Useful Ability Scores (3.5e Variant Rule)
 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
 | |||||||||
|
Rate this article Discuss this article | |||||||||
Contents
Useful Ability Scores[edit]
This variant rule adds additional abilities and variables to ability scores, as well as correcting some of their shortcomings.
Strength[edit]
Having a high Strength determines most everything about your melee attacks (unless you're incorporeal), carrying capacity, and many skill checks. Still, Strength is mostly a combat stat and is heavily tied with brute force.
Intimidating Bulk[edit]
You may use your Strength instead of your Charisma on Intimidate checks.
Out of the Way![edit]
You can bat people out of your way without the need to bull rush them. In order to do so, you must hit a creature with a normal melee attack. If the creature's weight (equipment included) is under your light load, you may make an opposed Strength check; if you succeed, you make the creature move 5 ft plus an additional 5 ft. for each 5 points you won the Strength check by. If the creature hits an obstacle, it and the obstacle take 1d6 damage and the creature's forced movement immediately stops. At the end of its movement, the creature is allowed a Balance check (DC 10) to not fall prone. This forced movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If the creature would be placed on a square that cannot support her weight, she is allowed a DC 15 reflex save to stop at the nearest safe square.
Dexterity[edit]
Very few characters do not need Dexterity; it is one of the most important ability scores in combat. Unless you wear the heaviest of armor, a high Dexterity is required to have a good AC. It also influences a large number of skill checks, your Reflex save, and ranged attack rolls, so it does not need much.
Skilled Crafter[edit]
You may use your Dexterity modifier on Craft checks instead of your Intelligence modifier.
Constitution[edit]
One of the most important ability scores in the game, Constitution influences your Fortitude save and your hit points. It has only one skill tied to it, but that skill is one of the most important skills in the game. As a result, Constitution is vital for every character except undead and constructs. Because it is already so important, it really needs no more flavoring.
Intelligence[edit]
In the base game, intelligence regulates if you're a contender in the skill game or not; some other rules help relieve this problem, and even without those, many of the skills are inconsequential anyways (except under Tome of Prowess rules, which screws Intelligence over in a completely different way – namely, severing it from skill points entirely). As such, Intelligence is not very useful outside of class features that specifically rely on it, and needs some buffing.
Acquired Knowledge[edit]
You may now use Knowledge untrained better. Normally, your Intelligence check can only divine really easy information (DC 10). With this variant rule, you add your Intelligence modifier to the maximum DC, so a character with a Int of 20 could make at most a DC 15 check to learn basic information on a subject she is not trained in.
A creature with low Intelligence still can get a minimum of DC 10, no matter how low her intelligence is.
Fight Smart[edit]
You may use your Intelligence modifier instead of your Wisdom or Charisma modifier on your Bluff or Sense Motive check to feint or resist being feinted.
Wisdom[edit]
While Wisdom is useful enough on its own, being the ability score of choice for Will saves and many skills that are useful for all classes, this variant rule gives you an additional use for Wisdom.
Watch Where you Step[edit]
You may use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier when making Reflex saves against floor-based hazards, like traps.
Charisma[edit]
The stereotypical dump stat, which was only really useful when class features made it useful (or if you were incorporeal, making it the ability score used for melee attack rolls), now Charisma does a lot more things than affect skill checks.
First Impression[edit]
In addition to its normal uses, now Charisma really affects the initial reaction of people towards you.
Your Charisma score makes creatures friendlier or unfriendlier towards you than normal. This is only an 'initial attitude' - if you take any actions that harm or offend them, their attitude will adjust appropriately.
If your Charisma is 13 points or higher, creatures who would initially be unfriendly are indifferent instead. If your Charisma is 19 or higher, creatures who would initially be friendly are helpful instead.
If your Charisma is 8 points or lower, creatures who would initially be friendly are indifferent toward you instead. If you have 5 or less Charisma, creatures who would initially be indifferent are unfriendly toward you instead.
Moral Boost[edit]
You can use Aid Another while within close range, as long as your allies can hear you. Instead of making an attack roll, you make a DC 15 Charisma check; a success means you successfully aided your ally. Like the normal application of aid another, this can be used on other tasks, up to the GM.
Resist Daunt[edit]
As a standard action, a daunted creature may attempt to make an opposed Charisma check against the creature who daunted her; if successful, the daunted creature halves the number of daunt levels that particular creature inflicted.
Optional: Variable Saves[edit]
A optional rule based on 4e, using the highest of two ability scores to determine your bonus to saving throws.
Fortitude: Strength or Constitution
Reflex: Dexterity or Intelligence
If you add an ability score modifier to your saving throws, such as a paladin's divine grace, you must use another ability score to determine the base bonus. For example, a paladin with divine grace would need to use her Wisdom for her Will saving throw.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Variant Rules
| Leziadv |
|---|
| Author | Leziad + |
| Identifier | 3.5e Variant Rule + |
| Rated By | Luigifan18 + and Ghostwheel + |
| Rating | Rating Pending + |
| Summary | This variant rule adds additional abilities and variables to ability scores, as well as correcting some of their shortcomings. + |
| Title | Useful Ability Scores + |
