Part 1 of ability scores is here.
Part 1 of armors is here.
Right. Using 5E's point buy system, I've been trying to calculate out what number of Point Buy is suitable for a system with only 5 ability scores five ability scores (Strength, Finesse, Intellignece, Will, Cognizance).
(Btw, I think Cognizance fits my usage of the term than Observation or Perception. As a reminder, Cognizance is going to cover concepts of aim, perception, insight, awareness, and attunement to surroundings/nature and is the spell-casting ability score for druids/rangers. Well, I figured the word Cognizance sounds more fancy than Observation :P )
So first thing I needed to do was check what an average roll of 4d6 drop lowest gives, since that is what the point buy is emulating. Fortunately, someone's done most of the work for 6 ability scores and I just needed to replicate his work for 5 ability scores.
For 6 ability scores, an average roll is roughly 16, 14, 13, 12, 10, 9. The closest to that in 5E is 15,14,13,12,10,9. Interestingly enough, if you use 5E's point buy system that works out to 28 point buy, just one point more than the default Point Buy value recommended in the 5E Player's Handbook.
For 5 ability scores, an average roll is 15.4, 13.7, 12.36, 10.86, 8.82, or 15,14,12,11,9. Using 5E's point buy system, that is worth 24 point buy.
If you take the average value of 4d6 drop lowest, you get 12.24. 12.24 is worth 4.24 points, 4.24*6=25.44. Whereas 4.24*5 = 21.2 . But this estimate is a bit on the low side.
Let's look at the numbers then.
Point Buy 24: Standard human (+1 to all)
16 16 14 10 9
16 16 12 12 9
16 16 12 11 10
16 14 14 14 9
16 14 14 12 11
16 14 13 12 12
Point Buy 24: Elf (+2, +1)
16 16 14 9 8
16 16 12 12 9
16 16 12 10 10
16 14 14 12 9
16 14 12 12 12
Point Buy 22: Standard human (+1 to all)
16 16 12 10 9
16 16 11 10 10
16 14 14 12 8
16 14 14 11 10
16 14 12 12 11
16 13 12 12 12
Point Buy 22: Elf (+2, +1)
16 16 12 10 8
16 16 10 10 10
16 14 14 11 8
16 14 12 12 10
16 12 12 12 12
Looking at these numbers, I think 22 Point Buy gives a better spread of numbers for my system. The point buy scores for the elf (+2,+1) look particularly balanced at 22 Point Buy.
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Another issue that's been mentioned is how it is way too easy to don heavy armor in a classless system where you buy class features using feature points. Armor proficiencies have a one-time Feature Point cost which have big impact throughout the game. I tried to reduce access to heavier armor by putting a strength requirement on them. Thinking about it, that's probably all they need.
And so! There is no longer such thing as armor proficiency. (and thus cost no Feature Points) Instead, they have strength requirements.
Armor proficiencies never really made much sense anyway, from a flavor perspective. Especially for the lighter armors. You just wear them. What skill is involved in wearing leather armor? Even for medium and heavy armor, it's more a question whether you can wear that armor all day and not get tired out than being skilled at moving in said armor.
Finnesse/Dexterity increases AC without any need for proficiencies. This is true in every recent edition of D&D.
With this change, now Strength also increases AC without any need for proficiencies, albiet indirectly by allowing the use of heavier armors. So basically, Strength and Dexterity are competing as two different ways for PCs to increase their AC.
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Removing armor proficiencies has an impact on the cost of basic features in my system.
Previously,
Wizard spell casting = weapon damage + health + armor proficiency + weapon specialization
or 8=2+2+2+2
The problem was armor proficiency and weapon specialization are both one-time costs in 5E.
So after level 1, the cost of wizard spell-casting then drops to
Wizard spell casting = weapon damage + health
or 4 = 2+2
In this system, PCs gain 10FP at level 1 and 6FP every level thereafter.
However, I realized that players will sometimes want to spend a future level-up to gain basic wizard spell-casting, like they do in 3rd edition D&D. Due to the way I've priced features in my current game (basic wiz spellcasting = 8FP) vs how many FP points are gained per level (6FP per level), that's not really possible.
On the other hand, if both at level 1 and every level up thereafter~
Wizard spell casting = Weapon damage + Health
or 8 =4+4
~then it will be possible because PCs gain an amount of FP points equal every level (10FP) to what they get at level 1 (10FP). This is more consistent with the "Each level up increases strength of PC by the strength of a level 1 character" paradigm that our Encounter building system now follows.
