
a Magic hero
a Cunning skill monkey hero