Ive seen this acronym used alot and I dont know what it stands for.
Ive seen this acronym used alot and I dont know what it stands for.
Multi-Attribute Dependent. - Good examples would be the Monk or the Paladin.
As for what it means, it refers to classes that require multiple ability scores to be high in order to function at full capacity. For example, monks need Strength for damage, Dexterity for AC, Constitution for hp, and Wisdom for several of their abilities. Paladins are similar, though swap Wisdom for Charisma and they can potentially drop Dexterity. Compare this to a SAD, or Single Attribute Dependent class, like wizards who can rely on their Intelligence (though Dexterity and Constitution certainly help).
for example, the monk. They need
Str to do damage
Dex to add to ac
Con to survive going toe to toe with the monster
Int: not really
Wisdom: For AC and Special ability DC's
Cha: Dump it.
They need 4/6 good stats.
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Mutual Assured Destruction
Paladin, Monks and goblins are mad.
but Lord Fyre is in the right of course.
Most MAD characters are considered to be subpar for optimizing, for rather obvious reasons. But this isn't always the case. Some types of clerics need to have good STR (so they can do decent damage and wear armor) good Con (so they can survive the front lines) Good Wisdom (for spell casting) and decent CHA (for channels) Only dex and Int are really dump stats, and you don't really want either to be too low due to lack of skills and lack of reflex saves.
Druids have similar issues, though can dump CHA a bit lower.
But both of these classes are considered to be among the best by many standards. Why? Because they actually don't need high stats in anything, they just need decent stats in their more important areas. They can self buff the rest of the way, and don't always need sky high spell DCs to be effective.
A monk on the other hand needs decent Wis/Dex to avoid being hit, good STR to do damage (its a martial class, if you can't do this you are by default not effective), and Good Con for when you can't avoid being hit (and no armor classes can't avoid damage every time). With those constraints you find that it is VERY hard to make a monk be effective in his particular role.
In general low point buy makes SAD classes stronger and MAD characters weaker, and high point buy makes SAD slightly better (they only really get serious benefits from their 1 stat, which is already maxed, who cares about 18 STR wizard?). Random generation has the chance to get arrays better than what a normal point buy system produces, so generally favors MAD character as SAD characters can't dump stats to get a perfect stat elsewhere.
