Abilities (D&D)

Unofficial rules compendium

This page introduces optional rules for Abilities. The basic rules for Abilities can be found in the SRD.

Ability score generation

Abilities are generated either as point-buy by a semi-random method. Basically, this is a point-buy system per DMG p. 26, slightly.

• Roll a set of nine attribute scores. For each score, roll 4d6 and discard the lowest.
• You have 30 points to spend. Decide which of the rolled attributes you want to use, and which you want to discard. For each of the rolled attributes that you keep, you get one extra attribute point to spend. This results in characters built on 30 to 36 ability points.
• Spend any remaining points until you have 6 attribute scores in total.
• If the roll is a disaster, the player has the option to reroll. If the reroll is also a disaster, the DM might give a second reroll. The third roll stands.
• At any time, you can do a 30-point buy instead of rolling.

Ability Score	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Points	-5	-4	-3	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	10	12	16

The cost of 15 and 17 have been reduced by one compared to DMG 26.

Increasing abilities

As long as you use your level-granted ability increase (normally gained at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20) for an ability increase resulting in a score of 14 or less (before racial modifiers), you get two ability improvements.

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