literature

Ability Score Leveling

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This is a system modification for ability score-focused games such as D&D, Star Wars Saga Edition, or Pathfinder. The concept is a world where no one starts out with ability bonuses but gain their ability scores from leveling like in certain old video games.

Ability Scores: All characters start with ability scores of 10. Negative ability adjustments, from the character's race or otherwise, remain. Ability adjustments that are positive get replaced with features like:

  • Instead of +X Strength, gain High Strength: “Your carrying capacity is increased as if you had +X Strength, and X times per day you may add X to a strength-based weapon damage roll.”
  • Instead of +X Dexterity, gain High Dexterity: “X times per day you may reroll a Reflex saving throw and take the better result.”
  • Instead of +X Intelligence, gain High Intelligence: “X times per day you may reroll an Intelligence-based skill check and take the better result.”


With each level - including 1st - all characters gain some number of ability points decided at the beginning of the campaign. 1 point per level would be very challenging, 2 or 3 per level is fair, while 4 or more per level is inadvisable. This replaces the usual ability upgrades at staggered levels. There is also a strict ability score maximum of 10 + level. If a character is 5th level, their ability score max is 15, even with magic items or spells.

Alternatively, characters could gain 0 ability points per level if items and magic that raise ability scores are common. Heroes would go on quests to earn permanent ability raises from powerful wizards / genies, and get temporary bonuses beforehand to increase their survival chances, and use stat boosting items for bonuses they can change as needed. They might find bracers that add +2 to Strength but -1 to Dexterity, and after amassing enough of these 'benefit and penalty' items they would have to decide between what bonuses to gain at the cost of what penalties.

Spellcasting: To cast a spell, a character needs a spellcasting ability score modifier equal to the spell's level. Cantrips (0-level spells) can be cast with an ability score of 10. When a character has 12 points in their spellcasting ability score (at 2nd level or higher) they can cast 1st level spells. When they have 14 points in a score they can cast 2nd level spells, when they have 16 they can cast 3rd level spells, and so on. Note that a character might know a spell / have it in their spell book, but not be able to cast it; refer to the classes as normal for what spells a character has.

Alternatively, characters who know a spell can cast it, but if they lack the necessary spellcasting ability score then there is a danger of losing control. So a 1st level magic user attempting to cast a 1st level spell would also roll a flat d20; on a result between 1 and 10 the spell fails, and between 11 and 20 the spell works normally. Or in a world where magic is fickle and dangerous they might lose control on results between 1 and 5 with a penalty of 1 negative level, killing the 1st level magic user or seriously inconveniencing a higher level character, while on results between 6 to 10 the spell fails and between 11 and 20 the spell works.

Skills: In editions like 5E or Saga Edition with skill proficiencies, no changes are needed. Use a similar idea in other systems: a class with X skill points per level instead has X trained skills, granting the skill a static +5 bonus. Also, all class skills gain a bonus of one-half the character's level in that class, rounded down. Example: If a 7th level character has three classes through multiclassing, with class levels of 3/2/2, they would add 1 point to each class' specific class skills, with overlapping class skills gaining 2 or 3 points in total.

System Benefits: An ability score of 10 is the average, meaning characters would start out average and become super-human through adventuring, not by starting out that way. There's a new importance on carrying capacity when only high-level Strength characters can easily carry a lot of stuff around. Armor means something at lower levels, as does the encumbrance. Feats like Weapon Focus and Point Blank Shot can double a fighter's attack bonus at 1st level. 1st level mages will have to get by with cantrips, weapons, and good playing. Almost every character needs weapons at low levels and they get to experience the feeling of being good with weapons because a good score is smaller. A spellcasting anticipatory effect where the player's character knows a spell and wants to cast it but can't yet.

Considerations: Official monsters would need to be retrofitted by giving them ability scores based on their challenge rating, or the heroes might have to fight rats for a level or two before they can fight kobolds and skeletons from the Monster Manual. When setting up an appropriate encounter by challenge rating, remember the player characters essentially start out weaker and reach “heroic” power around 4th or 6th level. Beyond 10th level they become either very well-rounded, or very powerful with big weaknesses.
This is a system modification for the D&D or Pathfinder systems. The idea for this is a world where no one starts out with ability bonuses. It's a world where 1st level mages can't cast 1st level spells, where the only bonus to attack most 1st level warriors get is their base attack bonus (if that), and having a +5 ability bonus means you are 10th level or higher.
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