Training Ability Scores

[WeissenWolf]

Just an idea I had while brainstorming for a campaign that involves a lot of homebrew anyway. I've always found it a little strange that the physical ability scores took very powerful means to increase at all- typically tomes, class features, powerful spells, and things of similar power. At least that's how I've understood it. Anyways, this difficulty seems very unrealistic, considering that by working out for a month or so, I could manage a significant increase in my strength, and by practicing my hand eye coordination for a similar period of time, I could increase my dexterity, and by building up my endurance, I could increase my constitution.

I believe that including the opportunity to do the same in the campaign, it could be more realistic. However, just including that straight, it could disrupt game balance. I was hoping someone else had thought about it and could help me decide whether it's worth doing or not, and if so, help me decide how to implement it.

My thoughts on it have been so far: the physical ability scores would require some kind of minimum maintenance every month. Working out for strength and con, drilling for dex, or straight up combat. Going significantly above or below that- such as extra work outs, more or less than the typical amount of combat and drill, relaxing at the manor- would have an impact on their physical ability scores. I haven't thought about it too much more than that.

The campaign I've been thinking about doing this for is an attempt at a realistic medieval combat simulator using D20 rules.

Thanks for any help.

[DracoDei]

I think the default assumption is that starting level adventuring characters have already passed the point of diminishing returns with such things... thus the "Every 4 levels" thing as they strive for that last little bit of improvement.

[SurlySeraph]

How's this? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-97240.html)

[WeissenWolf]

Actually, that seems good. I think I'll give it a try. How has it worked in your experience?

[Fortuna]

That looks interesting. One possible tweak that I might make is that if you are being actively trained by someone with a higher score in that ability than you have, training requires only half the usual time. This means that the fighter and the bard can train each other in Strength and Charisma, taking the same amount of time as each working alone, or one of them can give the other a "crash course" in significantly less time.

[SurlySeraph]

@^: That would be workable, and a good way to encourage a diverse party.


Actually, that seems good. I think I'll give it a try. How has it worked in your experience?

I've never had a chance to test it out.