Sean Merwin

If we want TTRPGs to reflect character in a narrative ways arc, it's interesting that we only typically allow ability scores to increase. And in most D&D-like games, these increases are rare and irreversible. Are there RPGs where ability scores are able to change more frequently and go up and down rather than just up?

If we want TTRPGs to reflect character in a narrative ways arc, it's interesting that we only typically allow ability scores to increase. And in most D&D-like games, these increases are rare and irreversible. Are there RPGs where ability scores are able to change more frequently and go up and down rather than just up?

Just curious to playtest, each session you can increase one stat by one and decrease another by one, so your character can shift with the narrative. You just spent a few weeks traveling through the wilderness? You're probably fitter than before, but you may have lost some practice in the social graces. I love questions like this. This is like, what can we do with this?

Just curious to playtest, each session you can increase one stat by one and decrease another by one, so your character can shift with the narrative. You just spent a few weeks traveling through the wilderness? You're probably fitter than before, but you may have lost some practice in the social graces. I love questions like this. This is like, what can we do with this?

When you have ability scores that are the basic math of the game, you rely on that, so you make it very difficult to move them around frequently or drastically without making the game too challenging for an audience, or get into that feel-bad territory.

When you have ability scores that are the basic math of the game, you rely on that, so you make it very difficult to move them around frequently or drastically without making the game too challenging for an audience, or get into that feel-bad territory.

So if you keep having to adjust to hits and damage, even if it's just by one, it's just that one more thing to keep track of, which for some groups is no problem at all. And for some groups, you have enough trouble teaching them to add three to their attack roll or add six to their damage that now if you're going to say add five,

So if you keep having to adjust to hits and damage, even if it's just by one, it's just that one more thing to keep track of, which for some groups is no problem at all. And for some groups, you have enough trouble teaching them to add three to their attack roll or add six to their damage that now if you're going to say add five,

Yep. But what you are describing here is where a game like Fate and its aspects can be wonderful. So after that long trek through the forest, you gain the aspect of rough around the edges. You put that aspect there on that table on that index card, and you don't have to change your... You don't have to change your character. You just know that you're all rough around the edges now.

Yep. But what you are describing here is where a game like Fate and its aspects can be wonderful. So after that long trek through the forest, you gain the aspect of rough around the edges. You put that aspect there on that table on that index card, and you don't have to change your... You don't have to change your character. You just know that you're all rough around the edges now.

And when it comes to interacting with the first person you meet when you enter the city, the game master could just say, well, you know, you're rough around the edges, pulls out a fake point.

And when it comes to interacting with the first person you meet when you enter the city, the game master could just say, well, you know, you're rough around the edges, pulls out a fake point.

so your first interaction with this person it doesn't go well let's role play that all right they refuse or they call the they call the guards because you've insulted them and here's your fate point let's carry on you could do the same thing with with anything with those aspects in a game like fate would that work in dnd possibly you can do it with disadvantage

so your first interaction with this person it doesn't go well let's role play that all right they refuse or they call the they call the guards because you've insulted them and here's your fate point let's carry on you could do the same thing with with anything with those aspects in a game like fate would that work in dnd possibly you can do it with disadvantage

that allows you to do it without changing ability scores, without changing modifiers. And you can still say, it's been a month since you've eaten in public. You're sitting there and you're trying to make an influence action while you're sitting there eating, talking to the mayor. Well, she sees how you're eating with your hands. you know, and is instantly repulsed by what you're doing.

that allows you to do it without changing ability scores, without changing modifiers. And you can still say, it's been a month since you've eaten in public. You're sitting there and you're trying to make an influence action while you're sitting there eating, talking to the mayor. Well, she sees how you're eating with your hands. you know, and is instantly repulsed by what you're doing.

So make that persuasion check with disadvantage to that, I think of.

So make that persuasion check with disadvantage to that, I think of.

Yeah. Yeah. And in Alien, don't you add extra dice the more stressed you get?

Yeah. Yeah. And in Alien, don't you add extra dice the more stressed you get?