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Anyway, let me retool the armors a little bit...
| Armor | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor | Armor Class (AC) | Strength | Ability check | Start AC | EndAC |
| Light Armor | |||||
| Leather | 11 + Dex modifier | Str 9 | — | 14 | |
| Studded leather | 12 + Dex modifier | Str 9 | — | 17 | |
| Medium Armor | |||||
| Hide | 12 + Dex modifier (max 2) | Str 11 | — | 14 | |
| Chain Shirt | 13 + Dex modifier (max 2) | Str 11 | — | ||
| Breastplate | 14 + Dex modifier (max 2) | Str 11 | — | 17 | |
| Medium Armor (bulky) | |||||
| Ring mail | 15 + Dex modifier (max 1) | Str 13 | Disadvntge | 15 | |
| Scale Mail | 16 + Dex modifier (max 1) | Str 13 | Disadvntge | ||
| Half Plate | 17 + Dex modifier (max 1) | Str 13 | Disadvntge | 18 | |
| Heavy Armor | |||||
| Chain Mail | 16 | Str 15 | Disadvntge | 15 | |
| Splint | 17 | Str 15 | Disadvntge | ||
| Plate mail | 18 | Str 15 | Disadvntge | ||
| Shield | +2 | Str 11 | Disadvntge |
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But now I need one more just one more rule to make is so that traditional wizards/sorcerors who do not wear armor more competitive:
Arcane spell-casting (Wizard and Sorceror) requires the caster to have 4 points of strength more than the armor and shield's Strength requirement in order to cast spells.
Druidic, Bardic and Occult spell-casting (Druid, Ranger, Bard, Warlock) requires the caster to have 2 points of strength more than the armor and shield's Strength requirement in order to cast spells.
(otherwise you can't cast those spells while wearing that armor/shield)
Divine spell-casting (Cleric and Paladin) is not affected.
So for a wizard to cast spells in heavy armor, she'll need 15+4=21 Strength. Shields require 11+4=15 strength (perfect!). Medium armor requires 11+4 = 15 Strength (perfect!) and medium (bulky) armor requires 13+4=17 Strength (sounds right). Light armor would require 9+4=13 Strength.
A level 1 wizard with~
Strength 16, Finesse 12, Intelligence 16, Will 10, Cognizance 8
~...could use Hide armor for a total AC of 12+1= 13 AC, same as a wizard who just has Finesse 16. but this Hide armor wizard could also hold a shield for 15 AC total, keeping another hand free for casting.
A level 1 custom race (+2, +1) wizard with~
Strength 17, Finesse 12, Intelligence 16, Will 8, Cognizance 8
~...could use Ring Mail for a total AC of 14+1= 15 AC. This wizard could also hold a shield for 17 AC total, keeping another hand free for casting. She paid for that AC in net ability score points since she invested in 17 Strength which gives no modifier bonus over 16 Strength. She also has disadvantage in relevant ability checks such as stealth and swimming.
Druids have quite a few offensive spells almost akin to Wizards rather than cleric spells, and hence have traditionally been forbidden from wearing metal armor in order to limit their AC.
For a druid to cast spells in heavy armor, she'll need 15+2=17 Strength. Shields require 11+2=13 strength.. Medium armor requires 11+2 = 13 Strength (Sounds right!) and medium (bulky) armor requires 13+2=15 Strength (sounds right). Light armor would require 9+2=11 Strength.
A level 1 Druid with~
Strength 12, Finesse 16, Intelligence 8, Will 10, Cognizance 16
~...could use Leather armor for a total AC of 14+1= 14 AC. She could also hold a shield for 16 AC total, keeping another hand free for casting. This AC is irrelevant when wild-shaped.
A level 1 Druid with~
Strength 16, Finesse 12, Intelligence 8, Will 10, Cognizance 16
~...could use Ring Mail for a total AC of 14+1= 15 AC. She could also hold a shield for 17 AC total, keeping another hand free for casting. This druid has disadvantage in relevant ability checks such as stealth and swimming. This AC is irrelevant when wild-shaped. Well, that is assuming the Ring Mail is not made of metal, haha!
I should note that I intend to alter the Barkskin druid level 2 spell so that it gives 13+Cognizance AC so that Druids are not so dependent on Strength and Finesse.
Looking at these examples, Fighter-mages can work, with a bit of effort. Wizards/sorcerors who don't go for high strength or dexterity are viable, especially once they get Mage Armor consistently online.
Update: Tweaked the armor values slightly. The cost of the trade-off for disadvantage to ability checks is now consistently 2AC.
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