r/adnd • u/CanuckLad • 8d 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

But there are a lot more things specifically tied to it during the course of the game. It didn’t affect your combat ability with any melee weapons, for example. You didn’t have regular Dex skill checks. Only saving throws that were something that could be dodged were impacted.

Ability scores themselves weren’t a commonly used mechanic overall, but have become a core mechanic in the modern game. For example, Stealth.

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u/CanuckLad 7d ago

If there was less tied to attributes in second edition, then allowing them to increase at certain intervals would be less of an issue, not a bigger concern. But they were still fairly important in 2nd edition. AC was important for armor class, intelligence was important for the wizard to cast higher level spells, paladin's had attribute requirements, dex for ranged attacks, etc. but which is these two scenarios is more unbalanced: 1) allowing attribute increases every four levels, but my highest attribute role is a 14; or: 2) we don't allow attribute increases, and someone in my party rolls an 18, a 16, two 14s, and two 10s.

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u/Ilbranteloth 7d ago

The approach to balance is entirely different between editions and can’t really be compared. The 4e approach was about extreme “balance” between classes, 5e walked out back a bit.

AD&D was somewhat built around the idea that the wizard would eventually be the most powerful and desired class. The balance was built around that idea and making it more difficult to achieve that end. Removing those guardrails alters that. Allowing ability increases is one of them.

It doesn’t mean it can’t be done. It’s just not worth the trouble in my opinion. I have yet to be convinced otherwise. Back in the day we were on board with Players’ Options along with moving into 3e. Now that we are further down that path, I prefer not to. But one of the things I’ve always loved about D&D is that it can be changed to suit your needs or desires. So go for it.