Bonus for Odd Ability Scores

[Kvess]

Instead of adding a mechanic that interacts with every odd numbered ability score, increasing complexity during play or character creation / levelling for a minor benefit… why not get rid of odd ability scores?

Because ability scores themselves currently do so little mechanically, the ability score modifiers could outright replace them. Instead of an 18 Strength, your fighter’s strength score could just be +4. No memorization of tables or constant dice rolls required. The game’s already confusing enough for new players with Actions, Bonus Actions, Weapon Attacks, and Attack Actions, so why not simplify it?

[Theodoxus]

+1 Kvess.

Was coming back to say exactly that. More "modern" d20 games are starting to do exactly that. Of course, then it comes back down to "but D&D started it, so it should stay, for tradition!" Which is about where I go into my rant regarding tradition for tradition sake blah blah blah.

So yeah, I'd be fully behind D&D sacrificing the sacred cow of Ability Scores and going right to Ability Modifiers. I hope WotC agrees with 6E...

[OvisCaedo]

While theoretically odd ability scores probably aren't necessary for a game design, you'd have to rework a lot of things about ability scores to try to cut them out of 5e. Rebalance point buy, racial mods, figure out what to even do about half feats. Especially for concerns of confusing new players, I feel like "replace all of this stuff in the book with these houserules" is probably even messier.

Though setting aside mess and the point buy and racial rebalancing, half feats seem like the biggest thing that's actually got something of a *potential* purpose for odd scores in 5e as is.

[Segev]

Instead of adding a mechanic that interacts with every odd numbered ability score, increasing complexity during play or character creation / levelling for a minor benefit… why not get rid of odd ability scores?

Because ability scores themselves currently do so little mechanically, the ability score modifiers could outright replace them. Instead of an 18 Strength, your fighter’s strength score could just be +4. No memorization of tables or constant dice rolls required. The game’s already confusing enough for new players with Actions, Bonus Actions, Weapon Attacks, and Attack Actions, so why not simplify it?

You would have to decide what to do with half feats.

[animewatcha]

Why not just let Odd ability score break ties in favor of the Odd-ity? 17 strength +whatever mod beats 16 strength+whatever mod for whatever skill or check.
If a tie is had for resulting roll, just re-roll the d20s (assuming stat same modifier thinger).

[MoiMagnus]

Why not just let Odd ability score break ties in favor of the Odd-ity? 17 strength +whatever mod beats 16 strength+whatever mod for whatever skill or check.
If a tie is had for resulting roll, just re-roll the d20s (assuming stat same modifier thinger).

Mathematically, it's the same has having half-points (16 -> +3, 17 -> +3.5, etc), as suggest by a poster earlier.
Some peoples might prefer your wording "odd beats even when tied", other will prefer using half-points, but both give exactly the same result.

[Kane0]

Question: Which of these two houserules would you prefer in a game (or neither, I suppose), and most importantly why? How balanced or disruptive would either rule be?

1. For any Ability Score which is an odd number, you may add one to the character's ability score modifier for all skills which are associated with that ability for ability checks. For example, a character with an ability score of 15 in Wisdom may add +3, rather than +2, to Wisdom ability checks using Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, and Survival.

2. For any Ability Score which is an odd number, you may add one to the character's ability score modifier for one skill which is associated with that ability for ability checks. For example, a character with an ability score of 15 in Wisdom may add +3, rather than +2, to Wisdom ability checks using one of: Animal Handling, Insight, Medicine, Perception, and Survival. The one skill to be thus improved must be chosen when that character first obtains the odd number in that ability score.

Please excuse any inelegant phrasing, assuming that you can even understand my meaning. I'll hammer out the exact wording later if I decide to use the rule.

Personally neither. I know you’re specifically trying to add value to odd scores but having a difference in the + between ability checks, attack/damage rolls and saving throws is basically a PITA for anyone learning the game as well as veterans already familiar with D&Ds attribute score system.

For me and my table its too much trouble to remember and factor into rolls for the value it offers.

In the interest of being positive however may I suggest an alternative:
At specific stats you grant specific ribbon features. For example Int 13 and/or 15 grants you a bonus tool prof or language.
Now this is obviously a tiny bit of power creep but hopefully it can be directed at primarily social and exploration stuff and downplay combat, helps alleviate two problems at the same time and also doesnt cause any cognitive dissonance between numbermath which 5e deliberately tries to keep simple.
I remember DMguild having a big selection of ribbons collected into a single PDF which might be helpful in picking out some useful ones.

[Theodoxus]

You would have to decide what to do with half feats.

Break full feats in half and toss the half ASI? Granted, you'd need to give a few more feats more often, or grant feats AND ASI at current levels. Either works.

[da newt]

In order to make the rule as KISS as possible and still meet your desire to add a little value to odd ability scores, I'd suggest:

Odd ability scores for Saves
Even ability scores for ability checks, attacks, damage, etc (everything BUT saves)

Assuming you use a character sheet with the saves written out, this is SUPER simple and you don't have to remember anything except at character gen and when an ability score is changed (ASIs and magic stuff). No math, no half points, no extra rolls, no tie breakers, ...

[bid]

None, odd ability scores are a thing for a reason, and making ability scores which are not that good better undermines the point of having a balance pc.

And the nose was created for glasses, as Professor Pangloss taught us.

Ability scores are mostly fluff, they're only there to hold the ability modifiers.

[MaxWilson]

In order to make the rule as KISS as possible and still meet your desire to add a little value to odd ability scores, I'd suggest:

Odd ability scores for Saves
Even ability scores for ability checks, attacks, damage, etc (everything BUT saves)

Assuming you use a character sheet with the saves written out, this is SUPER simple and you don't have to remember anything except at character gen and when an ability score is changed (ASIs and magic stuff). No math, no half points, no extra rolls, no tie breakers, ...

It's more work than the alternative (odd scores give a extra +1 on ability checks, instead of saves) because it will affect more situations with more monsters with more potential for takes, e.g. a beholder's saving throws say "Int +8, Wis +7, Cha +8" but you have to look elsewhere in the start block to determine that they're all odd and should now be Int +9, Wis +8, Cha +9.

It's probably also more powerful than boosting ability checks--you'll wind up with more Wis 13 PCs than Wis 14 PCs for example. But you may consider that more of a feature than a bug.

For me it's a bit too much. I want odd scores to be interestingly distinct from even scores, but a smaller change that works is better than a big change, and I feel like saves are slightly too big.

[JNAProductions]

It's more work than the alternative (odd scores give a extra +1 on ability checks, instead of saves) because it will affect more situations with more monsters with more potential for takes, e.g. a beholder's saving throws say "Int +8, Wis +7, Cha +8" but you have to look elsewhere in the start block to determine that they're all odd and should now be Int +9, Wis +8, Cha +9.

It's probably also more powerful than boosting ability checks--you'll wind up with more Wis 13 PCs than Wis 14 PCs for example. But you may consider that more of a feature than a bug.

For me it's a bit too much. I want odd scores to be interestingly distinct from even scores, but a smaller change that works is better than a big change, and I feel like saves are slightly too big.

No need to change monsters-they don't have to follow the same rules as PCs.

And saves are a purely defensive benefit-it makes players hardier, but NOT killier. That is, in my opinion, a good thing.

[da newt]

Fair point - I was assuming PC's only, and like JNA said - it's a small defensive buff.