Abomination Vaults: Is it worth boosting key ability score at level 5 if the AP only goes to 10 / 11?

[minimayers]

We're playing AV and are getting close to level 5, and I was wondering, do you think it's worth putting one of the ability boosts into my key ability score if we'll probably max out at level 10 or 11? I could boost it at 5 and again at 10 to have a +5 for just one (or maybe two) levels, or I could boost a different stat at 5 and have an extra +1 in that score for five or six levels.

[QuidEst]

minimayers wrote:

We're playing AV and are getting close to level 5, and I was wondering, do you think it's worth putting one of the ability boosts into my key ability score if we'll probably max out at level 10 or 11? I could boost it at 5 and again at 10 to have a +5 for just one (or maybe two) levels, or I could boost a different stat at 5 and have an extra +1 in that score for five or six levels.

"Optimize for enjoyment". If it's gonna really bug you having a lower key ability score for one level, maybe. But chances are you're going to get more enjoyment out of having a higher (whatever your fifth stat is) for six levels.

[Claxon]

Depends on how much you think you'll use that other ability score.

Is the ability int? It's pretty well useless unless you class depends on it or you want to be the knowledge person.

Con, dex, and wis are all important and worth increasing.

Str and charisma have some good value, if you had planned to invest in things using those.

So unfortunately, it depends.

[Lightning Raven]

I think it will depend on the build. However, the trade off is indeed fairly major. You will be having 5 levels with an extra +1 to something else instead of banking on gaining a +1 at level 10 (the tail end of the AP), when you're going to spend a lot less time playing.

If your group plans to end the character's campaign on Abomination Vaults, then I think the trade off is worth it. Specially if there's a skill gap your party needs fix.

[minimayers]

Yeah, "it depends" is totally valid.

I should have said in my initial post, but I'm playing a melee Thaumaturge with current stats of STR 16 / DEX 12 / CON 12 / INT 10 / WIS 10 / CHA 18. Obviously Cha is important, but it's not the stat I hit things with. I was planning on boosting Str, Con, and Wis, and was wondering if I should boost Dex for those five levels or boost Cha to get it to 20 later.

I have a backup ranged weapon that could use the extra Dex, but I don't use it super often. We don't really have anyone who's good at stealth or thievery unfortunately, so I could maybe be helpful there, too?

[Claxon]

Personally I would be raising str, wis, con, and dex on your first ability increase. And then probably on your second you raise wis, con, dex, and charisma.

Raising strength more than once wont get you anything. Raising charisma only does anything if you do it twice. So on the second increase it honestly doesn't matter whether you raise cha or str.

But int has basically no value to you, so thematically I would either do str or charisma, but it wont make much difference. But getting strength to 18 will make a bigger difference than having 20 charisma at level 10 & 11.

Considering that thaumaturges are less dependent on weapons for damage, it's worth considering a one handed agile weapon and using dex for attack and starting with lower strength and that would let you swap around how you progress a bit.

[Hilary Moon Murphy]

I consider these tradeoffs all the time in Organized Play. How often will I play a character to Level 10? I do have an 11th level bard in Organized Play, but she is the exception to the rule.

[The Raven Black]

I play mostly PFS and I never put a 19 at 5th level.

[NECR0G1ANT]

minimayers wrote:

We're playing AV and are getting close to level 5, and I was wondering, do you think it's worth putting one of the ability boosts into my key ability score if we'll probably max out at level 10 or 11? I could boost it at 5 and again at 10 to have a +5 for just one (or maybe two) levels, or I could boost a different stat at 5 and have an extra +1 in that score for five or six levels.

I would say yes and increase that score to 19 at L5. You'll want that extra +1 at the end of adventure more than you want a +1 to the fourth-most important Ability Score.

[Errenor]

NECR0G1ANT wrote:

minimayers wrote:

We're playing AV and are getting close to level 5, and I was wondering, do you think it's worth putting one of the ability boosts into my key ability score if we'll probably max out at level 10 or 11? I could boost it at 5 and again at 10 to have a +5 for just one (or maybe two) levels, or I could boost a different stat at 5 and have an extra +1 in that score for five or six levels.

I would say yes and increase that score to 19 at L5. You'll want that extra +1 at the end of adventure more than you want a +1 to the fourth-most important Ability Score.

In many cases, yes. But what if that is charisma and thaumaturge (as in this case)? I really don't know.

[Unicore]

It will be +2 total by level 10 if you are not boosting it at level 5. I think leaving CHA at 18 is fine if the campaign is going to end at the end of the AP.

[ottdmk]

I realize it's sub-optimal, but I can't resist going for the 19 at L5. I know I'll be doing it again in Outlaws of Alkenstar.

Partly it's that I really don't have any use for the other two stats: Cha and Str. I have no Cha skills and I'm going to pick up Sleeves of Storage at L4 so Bulk will not be an issue.