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  1. #21
    Mark A Vandermeulen
    Guest

    Training and the Tyranny of Six

    On Fri, 16 Apr 1999, Gary V. Foss wrote:

    > I think you're right. I'm considering methods to have abilities scores
    go down
    > aside from aging, but I'm not really coming up with much. I don't like
    most of
    > the monsters that "drain" ability scores. The lamia's ability to drain
    wisdom,
    > for instance, seems outrageously unfair to me.

    Actually, this sparked an idea for me. One problem I have with the way my
    BR games have gone is that I tend to focus on the Shadow World somewhat,
    and therefore often use a fairly large number of higher-powered undead
    creatures. However, I HATE the "level-draining" ability of some of those
    creatures. So, now I'm thinking it might be an idea to have those
    creatures drain Ability scores instead, if characters could either raise
    an ability score with their level (or use XP to "buy" higher levels of
    ability scores). It does make a certain amount of sense: the creature
    might instill an irrational fear into a character (-1 WIS), shake the
    character's self-confidence (-1 CHA), weaken the character (-1 STR or
    CON), ruin the character's concentration or coordination (-1 DEX) or keep
    the character from thinking clearly (-1 INT) until the character has had
    time to "work through" the "phychic trauma."

    Ability-draining creature don't bother me so much. For one, there aren't
    very many creatures that have that ability, and for another they're very
    rare (and especially in Cerilia! or at least my Cerilia).

    > I do use the -10hp rule usually. (Actually I made it the -5 rule.)
    Maybe I can
    > rule that a character will lose a point from a randomly determined
    ability score
    > if that happens or if he is actually killed and brought back to life?
    Raise
    > Dead lowers Con, so that's an easy one.... Hmmm. I'll have to think
    about how
    > to do this. Anyone have ideas?

    Make the Wish spell drain ability scores, so they affect elves as much as
    they do humans. Perhaps casting a Wish spell subtracts 1 from ALL ability
    scores. That would be a hefty penalty (esp, since it will effect the INT
    of the caster, preventing him from casting the spell again until he
    bought the ability back up to 18).

    You could also introduce poisons that subtract permanently from ability
    scores (anyone want to venture into the Spiderfell now?). And Diseases and
    Plagues could subtract as well, if they weren't resisted or Cured.

    > I'm thinking right now that
    >
    > 1. 1pt per highest level attained. Maybe I'll change that to go along more
    > close with proficiency scores. Like 1pt every 3 levels. I'm going to have to
    > think about how I want it to work.
    >
    > 2. At 1st level characters can't have more than a 15 in any given ability.
    >
    > 3. It can't be use to raise scores above racial maximums.

    I've been thinking something along the lines of an XP cost of
    100 x (target level of ability score) - (bonus for having mentor/teacher)
    and then enforcing the 3d6 rule for beginning ability scores. Probably 7
    3d6 rolls, drop lowest, then assign as desired.

    Mark VanderMeulen
    vander+@pitt.edu

  2. #22

    Training and the Tyranny of Six

    Mark A Vandermeulen wrote:
    >
    > On Fri, 16 Apr 1999, Gary V. Foss wrote:
    >
    > > I think you're right. I'm considering methods to have abilities scores
    > go down
    > > aside from aging, but I'm not really coming up with much. I don't like
    > most of
    > > the monsters that "drain" ability scores. The lamia's ability to drain
    > wisdom,
    > > for instance, seems outrageously unfair to me.
    >
    > Actually, this sparked an idea for me. One problem I have with the way my
    > BR games have gone is that I tend to focus on the Shadow World somewhat,
    > and therefore often use a fairly large number of higher-powered undead
    > creatures. However, I HATE the "level-draining" ability of some of those
    > creatures. So, now I'm thinking it might be an idea to have those
    > creatures drain Ability scores instead, if characters could either raise
    > an ability score with their level (or use XP to "buy" higher levels of
    > ability scores). It does make a certain amount of sense: the creature
    > might instill an irrational fear into a character (-1 WIS), shake the
    > character's self-confidence (-1 CHA), weaken the character (-1 STR or
    > CON), ruin the character's concentration or coordination (-1 DEX) or keep
    > the character from thinking clearly (-1 INT) until the character has had
    > time to "work through" the "phychic trauma."

    I can definitely see att draining creatures, being another one who hates
    level drainers. I think I might make it easier to raise up the atts,
    basing it on the number that it's being brought back up to...perhaps
    something like the rules relating to remaking signature items out of
    PO:HLC
    Thx,
    Alaric

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