Ideas for options that use both Strength and Dexterity

[UngeheuerLich]

No rule change needed... Strength and dex are both fine stats. Many classes are good with a 14 in both dex and str using those stats for wearing medium armor which is more than underrated. If you use variant encumbrance and even with the standard one, str 8 is a liability for many classes. You can´t carry your own equippment not speaking of loot and any terrain that is not flat may test your athletics score.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

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...

With players that dont like to have a lot of numbers to remember, I use the the old Diablo trick of having equipment slots. They keep a grid with a number a squares equals to their Str score. Some items (heavier ones) take more than one slots and small light-weight items stacks on themselves up to 3.

I also use a minimalist way to track item depletion. All items have a score of 6 (high quality items may have more), at the end of an encounter you used an item (be it a combat, exploration or social encounters), roll a d6; on a 1 the item's depletion score decreases by 1. At 0 the item is broken, empty. No need to count each arrow, but it forces the players to re-buy a rope or a tent once in a while.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

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.

I wouldn't say the math is too much for the one-handed option, but I'd simplify it to maybe just +1 or +2 AC.

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.

I'd probably limit the additional damage bonus to half of the alternative ability mod.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

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.

I'm ambivalent to damage on a miss, though I think I remember one of the Unearthed Arcana's coming up with something that was a variant on the concept but in a different way.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

Going back to cases where it's like add half of Dex mod or half of Str mod to damage, I don't think they should necessarily be applied to all melee attacks all the time. Maybe something like that becomes the 2nd ability in the feat I originally proposed. But I also feel that feat should have some defensive benefit, as well as a better name.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

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.

Consider this stolen. Only thing I would change is Nasty Backswing. Instead, I'd write up the ability as follows:

Nasty Backswing

Although sometimes you may miss, you usually still graze your opponent to make sure they know how lucky they are to have avoided the blow. Whenever you miss with an attack, if a hit would have allowed you to add sneak attack damage, the target takes weapon damage equal to the number of sneak attack dice in your pool.

 

[Zardnaar]

I allow a 3pp feat that allows strength and Dex damage on light weapons.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Consider this stolen. Only thing I would change is Nasty Backswing. Instead, I'd write up the ability as follows:

Nasty Backswing

Although sometimes you may miss, you usually still graze your opponent to make sure they know how lucky they are to have avoided the blow. Whenever you miss with an attack, if a hit would have allowed you to add sneak attack damage, the target takes weapon damage equal to the number of sneak attack dice in your pool.

Yep, your right, your's way better. I think this one will be part of a larger work to remove the generic fighter from the classes list and create more martial archetype on each remaining class to replace it.

Thanks again.

 

[5ekyu]

Spin-strike - when making a str based melee attack that misses by your dex mod or less, you may spend your reaction to get a second swing with a spin move. If you currently have disadvantage to stealth (or other checks) from armor, that spin strike is at disadvantage.

 

[Kobold Avenger]

So going back to the idea of the feat I first thought of:

Balanced Fighting Technique
Perquisite Strength 13 or higher, and Dexterity 13 or higher
In combat there's the need a for speed and accuracy or brute force depending on the situation, you know when the right situations apply for either.
-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.
-When you hit with with a melee attack with advantage: If you add your strength bonus to the damage roll you may add your dexterity bonus, if you add your dexterity bonus to the damage roll you may add your strength bonus.
-When wielding at least one melee weapon and no shield you get a +1 bonus to AC.