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<blockquote data-quote="Dannyalcatraz" data-source="post: 3256246" data-attributes="member: 19675">Its not that.&nbsp; Its that certain abilities reflect an archetypal lifestyle that a PC may or may not be a part of.&nbsp; Think of it this way-&nbsp; if you use an ability, you improve it, if you don't it atrophies.Personally, I have a powerlifter's basic build, and while I was working out regularly, I could pack on muscle like it was being given away for free.&nbsp; In one semester, I took my bench from 150 to 300lbs, and my squat over 700lbs.&nbsp; But I got a law degree, and later entered earned an MBA- much of that mass is gone because the time I spent in the gym was turned into time spent hitting the books.A Mindflayer with so-called &quot;substandard&quot; abilities would have his race's normal base abilities...accounting for suboptimal use.&nbsp; The Mindflayer of the MM would be one who uses his racial abilities regularly, pushes boundaries, and actively works to improve those abilities.Likewise the Minotaur who, because he is an adventurer in a human city, might not fully develop his sense of direction, or because he studies magic, might not develop the fearsome strength typical of his race.But the real point is that a PC using the AU/AE would not have to get ALL of his racial levels before taking class levels.&nbsp; If your PC concept is a Minotaur Druid, for example, you'd have to wait to 9th level before taking a level of Druid under the current system.&nbsp; In an AU/AE style system, that 9th level PC could be a Mino5/Druid4.I used to feel much the same way until I saw real world examples that changed my opinion.I own a letter opener that is a scale replica of a sword (a basket cutlass) in a Toledo, Spain arms museum that is the same size as one of my daggers.The 6.5&quot; dagger has 3.5&quot; of blade, 3&quot; of handle.&nbsp; The blade is 1.5&quot; across, and its handle is about 2.5&quot; in circumference.The letter opener has 5.75&quot; of blade, .75&quot; of handle.&nbsp; The blade is .25&quot; across, and the handle is less than .25&quot; in circumference.The dagger weighs several times the mass of the letter opener.Were a human to try to use the cutlass as a weapon (assuming it was an actual blade for a tiny creature, and thus sharpened), he would cut his hands to shreds.Were a tiny creature to try using the dagger as a cutlass, he would be significantly outmassed by the blade, and would have difficulty using it even 2 handed.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Dannyalcatraz, post: 3256246, member: 19675"] Its not that. Its that certain abilities reflect an archetypal lifestyle that a PC may or may not be a part of. Think of it this way- if you use an ability, you improve it, if you don't it atrophies. Personally, I have a powerlifter's basic build, and while I was working out regularly, I could pack on muscle like it was being given away for free. In one semester, I took my bench from 150 to 300lbs, and my squat over 700lbs. But I got a law degree, and later entered earned an MBA- much of that mass is gone because the time I spent in the gym was turned into time spent hitting the books. A Mindflayer with so-called "substandard" abilities would have his race's normal base abilities...accounting for suboptimal use. The Mindflayer of the MM would be one who uses his racial abilities regularly, pushes boundaries, and actively works to improve those abilities. Likewise the Minotaur who, because he is an adventurer in a human city, might not fully develop his sense of direction, or because he studies magic, might not develop the fearsome strength typical of his race. But the real point is that a PC using the AU/AE would not have to get ALL of his racial levels before taking class levels. If your PC concept is a Minotaur Druid, for example, you'd have to wait to 9th level before taking a level of Druid under the current system. In an AU/AE style system, that 9th level PC could be a Mino5/Druid4. I used to feel much the same way until I saw real world examples that changed my opinion. I own a letter opener that is a scale replica of a sword (a basket cutlass) in a Toledo, Spain arms museum that is the same size as one of my daggers. The 6.5" dagger has 3.5" of blade, 3" of handle. The blade is 1.5" across, and its handle is about 2.5" in circumference. The letter opener has 5.75" of blade, .75" of handle. The blade is .25" across, and the handle is less than .25" in circumference. The dagger weighs several times the mass of the letter opener. Were a human to try to use the cutlass as a weapon (assuming it was an actual blade for a tiny creature, and thus sharpened), he would cut his hands to shreds. Were a tiny creature to try using the dagger as a cutlass, he would be significantly outmassed by the blade, and would have difficulty using it even 2 handed. [/QUOTE]

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