DCC Optional Rules

Pool-Based Improvement

Take 90, and subtract the total of all your ability scores from this value.

Example: If all our scores were 11, the math would look like this: 90 - 66 = 24.

Write this number on your character's ability score sheet as their improvement pool. If this number is below zero, ignore the rest of this rule; this means your ability scores are too high to benefit from this improvement, and you rolled fortunate!

Example: We would write 24 on our sheet as our improvement pool.

Now, divide this number by 8 and drop all fractions, do not round up!

Example: In the above case, this would be 24 / 8 = 3, with no fractions.

Write this number on your character sheet as your bonus value.

Example: We would write 3 on our sheet as our bonus value.

At levels 2 through 9, add the bonus value to your ability scores. You can add them all to one, or one to three, or two to one & one to another. Any combination works. Make sure to adjust your modifiers accordingly. These can be used to replenish permanent ability score decreases. Every time we level, subtract the bonus value from our pool.

Example: Every time our character levels, we would add 3 to our ability scores. We would also subtract 3 from our pool, so when our character reaches the second level, our pool would be 24 - 3 = 21. At level 3, we would add another 3 points to our ability scores, and our pool would drop to 21 - 3 = 18.

At level ten, add the remaining number in your pool to your ability scores.

Example: At level ten, we would have zero left in our pool (I did the math), so we would not add anything to our ability scores.

What does this do? This ensures all level ten characters have a minimum average score of 15 in every ability. No matter how horrible scores you roll at level one, you will slowly improve your ability scores to heroic values as you level. You do not need to set them all to 15, and this may allow some characters to go to values above 18, so you may want to put a cap on how high a score may go, such as 18.

Example: If you were the person who rolled all threes for all six ability scores, you would increase by 9 points per level from levels two through nine, and have no increase at level ten.

If you find the 15 average score at level 10 to be too high, you can adjust the 90 value to your liking, as  15 x 6 = 90. This is simple math, and the pool mechanic accounts for all remaining fractional points at level 10. For example, if you felt an average level 10 ability score of 13 was better, replace 90 with 13 x 6 = 78.

You will still suffer at low levels with terrible scores, but these will slowly improve to heroic levels. You can use this pool value as a suggested amount of points to reward as a GM each level, or just let the players freely add them. If you roll terribly at character creation, do not worry! This system will ensure you eventually become a hero as you adventure, building up your scores with each level.