Alternate way to get Abilities [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternate way to get Abilities [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Engilbrand
03-19-06, 09:35 AM Here's an idea that just popped into my head. Not that I would want to play this way, but it almost seems like it could work. Start off with some sort of low point buy that must be spent between a couple of abilities. Players then choose three abilities to increase. Every level, the PCs get to put up one ability that was not increased the time before. At every 4th level, they get an ability point to put into one of the other scores which wasn't increased 4 levels earlier. This will keep the secondaries from becoming higher than the main. It would take a while to get high ability scores. This would show how your characters change as time goes on and they become more powerful naturally. The only negative that I see is that I could probably get STR up to 23 by level 20, but it seems like this system might work if people want to start in a low-powered campaign and have control over the progression of their characters in a way they wouldn't normally.

Example: 10 point buy, all scores start at 10
STR 13 DEX 12 CON 13 INT 12 WIS 10 CHA 10

Level 5: STR, DEX and CON are the three abilities
STR 15 DEX 13 CON 14 INT 13 WIS 10 CHA 10

Level 10:
STR 18 DEX 14 CON 15 INT 13 WIS 10 CHA 11

Level 15:
STR 20 DEX 15 CON 17 INT 14 WIS 10 CHA 11

Level 20:
STR 23 DEX 16 CON 18 INT 15 WIS 10 CHA 12

Stats look a little big, but people become more powerful as time goes on. This seems like a rather fluid way to do things. I might try using it the next time I DM. Make people roleplay them a bit more and it adds a little more to the game. Start out at a lower base with a higher point buy and see what happens. The more I think about this, the more interesting the idea becomes to me. You could also say people don't get a free point into one of the 3 main ones every 4th level and that that point must be spent in one of the other scores. It would naturally drop the main abilities. What do people think? Is the idea pretty easy to understand?
Engilbrand
03-20-06, 10:18 PM Are there no comments? Is this an old idea? Does it just not make sense? I originally conceived it in a post where people were talking about running low-powered games and the idea that starting characters can't have high scores.
Dark_Druid
03-21-06, 01:15 PM Yeah, I like this idea alot. When you fisrt start off, there's no need for that 15+ stats. Granted, point-buy has always scared me, but then again, I never play as a character, and I think all 20th lvl characters should be exceptional with all across the board abilities being upper teens or one or two above 20.

I think im going to use it on the next game I play.

It's much more rewarding to lvl up when you know you get a critical ability boost EVERY level. I see time after time players just itching for that 4th lvl to get a 1 pt. boost.

Good idea, indeed.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Engilbrand 03-19-06, 09:35 AM	Here's an idea that just popped into my head. Not that I would want to play this way, but it almost seems like it could work. Start off with some sort of low point buy that must be spent between a couple of abilities. Players then choose three abilities to increase. Every level, the PCs get to put up one ability that was not increased the time before. At every 4th level, they get an ability point to put into one of the other scores which wasn't increased 4 levels earlier. This will keep the secondaries from becoming higher than the main. It would take a while to get high ability scores. This would show how your characters change as time goes on and they become more powerful naturally. The only negative that I see is that I could probably get STR up to 23 by level 20, but it seems like this system might work if people want to start in a low-powered campaign and have control over the progression of their characters in a way they wouldn't normally. Example: 10 point buy, all scores start at 10 STR 13 DEX 12 CON 13 INT 12 WIS 10 CHA 10 Level 5: STR, DEX and CON are the three abilities STR 15 DEX 13 CON 14 INT 13 WIS 10 CHA 10 Level 10: STR 18 DEX 14 CON 15 INT 13 WIS 10 CHA 11 Level 15: STR 20 DEX 15 CON 17 INT 14 WIS 10 CHA 11 Level 20: STR 23 DEX 16 CON 18 INT 15 WIS 10 CHA 12 Stats look a little big, but people become more powerful as time goes on. This seems like a rather fluid way to do things. I might try using it the next time I DM. Make people roleplay them a bit more and it adds a little more to the game. Start out at a lower base with a higher point buy and see what happens. The more I think about this, the more interesting the idea becomes to me. You could also say people don't get a free point into one of the 3 main ones every 4th level and that that point must be spent in one of the other scores. It would naturally drop the main abilities. What do people think? Is the idea pretty easy to understand?
Engilbrand 03-20-06, 10:18 PM	Are there no comments? Is this an old idea? Does it just not make sense? I originally conceived it in a post where people were talking about running low-powered games and the idea that starting characters can't have high scores.
Dark_Druid 03-21-06, 01:15 PM	Yeah, I like this idea alot. When you fisrt start off, there's no need for that 15+ stats. Granted, point-buy has always scared me, but then again, I never play as a character, and I think all 20th lvl characters should be exceptional with all across the board abilities being upper teens or one or two above 20. I think im going to use it on the next game I play. It's much more rewarding to lvl up when you know you get a critical ability boost EVERY level. I see time after time players just itching for that 4th lvl to get a 1 pt. boost. Good idea, indeed.