With more and more time spent on this system, the attributes being tied to the Skill system, and to the extent they are inflated, this removes the possibility of pursuing certain set ups simply because they are unsupported at a base numerical level.
This goes hand in hand with “Re-mathing HP”. (Link: [Suggestion] Re-mathing Health)
Currently we receive 150 total Attribute Points (I do not count tertiary as they are not on every skill and a minor gain), with being able to receive no more than +70 in a given single attribute from skills. (Effectively 350 SP).
This proposal does not seek to change that paradigm, merely how it’s earned. It only seeks to detach stats from Skills, so if you wanted to be a clumsy ass 70 strength melee blaster whipping set up, it’s there.
Characters instead have a SPECIAL system, in which at character creation, a separate-from-initial-attributes menu is given where they have 15 points to spread among Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
Every 5 SP earned, they gain an attribute point. Every 10 SP, they earn an additional one. (This mirrors the 150 point cap).
So let us say your SDCIWC spread is:
S - 6
D - 7
C - 2
I - 0
W - 0
C - 0
Your attribute cap in a category is Score x 10. A score cannot exceed 7.
You hit your first 5 SP: You gain an attribute point. It cannot be Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, because they are 0 - You can gain a maximum of 0 in this attribute.
Thus you will either gain +1 to Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. You do not get to choose, but higher weighted attributes are more likely.
Later on down the line, at 300ish SP, you have hit your +20 Constitution cap. You now only gain +1 Strength or Dexterity when gaining attributes until you hit the cap of Attribute gain or SP 500.
This does two things.
A) It removes the rigid lock on being a mechanically effective character or the character you want to play. You can still be a crappy character, but it’s your choice to make and play that.
B) Skills can now be adjusted to each other in a completely lateral manner, without their attributes being a factor.
It does not discourage early skill stacking. Doing so requires a change in overal attribute gain. However, as a bandaid fix, you would instead have a general category. It would still utilize the above system, but it would gate it instead based on an individual skill rank.
Example
General Category Perk
GO FURTHER BEYOND
Ranks: 100
SP Cost: 0
Learned at: Any Combat Skill: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5… 100
Increase an attribute by 1. Increase an additional attribute by 1 every even rank.