Ideas for options that use both Strength and Dexterity

An idea I thought of in another thread since in 5e there's not much of a good reason to have both strength and dexterity as high ability scores, as you either double down on one or the other.

So one thing I thought of was a feat (I don't think it would make an ideal fighting style), which I still don't have a name for:
-Once per round (or maybe by using your reaction) when you miss with a melee attack: If it was an attack that used your strength bonus, you may re-roll using your dexterity bonus. If it was an attack using your dexterity bonus, you may re-roll using your strength bonus.

The alternative abilities re-roll I don't think would make all of a feat, and whatever the feat is called I'd probably give it requirements like having both a strength and dexterity of at least 13 or 14. I don't really want the other ability(s) of this feat to be just another ability score increase as I feel it's the boring way to go. I'm aware something like this might introduce a lot of re-rolling with Advantage/Disadvantage in play, which is probably why I'm leaning having it use a reaction.

It or another feat could reinforce using medium armour, since that's something I feel is ideal for characters with high strength and high dexterity.

The only subclass idea I can think of so far would be a Thug Archetype Rogue, the idea of a Rogue that's not afraid to use a little brute force and dirty tricks to get the job done, in ways that other rogues won't.

Some ideas to interest some players to use heavier armor and equipment on Dex builds or Dex based attack with Str builds. Note that I think encumbrance or inventory slots should be used for them to be pertinent.

Fighting Style: Strongarm Thrower-You can draw a throwing weapon as part of any attack you make. When attacking with a sling or a thrown weapon that deals no more than 1d4 damage, you add half your Str mod (rounded up) to damage).
Fighting Style: Mighty Draw- You can use your Str mod to damage roll with short bows and longbows.
Fighting Style: Pavise Crossbowman- You can use a shield while wielding a crossbow with two-hands.

Rogue Archetype: Enforcer
lvl3: Thug: You can use your Sneak attack feature with club, mace and heavy-club.
Brute: You can push or shove as part of your Cunning Action
lvl 9: Nasty Backswing: When you miss a target witn an attack, you deal Str mod to the target you just missed.
13: Mug: As an action you can for a target to make a Wis save against 8+Prof.+Str or be Frightened until they suceed the save. Target affraid of you have disadvantage to any check to spot a Sleight of Hand roll from your part.
17: Blackjack: When using your sneak attack feature, you can forgo the extra damage to force a target to make a Con save against 8+Prof.+Str or be stunned until the end of its turn.

Simple . . .

DEX gives modifiers to hit for all attacks.
STR gives modifiers to damage for all attacks.

These changes allow for characters to be strong and uncoordinated, or the character that kills with a thousand cuts. STR works for damage with ranged damage because the stronger the character is the heavier the draw of the bow or crossbow the he can use, and the harder he throws. DEX works to hit for everything because no matter how strong you are you still have to be coordinated to hit. This gives players a meaningful choice to make in developing their characters, and reduces the problem of every character having either a 20 STR or 20 DEX.

Wulffolk said:

Simple . . .

DEX gives modifiers to hit for all attacks.
STR gives modifiers to damage for all attacks.

Click to expand...

Not an option I'm interested in.

Does this not depend on the class you play because Barbarian would disagree 20 in all three Str, Con and Dex is a really good thing

Kobold Avenger said:

An idea I thought of in another thread since in 5e there's not much of a good reason to have both strength and dexterity as high ability scores, as you either double down on one or the other.

Click to expand...

Or a general rule, inspired by the Longsword thread:

When you use a versatile weapon one-handed, and your STR & DEX scores are w/in 2 of eachother, you add half your STR bonus to your DEX bonus (max +5) when calculating your AC vs melee attacks (the DM may judge you cannot plausibly parry some melee attacks and thus deny the bonus). When you use a versatile weapon two-handed, you add half of your DEX bonus to your STR bonus (max of +6) to attack rolls.


Or: Finesse Weapons: use DEX to hit but STR for damage. (encourages a high DEX character to get some STR for melee)
'Mighty' bows that use DEX to hit but STR for damage. (encourages a high STR character to get some DEX for long-range combat)

Using a reaction to reroll is not a bad idea, but may slow down gameplay. I'd have to playtest it. But off the top of my head ...

A pair of feats
Stick in the Eye: when doing a melee or ranged attack using strength, add your dexterity bonus to damage.
Sword through the Stomach: when doing a melee or ranged attack using dexterity, add your strength bonus to damage.

Cut it back to half additional damage or put a cap on maximum additional damage if you think adding the full bonus is too much.

A possible house rule to modify dexterity damage to be more realistic: When you hit with a melee or ranged attack, your damage is limited to your strength bonus times 3 (minimum 2).

The problem with the house rule is that your penalizing dex builds with no corresponding strength build penalty, but strength builds seem to have plenty of penalties already built in already.

I've not found it too much of an issue by houseruling that bows have Finesse and by actually tracking encumbrance.

Cap'n Kobold said:

I've not found it too much of an issue by houseruling that bows have Finesse and by actually tracking encumbrance.

Click to expand...

Allowing bows to use either Str or Dex would make them more viable options for str warriors, who are currently limited to the javalin/spear.

I agree that actually using carrying capacity or the encumbrance option keep Dex in check instead of "teh uber" ability. Non-Str characters need to have SOME Str, or be unable to carry all the stuff (and loot) they want to.

I would track encumbrance, but I don't think most people do.

But nowadays there's probably apps for those sorts of things anyways, since most probably don't like to use the equipment on their character sheet as one giant addition table...