Level Up (A5E) Do we need ability scores for A5E? And any racial/ancestry/lineage/background/culture ability bonuses?

[dave2008]

Yes, we can muddle in this and add some value to odd scores in current version. Or just make modifiers go 1-for-1.
But adding things to odd scores and other things to even scores just complicates things.

But if you want something:
attack bonus stays the same, damage bonus is +1 for score of 11 or 12, +2 for 13 or 14, +3 for 15 or 16, +4 for 17 or 17, +5 for 19 or 20...etc...

Intelligence of 11,13,15,17,19 can give one to five bonus tool or language proficiency,

I find the idea of modifiers being 1-1 with ability score-10 as uninspired and uninteresting. I much prefer more interest and flavor reasons for the odd ability score than another +1 to my attack and damage. It would be OK, I guess, if the system was built from the ground up to support that, but for 5e it just doesn't add anything to the game IMO. I want more interesting things, not another +1.

EDIT: And my suggestion doesn't require any math changes, just things that add fun!

 

[dave2008]

again no need. All current books would stay the same with same current mechanics. This is idea mostly for creating PC characters.
Your 23 STR monster from MM would still have +6 modifier. Now in future books that might get reprinted as STR 16(+6).

OK, so your ignoring the actual strength score? How about strength checks. An 18 strength fighter with a +8 to the grapple check would be a match for a STR 26 (+8) giant? That doesn't make sense to me. You have just made all the monsters relatively weaker to the PCs. Monsters need to be relatively stronger in 5e, not weaker. It that giant isn't at least get a +16 to damage, compared to the +8 for the fighter, is it really even a giant?

 

[Horwath]

OK, so your ignoring the actual strength score? How about strength checks. An 18 strength fighter with a +8 to the grapple check would be a match for a STR 26 (+8) giant? That doesn't make sense to me. You have just made all the monsters relatively weaker to the PCs. Monsters need to be relatively stronger in 5e, not weaker. It that giant isn't at least get a +16 to damage, compared to the +8 for the fighter, is it really even a giant?

If I go with this new rule then PCs will be capped at 15(+5) instead of current 20(+5), so without any serious magic, you wont see STR 18(+8) fighters around.

Also in current form STR 1, for really small and weak creatures is only -5 modifier. Not enough to represent that small amount of STR.
STR of 1 with -9 modifier is better in math department for those tiny creatures.

 

[dave2008]

If I go with this new rule then PCs will be capped at 15(+5) instead of current 20(+5), so without any serious magic, you wont see STR 18(+8) fighters around.

It just seems your trying to do to many gymnastics to justify your idea. If you like it great, but it doesn't appear you have convinced anyone that it is a good idea for LevelUp / 5e. You certainly haven't convinced me. If you like it - great. But Morrus already told you it isn't happening in LevelUp, and I think every response on this post has said it is a bad idea for level up / 5e.

Personally, it just isn't an interesting idea to me. I've thought about doing that before and I might be acceptable for a new game. However, I am much more interested in giving ability scores more interesting traits (that apply to every score) than another +1.

Also in current form STR 1, for really small and weak creatures is only -5 modifier. Not enough to represent that small amount of STR.
STR of 1 with -9 modifier is better in math department for those tiny creatures.

I guess, but IMO it does not feel like a -9 is a more realistic representation than a -5 when your comparing the Strength of an average human to an ant or whatever. The human should be closer 2000x stronger (at a min) than the ant. A -4 variance in Strength modifier just doesn't register as feeling more accurate to me. It is a game, you have to accept some abstraction oddities.

 

[dave2008]

@Horwath I do want to clarify that your idea has merit. It just doesn't make any sense for the stated goals of Level UP. It really shouldn't be in the LevelUp forums, but the general 5e forum. This forum is for discussing LevelUp, not homebrew or 6e. You idea fits in those two categories better,