Questions tagged [ability-scores]
For questions primarily about ability scores (and their associated abilities), mechanical components of a character in all editions of D&D that represent the character's innate attributes: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma.
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Intelligence vs Wisdom in D&D
I'm working on a new character for a campaign I'm rejoining. He's being asked to steal something from the party. He has no loyalty to the ruler who asked him to do this, so I thought perhaps his ...
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Druid Wild Shape + Increased Ability Score from Feats [duplicate]
If a Feat grants an ability score increase as part of its benefits, does that ability score increase get applied to the new ability scores when a druid wild shapes?
Wild shape says:
Your game ...
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Do the "set ability score to 19" magic items function while using Wild Shape?
If you, a druid who is attuned to an Amulet of Health, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, or Headband of Intellect, uses Wild Shape, choosing to wear the piece of equipment, do you gain the benefit of the ...
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Do rangers have any features that would encourage them to fight with Dexterity instead of Strength?
Does the ranger have any class features that would be less powerful if they used Strength (instead of Dexterity) as their primary offensive ability? Obviously, this hypothetical ranger would be bad at ...
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What beasts have the lowest Con, Wis, and Cha saves?
Suppose you have a target you absolutely need to fail a particular saving throw, and you've gotten a wand of polymorph to help improve your odds. Examples:
a single dose of an expensive poison or a ...
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Can a catatonic creature (0 charisma) be controlled via domination magic?
If a creature’s ability score is reduced to 0, say charisma, and the creature becomes helpless (in this case catatonic), does domination (mind affecting) magic even function?
My intuition would be ...
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AnyDice - Complicated Stat Distribution
I'm trying to model average stat distributions for characters based on what a friend sent me:
Balanced Stat Roll
Roll 4d6 drop lowest five times. Count them together and deduct the total from 72. The ...
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What does it mean for plague to "continue until the victim reaches Constitution 0"?
I could use some help understanding the following line as it pertains to the Plague disease carried by a Plague Spewer (Monster Manuel III, pg. 125):
Unlike normal diseases, plague continues until ...
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Why would I put an ASI into Con instead of taking the Tough feat?
I know that raising your Constitution modifier increases your maximum health. However, the Tough feat also does this, but gives twice as much health. What other benefits does a +2 to Con give, and ...
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Can you select a feat that increases an attribute by 1 for an attribute that is already at 20?
This is a bit of a convoluted question with several parts that didn't fit in the title.
The Telepathic feat gives +1 in either Int, Wis or Cha to a maximum of 20. There is no question here, one ...
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How exactly do ability score adjusting magic items and ability score improvements interact? [duplicate]
Obviously the tomes and manuals are clear-cut in how they function, but when it comes to magic items that "overwrite" or "replace" an ability score with a value, such as gauntlets ...
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What stat would I use for a crossbow if I throw it rather than shooting it? (Specifically using Elemental Cleaver)
I've got a silly build I'm working on revolving around Path of the Giant Elemental Cleaver which grants a weapon the Thrown property. Can I use my STR for the roll? The rules seem ambiguous:
What I've ...
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What NPC skill or ability should be used to oppose a PC's Intelligence check made when using the Disguise Kit?
The Player's Handbook states that "The DM might call for an Intelligence check when you try to accomplish tasks like [...] Pull together a disguise to pass as a city guard." However, it's ...
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Is there any way to use Dexterity for spellcasting or as a named spellcasting ability?
I've always wondered about creating a character who trains to use every spellcasting ability.
The publication of Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants introduces the possibility of using Strength in a ...
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Can I put all points in one ability with customized origins?
I was making a mountain dwarf monk in dnd beyond and was able to get my dex up to 19 at level one, using point buy and customized origins (it allowed me to put both initial ASIs on dex). This seems ...
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If a monk increases their dexterity or wisdom modifier, does their AC increase as well?
I'm DM-ing an adventure, and my players are about to hit level 4, where the first ability score increase happens. If my monk chooses to increase their dexterity or wisdom, will their AC increase as ...
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What is the significance of Headband of Intellect et al setting the stat to 19?
Besides the psychological effect of the stat raising item being almost but not quite perfect, is there a situation where 19 in an attribute is different from it being set to 18?
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Can I create a creature with a high Charisma score even if it can't speak?
I am planning to create a monster which should charm the players, but this creature doesn't talk (I am planning to create a gold golem, which should incentivize greed and lust). I wonder if high ...
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Which officially published monsters have the highest/lowest total ability scores?
In 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons, every monster in the Monster Manual (as well as other source books) has a predefined Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma score in ...
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Which ability is most related to insanity: Wisdom, Charisma, Constitution, or Intelligence?
I was thinking about making a PC warlock with the Great Old One as a patron. I noticed that under the Great Old One's Book of Shadows, some warlocks could be described as having growing insanity. I ...
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What happens to a PC lycanthrope's ability scores if it becomes cured? [duplicate]
I have a Fighter character who is a lycanthrope and had a very low Strength score originally, but thanks to her lycanthropic affliction, her Strength is now the highest score.
Will her Strength score ...
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How does Constitution drain/damage interact with minimum hit points?
Related to, but not the same as this: Polymorph, HP, and Constitution damage/drain
In his answer to the question Loss of bear form and hp of a bear warrior, @KRyan mentions a rule about constitution ...
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How to deal with an overpowered player whose level 1 stats are 18's and 19's, with a 25 in strength
I've recently started a new D&D 5e campaign that is mainly roleplaying focused. One of my players is playing a barbarian gnome, and rolled all of their stats... and got a 25 for strength (and 18's ...
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What kind of disadvantages can I expect while building a supporting Player Character with low Dexterity?
I am building a Duegar Alchemist with a Folk Hero background who's inspired by the support/utility role builds I have been hearing and reading about. In other words, a character who focuses more on ...
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What effect does a potion of giant strength have upon a monster?
An adventure module I own indicates that as soon as a fight breaks out, the villian's quasit minion will drink a potion of hill giant strength.
Looking at the quasit stat block, I am assuming its claw(...
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What are all the ways to change my attack roll's ability modifier? [duplicate]
Hexblade Warlock has this line in it:
When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier, instead of Strength or Dexterity, for the attack and damage rolls.
Battle Smith Artificer ...
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What are the ways one can avoid using STR or DEX as an attack modifier?
For context, I am aiming to create a melee fighter, but would like to avoid using Strength and Dexterity as my attack modifier. I know that there are a few ways each with their limitations, but when I ...
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Is there a way to use Strength for the Perform Skill?
How (if possible) would one utilize their Strength ability score with the Perform Skill? Be that in lieu of Charisma or in addition to it.
There are so many ways to shuffle the ability score that ...
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Does an Antimagic Field suppress the ability score increases granted by the Manual or Tome magic items?
There are several "manual"/"tome" magic items that permanently increase a character's ability score and the maximum value for that score by 2: the Manual of Bodily Health, the ...
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Gold Dragonborn Sorcerer level 3. ASI or Elemental Adept at level 4?
My Gold Dragonborn Sorcerer is level 3, 18 CHA, +4 modifier.
I'm trying to build Pyro from Team Fortress 2 in D&D 5e, and I'm optimizing for high fire damage.
Should I take the ASI to get a +7 ...
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