Sunday, September 23, 2012

Variable Ability Bonuses

Consider the impact on D&D-a-like games if ability scores weren't a fixed bonus but were instead a range? Always getting a +3 is predicatble and certainly fun but what if it was a d6 bonus instead?

No fixed bonus in situation would add uncertainty and possibly downplay higher ability scores being a certain bonus.

Dragonfist did something like this years back and it worked to add a little uncertainty and randomness to things.


3 comments:

  1. The damage bonus in CoC comes to my mind...
    Maybe use it for something like the bonus die for fighters in DCC and D&D Next... but for every attribute...
    How about Dexbonus to AC? A different AC every round sounds awfully complicated.

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  2. What about rather than +1, +2, +3 something like:

    + (1d2 -1)
    + (1d4 -1)
    + (1d6 -1)

    See also the DCC variable fighter attack bonus.

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  3. I once considered for a B/X game to have the STR bonus increase the damage die one level/step for each +1.

    e.g. Sword (d8) with +2 Str would roll D12, +3 STR would be a d14 (I have only one, that was the drawback)

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