I recently adopted this for my current BR game and have had very little
problems, so I thought to post to the list.

This "sub-action" is attached to the Training Character Action.

Training - Increase an Ability
Type: Character
Success: Special
Base Cost: 1 GB

The character follows a special regimen of activities to increase one of
his six basic ability scores (i.e. Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, etc.)
The exact actions are unimportant, but the character must remain
relatively undisturbed and cloistered for the vast majority of the month in
question. At the end of the month, the player rolls 1d20, comparing it to
her chosen ability score. Rolling higher than the existing score yields
success, and the character gains a 10% bonus to the ability. Thus a
character with an ability score of 16 now has an ability score of 16.10. A
roll of less than the ability in question yields failure and the waste of
resources. In all cases, the maximum attainable ability score for //all//
races is 18. This artificial limitation ensures the special wonder of
those unique individuals with the truly exceptional abilities. (Either
their born to it, or not.)

Note that in the case of Strength, no longer are warriors the only class to
access Exceptional Strength after character creation. If a wizard acquires
a Strength score of 18.20, then he uses the appropriate line the Strength
Table in the Player's Handbook. Also not that a character must succeed at
a total of 10 actions to appreciate any noticeable difference (with the
only exception being Strength above 18.)

The cost of this action is one gold bar to pay for the advice of "experts"


in the realm who //may// have the necessary information and insights that
allow the character to better his person. Sadistic DMs may desire to
increase the cost in proportion to the higher scores, and offer "promises"
of "guaranteed success." At the DM's option (only) the additional
expenditure of gold bars may increase the chance of success on a one for
one basis. Additionally for individual DMs to decide upon, four successive
failures in this action indicates that the character has reached his actual
attainable limit in the ability in question. This is so that DM's who
introduce this into their games have a possible and plausible method of
removing its influence.

Comments and input on this action are welcome, expected, and awaited!

Good Gaming all!
Tim Nutting