Post originally by Rob Vaughn at 2003-12-16 10:12:29
Converted from Phorums BB System

Varkias wrote:
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I liked the suggestion someone made to allow the PLAYERS to trade STR scores to allow them to play the archetypes they want.
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I think this was an excellent idea as well! I give it whole-hearted approval. While I also enjoy a previous poster's suggestion that we don't always get what we want, and how perfectly appropriate that is for kids, I can understand wanting to tweak Strength a bit.

We experimented with several Str options, and working with the averages, 2d8 ended up working the best. We wanted to keep kids at an average of 9-11 Str, make lower Strengths slightly more common than in regular D&D, and make higher Strengths possible but rare. Straight 3d6 and 4d6-drop-the-lowest with a -2 to Strength didn't work out . . . also, the universal -2 to Strength made the other archetype stat adjustments pretty wonky.

So the only failing to the 2d8 method, it seems, is the lack of flexibility. This is well-answered by the party-trade idea; it also creates a cool sense of party teamwork from the get-go. I dunno about anyone else, but if my jock or bully got his Strength because of the donation of a nerd, I'd tend to be, even subconsciously, grateful towards and protective of that nerd. Kinda like the jocks that stick up for the nerds that help them with homework. My second-favorite method for stat alteration is to do a 2-for-1 trade . . . -2 to on any other stat allows for a +1 to Str, with a cap of 16 Str. My problem with this is that 16 Str kids should be INCREDIBLY rare . . . I suppose you could limit it by only allowing kids with a penalty to Str to use this method to up it a bit, or perhaps to limit the 2-for-1 to a specific number of trades, etc.

As for the point-buy system, I haven't done the math, but I'm sure some of you intrepid gamers could work out a good method. Start the PC at lower than 8, for instance, or make Str more expensive to buy.

As you can tell, we had tons of ideas for this book, and only a limited amount of space in which to explore them. Them's the breaks with Horizon . . . so the more gaps you can fill in with your own ideas, the happier I am.

Great review,
Rob