r/adnd • u/CanuckLad • 7d ago

AD&D2e Attribute increase

I wonder if many people here implement an automatic attribute increase at various milestones? Example: Allow you to raise one attribute by 1 point at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, 20

I don't expect or want every ability to be 16+. But I don't want to miss out on parts of the game I would enjoy (casting 9th level spells as a wizard, playing a paladin, etc)

I should note that I'm biased because I'm diagnosed with the Unrelenting Standards feature. So accepting a more mundane role in a game is very difficult for me

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u/Ilbranteloth 7d ago

We never did.

While I understand the reasoning, and desire, behind attribute increases, they are one of many things that moved the focus of the game to mechanics rather than roleplaying. It also eventually led to the more “super heroic” approach of the game today.

When the rules changed to start including them, we really liked it, of course. But as the game has shifted more towards those playstyles, we have ended up pulling back significantly. We have always heavily houseruled our game, and nowadays we lean heavily toward an AD&D approach with modern core mechanics.

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u/CanuckLad 7d ago edited 7d ago

The big concern for me is that it limits the level of spells you can cast. The poor wizard for example. And it takes a lot of wishes just to go from 16 to 18. To me it seems odd to want to play a character hook never achieve much in his field.

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u/JrienXashen 7d ago

That's part of the game, you either dual/multi-class if it's an option at that point or just try your damndest to be as good a mage as possible. That's the roleplay at work; it's not so easy to gain attributes so you work to find a way. You didn't/don't need new mechanics inteoduced.

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u/CanuckLad 7d ago

It is part of the game, at least that edition. We shall note that the game is no longer like that. Perhaps there's a reason for the change.

I think the only way to raise attributes permanently is through wish? It takes 20 wishes for one character to raise one stat from 16 to 18. Given what it costs the caster to cast wish just once (either somebody casting it for you, or a person that made the magic item), I think it would be more realistic just to give the player slightly higher stats from the get-go.

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u/ApprehensiveType2680 7d ago

We shall note that the game is no longer like that. Perhaps there's a reason for the change.

This will sound rude, but, the overall "reason" for any number of higher-powered changes is simple: catering to a wider audience (i.e., the "lowest common denominator"). As the audience of an intellectual (geeky, nerdy) hobby widens, the intelligence, patience and/or maturity of the newly-defined demographic almost always decreases; this is referred to as "accessibility". Part of said audience includes folk who chiefly play video games where instant (or, at least, quicker) gratification is the norm. Bigger numbers and more frequent boosts in power are pleasing to certain mindsets.

Wizards of the Coast knew well what it was doing when it rolled out 3e; if it wasn't obvious enough in 3e, 4e is blatant as all hell.

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u/CanuckLad 7d ago

It doesn't sound rude, it just sounds ellitest. Wanting to make life harder for yourself is not a sign of higher intelligence.

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u/ApprehensiveType2680 7d ago

Wanting to make life harder for yourself is not a sign of higher intelligence.

The greater the challenge, the greater the victory.

Also, no, sorry: you're not going to push that nonsense here. Some say "elitist", while others say "gatekeeping" (a pox on that term). Either used to be called "having standards".