Character Theorycrafting and Builds

[TheAbsurdist]

This thread is separate from KDs very good resource, as this is an unofficial/noncanon interpretation from me, and really a way to compare the numerical values on sheet to things.   I am only going to focus on Attributes and Skills because the problem I have with common D20 interpretation of that is that all of their progression for Attributes and Skills is linear.  And I don't feel that's true.

 

The reason I am putting this down is due to a recent world record weightlifting effort by Stefi Cohen.  Who, at 120ish pounds and five foot even herself, deadlifted roughly 525 pounds.

This places her at roughly 17 strength for Max Lift, for what is effectively a feat that possibly no human has done before.  Which can be seen here.  This is a superlative human accomplishment that is happening below the commonly understood benchmarks for such. 

 

The linear view of progression lends to the understanding that that certain stat blocks and ranks denote mastery, or are the levels to indicate what your character can do.  However the accomplishment of tasks is not based on that, rather on meeting/exceeding the DCs.  How a PC achieves a success is largely irrelevant.  And the best stories tend to come from improbably success or failure.

 

An example would Medicine, where in the base book the vast majority of all skill checks will sit at DC15 (or less), the exception of Surgery which starts at 15, and goes to 30 which which translated to actual in-game mechanical behavior as outstripping a normal line NPCs ability to achieve barring the use of the Ultimate Effort feat.  One can safely assume that 8-9 ranks, and +1 or 2 attribute mod  or more and you're a competent MD, whereas Skill Mastery would make you a good, to great, Doctor at the same Skill Rank, or a one with a higher Wisdom score, with Second Chance.  As those additional factors minimize the chance of failure.

 

Ultimately the net goal for increasing Attributes and Skills is just that: minimize failure in that bailiwick.

 

(Or because it makes sense for how the character is played, I mean, why else buy the Pilot skill if your character can fly?  I'm looking at you Carol 'Cap'n'Marvel' Danvers).