Game math simplification suggestion for Pathfinder Version 2.0

[Longetalos]

Hey all,

I have been playing 3.0, 3.5 and Pathfinder since they came out and have a suggestion to make the math simpler for future versions.

The premise is similar to what they did with the AC in 3.0. The worked up from 10 instead of using the THAC0 system with the negative AC for heavier armor.

What I would recommend is that the attributes be divided in half. Instead of from 1 to 18, they would go from 1 to 9. The odd numbered values are useless anyway in terms of bonuses.

Once that is in place, I would remove the -5 for having an attribute at 1 and instead start at +1 and work your way up to +9 (i.e. your PLUS would be equal to your Attribute).

Then adjust all the DC by adding 5 points to the difficulty.

Your bonus to any skill check would be (D20 + RANK + ATTRIBUTE).

Your attack would be D20 + BAB + ST (or DX for bows).

AC would be 10 + Armor + Shield + DX

Example character:
Old system
DX 14 (+2), Stealth rank 2, Maneuver bonus = +4, against DC 10.
Wis 4 (-3), Survival rank 5, Maneuver bonus = +2, against DC 10
AC = +2
To hit with bow = +2

New system
DX 7 (+7), Stealth rank 2, Maneuver bonus = +9, against DC 15
Wis 4 (+4), Survival rank 5, maneuver bonus = +9, against DC 15
AC = +7
To hit with a bow = +7

It is not an exact match due to the flip around Attribute 10 (+0), but close enough to be worth it to simply things. Especially when you start getting buffs or attribute drained in the middle of combat. Really easy to figure out your new scores.

[Valian]

too radical... you would to relabel it from d&d or Pathfinder to another name...

[Avatar-1]

I can't wrap my head around it?

[Mark Sweetman]

The 'simplification' doesn't actually simplify or change anything though....?

[The Archive]

So... what about dying at negative Con? Or dying at 0 Con from ability damage/drain? Seems like you would have to rework ability damage and drain a good bit to get things working properly (and stick with whole numbers).

[Dremaa]

Longetalos wrote:

What I would recommend is that the attributes be divided in half. Instead of from 1 to 18, they would go from 1 to 9. The odd numbered values are useless anyway in terms of bonuses.

Once that is in place, I would remove the -5 for having an attribute at 1 and instead start at +1 and work your way up to +9 (i.e. your PLUS would be equal to your Attribute).

Changing the rate would affect point buy at the start, stat increases at level ups, and ability drain/damage (as The Archive said).

What might be more feasible is subtracting 10 from the scores so that "average" is zero and your bonus (or penalty) is just half of your score. For dying, you would become unconscious at -10 and die at -20 minus your Con score.

Subtracting 10 is already what you often do before using your scores anyway, making it permanent would take some adjusting perception-wise but not different mechanics-wise.

[Excaliburproxy]

Well, the rules for death and dying would clearly need to change (for instance: you are instead dead if your health falls below 10+constitution). In fact, many rules would need to change. Notably, there would have to be decisions made about death and if/how someone can be incapacitated from ability damage.

@Longetalos
I don't think it is necessarily a bad rule, but you need to appreciate the many ripples it would make in terms of how the rest of the system is redesigned.

SKR's Five Moons is pretty much going to use the system that you suggest.