It’s not that there’s a hard limit, it’s that your modifiers go up at the even numbers. I mean, there is a hard limit of 20 on all ability scores, but your magic item can obviously break that limit and take it above 20, that is possible. But you would need to get it to 22 before your modifier increases to +6. That’s basic D&D 101. Here is the chart from chapter 1 of the Basic Rules that shows you when the modifiers increase: (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/step-by-step-characters#AbilityScoresandModifiers).
The +2 from the magic item (and other sources) adds to your ability score. The ability score modifier (represented by -1 or +2 or such) is found by subtracting 10 from the ability score, dividing by 2, and rounding down. So 21 - 10 = 11, 11/2 = 5.5, round down to +5.
You normally can only max out an ability score at 20, but if you use one of those special items that gives +2 to the score and to the maximum score, then you can achieve a maximum of 22.
Or am I missing something?
I have a racial bonus of +1, I took ability improvements to get another +4, and a magic item that gives an additional +2.
And yet my modifier only adds up to +5?
Even though the total score adds up to what it should.
What am I
missing?
Feel free to explain it like I'm 10. Because I just might be.
If your character has a Wisdom score of either 20 or 21, then they have a +5 Wisdom modifier. That’s just how the game works. ✅
14+1=15+4=19+2=21 That’s just how arithmetic works. ✅
Rules + math = a modifier if +5. That’s just how reality works. 🤷♂️
I hope that helps.
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Thanks. I didn't understand that there was a hard limit on Wisdom of 20/21.
It’s not that there’s a hard limit, it’s that your modifiers go up at the even numbers. I mean, there is a hard limit of 20 on all ability scores, but your magic item can obviously break that limit and take it above 20, that is possible. But you would need to get it to 22 before your modifier increases to +6. That’s basic D&D 101. Here is the chart from chapter 1 of the Basic Rules that shows you when the modifiers increase: (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic-rules/step-by-step-characters#AbilityScoresandModifiers).
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The +2 from the magic item (and other sources) adds to your ability score. The ability score modifier (represented by -1 or +2 or such) is found by subtracting 10 from the ability score, dividing by 2, and rounding down. So 21 - 10 = 11, 11/2 = 5.5, round down to +5.
You normally can only max out an ability score at 20, but if you use one of those special items that gives +2 to the score and to the maximum score, then you can achieve a maximum of 22.
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This is helpful, thank you
Happy to help.
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