Quote from: Scott Anderson;764566I would more readily go the other way: forget ability scores entirely and just use the bonuses. Don't even write the raw number on the sheet. Boosts are kind of strange. Why would someone get smarter or healthier or whatever by killing goblins?

Experience and training. Lots of exercise or practice improving their strength or dexterity, dealing with wilderness conditions strengthening their immune system for constitution, learning through life experience for intelligence and wisdom, and gaining confidence for charisma.

Quote from: Scott Anderson;764566Boosts are kind of strange. Why would someone get smarter or healthier or whatever by killing goblins?

You might learn tactics, gain useful insights, travel, get the hell beat out of you on a regular basis. Or practice on your weak points to improve. Roll with it.

I agree with both of your explanations for the mechanic. I do play 3-5 fairly regularly with my son and my whole family and we do use the stat boost as a nice reward every 4 levels.

It just feels strange to me.

Quote from: cranebump;764382I feel like 4d6, coupled with ability bumps makes scores bloated in the end. I'm going to use 3d6 at our table, especially if we don't use Feats.

Considering the level based increases are significant, I like the idea of 3d6 to start.

Quote from: Omega;764431Keep in mind that with the PHB you can blow those stat ups for "feats". Which is what my playtest mage did to gain Shield Mastery (= Shield Bash) and later Charge just for fun. That was 4 stat points I could have gained.

Thats great, because I love having options.

Quote from: Marleycat;764488Typically you are going to want feats at some point because they're nothing like 3/4e or Pathfinder they are chunky and multipurpose more akin to FantasyCraft.

Can you expound on this, specifically how feats in 5e are different from 3/pf?

I only have the basic rules and starter set so I don't see info on feats-was this from a playtest file?

Quote from: AaronBrown99;764800Can you expound on this, specifically how feats in 5e are different from 3/pf?

I only have the basic rules and starter set so I don't see info on feats-was this from a playtest file?

Yeah, we don't have any actual Feats yet, just speculation from what was in the play test.

However, the play test feats where a lot chunkier than 3.p ones. Most would do 3 or 4 things, or even be equivalent to a Prestige Class - Arcane Archer is a Feat for example.

Quote from: jadrax;764857Yeah, we don't have any actual Feats yet, just speculation from what was in the play test.

However, the play test feats where a lot chunkier than 3.p ones. Most would do 3 or 4 things, or even be equivalent to a Prestige Class - Arcane Archer is a Feat for example.

This. They operate like FantasyCraft in that they do multiple things anything from getting an ability + with languages and another perk to basically being a prestige class on it's own. Hopefully they go with the Arcane Archer model so that it makes it a real decision to just stat bump yourself while the other guy has 2-3 multilevel skillsets that allow for their character to be for more versatile and not really miss being a plus or two behind the min/maxed character.

They had interesting feats like Arcane/Divine Initiate that gave you a couple of cantrips and a spell that you could build on also. Almost like 4e MCing. I could see them doing metamagic feats that are multi-level like FantasyCraft which consolidated 90% for 3e's metamagic feats into 8-9 feats at best instead of broken up like 3e/PF so that they're basically useless.

Yeah. That sounds really good. The least of the feats should be on par with Robillard's Gambit or Persist Spell. You're gonna spend your resources on a "feat" it should be damn impressive.

Quote from: AaronBrown99;764800Can you expound on this, specifically how feats in 5e are different from 3/pf?

I only have the basic rules and starter set so I don't see info on feats-was this from a playtest file?

In the playtest they essentially allowed you to pick up abilities outside your class.

You only get a handfull of these.
In the Basic for example over the course of 20 levels. The Fighter gets 7, the Wizard and Cleric get 5, and the Rogue gets 6.

playtest Examples:

Alert:
+5 Initiative, cannot be surprised while concious, gain proficiency in Perception.

Heavy Armour Master:
Gain proficiency in Heavy Armour. Ignore speed penalties for wearing it, and while wearing it any Bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage you take is reduced equal to your CON modifier.

Arcane/Divine/Druidic Initiate:
Gain 2 cantrips, gain a first level spell that you can cast once a day.

Magic Adept:
Requires you have the arcane initiate feat.
Gain a 2nd level spell castable once a day.

Shield Master:
Proficiency in shields, can attack with a shield doing 1d6 with a regular shield or 1d4 with a buckler, add the shield bonus to DEX saves vs spells and ranged attacks against you.

And the scholar one. +1 to INT, two languages and a social perk. Very similar to FantasyCraft.

And it's obvious everyone is capped at 5 unlike the playtest. Choose carefully......supposedly the initiate feat went to 5th level spells once a day. Heavy Weapon Master allows certain perks or maneuvers just like FantasyCraft also. It's like having a feat chain in one feat that unlocks at appropriate levels.

Quote from: Marleycat;765017And the scholar one. +1 to INT, two languages and a social perk. Very similar to FantasyCraft.

And it's obvious everyone is capped at 5 unlike the playtest. Choose carefully......supposedly the initiate feat went to 5th level spells once a day. Heavy Weapon Master allows certain perks or maneuvers just like FantasyCraft also. It's like having a feat chain in one feat that unlocks at appropriate levels.

Actually as I said. In the Basic Fighter gets seven stat up/feat chances. Rogue six, the casters 5 each.

Great Weapon Master:
Proficiency with heavy martial weapons. Once per turn if you crit or kill/reduce to 0 with a heavy weapon then you get another attack. And by taking a -5 to hit penalty if you hit you roll damage + STR bonus again and add together.

Magic Adept got you a 2nd level spell, and the next two got you a 3rd and a 4th level spell. Each once per day. So the whole suite would net you 2 cantrips and one each levels 1-4.

Who knows what they all will look like in the final version.

Quote from: Omega;765092Actually as I said. In the Basic Fighter gets seven stat up/feat chances. Rogue six, the casters 5 each.

Great Weapon Master:
Proficiency with heavy martial weapons. Once per turn if you crit or kill/reduce to 0 with a heavy weapon then you get another attack. And by taking a -5 to hit penalty if you hit you roll damage + STR bonus again and add together.

Magic Adept got you a 2nd level spell, and the next two got you a 3rd and a 4th level spell. Each once per day. So the whole suite would net you 2 cantrips and one each levels 1-4.

Who knows what they all will look like in the final version.

Given too many were bitching they were weak I'd have to agree.

Quote from: Bill;764341Anyone have any thoughts on the fact ability scores for a fighter are higher than for a wizard?

Unless I missed something, all classes do not get the same number of boosts to ability scores from gaining levels.

I think it is cool, but curious what others have to say.

I don't see a problem.

Quote from: RPGPundit;768074I don't see a problem.

It's a subtle way to limit 1-2 level multiclass dips. For example a 18/2 Wizard/Fighter only gets 4 stat bump/feat chances. If you want to keep 5 chances you have to take 4 levels of fighter. If you want 2 attacks you need 5 fighter levels, if you want 6 chances for stat improvement/feats you need 8 fighter levels and so on.