While I am primarily familiar with 5th Edition D&D (as it was how I was introduced to D&D), I've recently been looking back into earlier edition for interesting mechanics, monsters and systems.
A simple system I figured could be easily implemented into 5th Edition are Flaws. As a refresher, the general gist is that players could gain certain bonuses by taking greater detriments. For instance:
Gain a +2 Bonus to 2 Skills; Recieve a -4 Bonus to 2 Skills.
So, basically double the detriment. I've had a few ideas as to how this might work, and I've been wondering about what people might think of them. Some Ideas Are:
- Two Disadvantage, One Advantage: You gain Disadvantage using two Skills, and advantage using another.
- Negative ASI x2, ASI: Decrease two of your Ability Scores by 2, Increase one of your Ability Scores by 2.
- Negative ASI x2, Feat: Decrease two of your Ability Scores by 2, Gain a Feat. (This one I'm iffy on).
Cool idea!! I like the skill bonuses, however, I think that the advantage and ASIs could be extremely easily abused. For example, I am playing a Wizard in a campaign, and I will use him as an example.
Skills aren't all used the same amount. For example, I would GLADLY take disadvantage in my Animal Handling and Performance as a Wizard, and gain advantage in Perception. I believe that permanent sources of advantage, even on only one skill, should be a difficult thing to get, and maybe shouldn't exist at all. Personally, with me, I could see how people could abuse this.
The ASI bit could easily be abused as well. Using my wizard again: He has INT 18, WIS 12, CHA 10, DEX 16, CON 16, and STR 9. If I use the first ASI increase, I could make my STR a 7 and my WIS a 10, and get a 20 in INT, basically suffering no ill consequences for doing so. Strength and Wisdom are of no use to me, so it doesn't matter, and I would even take a -4 in STR and WIS to get a +4 in something else, for example CON, or INT if it was only a 16 to start with.
Personally, I actually like the gain a Feat one. I would say that you can only EVER do it once, though. Let's make a comparison: let's say that my Wizard just reached level four, and can do an ASI. He can choose either a +2 in a score, or a Feat. That means that Feats are worth roughly 2 ability points. Now let's take your proposition: Decrease ability points by 4, gain a Feat. I believe this is balanced, because it poses a double penalty from how you traditionally gain Feats, which is fair, because you are getting them when you usually wouldn't be.
All around, cool ideas! I think that some work, and some don't, but it's all up to you!
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Hello all!
While I am primarily familiar with 5th Edition D&D (as it was how I was introduced to D&D), I've recently been looking back into earlier edition for interesting mechanics, monsters and systems.
A simple system I figured could be easily implemented into 5th Edition are Flaws. As a refresher, the general gist is that players could gain certain bonuses by taking greater detriments. For instance:
Gain a +2 Bonus to 2 Skills; Recieve a -4 Bonus to 2 Skills.
So, basically double the detriment. I've had a few ideas as to how this might work, and I've been wondering about what people might think of them. Some Ideas Are:
- Two Disadvantage, One Advantage: You gain Disadvantage using two Skills, and advantage using another.
- Negative ASI x2, ASI: Decrease two of your Ability Scores by 2, Increase one of your Ability Scores by 2.
- Negative ASI x2, Feat: Decrease two of your Ability Scores by 2, Gain a Feat. (This one I'm iffy on).
Cool idea!! I like the skill bonuses, however, I think that the advantage and ASIs could be extremely easily abused. For example, I am playing a Wizard in a campaign, and I will use him as an example.
Skills aren't all used the same amount. For example, I would GLADLY take disadvantage in my Animal Handling and Performance as a Wizard, and gain advantage in Perception. I believe that permanent sources of advantage, even on only one skill, should be a difficult thing to get, and maybe shouldn't exist at all. Personally, with me, I could see how people could abuse this.
The ASI bit could easily be abused as well. Using my wizard again: He has INT 18, WIS 12, CHA 10, DEX 16, CON 16, and STR 9. If I use the first ASI increase, I could make my STR a 7 and my WIS a 10, and get a 20 in INT, basically suffering no ill consequences for doing so. Strength and Wisdom are of no use to me, so it doesn't matter, and I would even take a -4 in STR and WIS to get a +4 in something else, for example CON, or INT if it was only a 16 to start with.
Personally, I actually like the gain a Feat one. I would say that you can only EVER do it once, though. Let's make a comparison: let's say that my Wizard just reached level four, and can do an ASI. He can choose either a +2 in a score, or a Feat. That means that Feats are worth roughly 2 ability points. Now let's take your proposition: Decrease ability points by 4, gain a Feat. I believe this is balanced, because it poses a double penalty from how you traditionally gain Feats, which is fair, because you are getting them when you usually wouldn't be.
All around, cool ideas! I think that some work, and some don't, but it's all up to you!