How to read/set base ability scores?

[Prosidious Fowell]

I've been tearing my hair out over this for a couple of days. I'm adding a template that will set a base ability score to 18. I can't figure out how to access this value, either for setting or for reading. I can set all sorts of bonuses and penalties, and I can determine the base value in a roundabout way from, for example, aSTR->aCost, but I can't find a way to access the actual base value. Any help greatly appreciated.

[Aaron]

What do you mean by "base ability score"? The number rolled or chosen before any racial modifiers are applied?

[Prosidious Fowell]

Originally Posted by Aaron

What do you mean by "base ability score"? The number rolled or chosen before any racial modifiers are applied?

That's exactly what I mean. I'm sorry if that wasn't clear.

[Aaron]

To read the value, try subtracting the aStartMod field from the aUser field and using that. You can't really set a user value, but you can force the FINAL value to something specific using the aNormForce field. Alternately, you can set up an eval rule to complain if "aUser - aStartMod" does not equal the value you want.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Aaron

To read the value, try subtracting the aStartMod field from the aUser field and using that. You can't really set a user value, but you can force the FINAL value to something specific using the aNormForce field. Alternately, you can set up an eval rule to complain if "aUser - aStartMod" does not equal the value you want.

Doesn't aNormForce 100% force the value to always be something like 18. So that even if you use an adjustment or spell or magic item the value will not change right?

[Prosidious Fowell]

It appears that all I have to do is assign a value of 18 to aNormForce and I can still reap the benefits of other things that affect the final score, like so:

hero.child[aSTR].field[aNormForce].value = 18

One weird thing is that the value doesn't appear to return to normal after I remove the template.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Prosidious Fowell

One weird thing is that the value doesn't appear to return to normal after I remove the template.

See my post above. Once "forced" that is the final value period now actually. Nothing will be able to adjust the value again.

[Prosidious Fowell]

Originally Posted by ShadowChemosh

See my post above. Once "forced" that is the final value period now actually. Nothing will be able to adjust the value again.

Wow...

That's pretty terrible.

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by ShadowChemosh

Doesn't aNormForce 100% force the value to always be something like 18. So that even if you use an adjustment or spell or magic item the value will not change right?

Yes, hence my putting the word "final" in all caps. Just offering different ways he could go about it, so he can decide what works best for whatever his thing is.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Prosidious Fowell

Wow...

That's pretty terrible.

I wouldn't use "terrible" I would use that is just how it works. Many times its fine but you need to understand what and "how" something works. I have stuff in my houserules file that make use of this feature and it works very nicely. This is all just part of the learning process of HL.

Originally Posted by Aaron

Yes, hence my putting the word "final" in all caps. Just offering different ways he could go about it, so he can decide what works best for whatever his thing is.

Ahh. Well forgive me I just like being very "verbose" about stuff is all.