D&D 5E Making Intelligence less of a dump stat

[jaelis]

Anyway, thoughts?

I don't think this is much of a problem, but if you feel a need to tinker with it, then your training idea makes sense. But I don't think you should go down to one day at Int 20, that is too good. Consider: Realistically only a wizard is likely to get Int 20, and they already have plenty of motivation to do so. So basically you are just making it so wizards can know all languages and use all tools in the game. That seems unnecessary to me. I might make the table go:
10 - 250
11 - 225
12 - 200
13 - 175
14 - 150
15 - 130
16 - 110
17 - 90
18 - 70
19 - 50
20 - 30

 

[ClearlyTough69]

I just do the following to make Int less of a dump stat.

Intelligence affects skill proficiencies and languages:

Intelligence Effect
21 gain proficiency with a new tool
19 gain a language
17 gain proficiency in a new skill
15 gain proficiency with a new tool
13 gain a language
9 - 12 no change
8 lose a language (but you have at least one)
6 unable to write any languages you know
4 unable to read any languages you know
2 unable to use or comprehend any languages

Craft and Profession
Your Intelligence score grants you points that you can spend on proficiency in the crafts or professions of your choice. To become proficient in a craft, spend one point; to become proficient in a profession, spend two points; spend thrice as many points for expertise (double your proficiency bonus).

Intelligence Craft and profession points
20 18 points
18 13 points
16 9 points
14 6 points
12 4 points
10 3 points
8 2 points
6 1 point

Craft skills use Intelligence; Profession skills use Wisdom

Eg Slovesa the Wizard has Intelligence 15. She gains a language, proficiency with a tool and has 6 points she can spend on crafts and professions. She opts to be an expert spy (4 pts), a carpenter and a wheelwright (1 pt each).

 

[ClearlyTough69]

Oh, and I also make languages count: intelligent monster that can understand what PCs are saying to each other will use that information to their own advantage, whether in combat or during social interaction.

 

[CydKnight]

All ability scores can be dump stats depending on the character class and how you build it. I personally don't feel that Intelligence is any more of one than any other ability score depending on personal preference and character build. Insight and Arcana checks are both good reasons by themselves for having Intelligence not be one of your dump stats as they are both likely to be essential by at least one party member in any given game session.

 

[cmad1977]

Meh.
HPs are my dump stat.


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[pming]

Hiya!

Me again. It seems I didn't answer your actual OP...sort of...in a mechanics sense at least...I guess. Looking at the Training rules I'd just do a simple +/- equal to the Int score (not bonus), x10. So this would mean an Int 11 character would need 140 days to train. An Int 20 would need 50 days. An Int 4 would need 210 days. To this I would add (if it's not in the rules now...never really looked at the Training rules in the DMG, sorry), at the end of the training the character needs to make a DC 11 Int Save (yes, Save). Failure means they need another 30 days - Int score (e.g., Int 14; 30 - 14 = 16 more days). Than make a DC 10 Int Save. Every 'repeat' fail would lower the DC by 1, down to a minimum of DC 5.

It's not that complex, really, and training probably won't come up every session or two, so it's not going to slow down the game or anything like that.

If you REALLY want a good training mechanics and whatnot...go find a Hackmaster (4th edition; the 'old version') GMG and use those.

^_^

Paul L. Ming

 

[Sword of Spirit]

I'm using Int rolls for training. They'll give a multiplier. Probably result x 10 is a percentage multiplier. So you'd get 50% more out of a roll of 15, and double out of a roll of 20. I'd most likely roll every 50 days and only count rolls that hit 15, 20, or 25, but you could theoretically do it as often or as rarely as preferred, and do the percentage multiplier for any result and end up with the same basic effects.

I wouldn't actually reduce results for rolling less than 10.

 

[Krachek]

Basic int check and investigation check are common at my table.
Knowledge check are also often used.
There is also some nasty int saving throws. Not a lot but enough.
All Wizard dump str, and nobody make a thread for that.

 

[cbwjm]

Meh.
HPs are my dump stat.


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It certainly seems that way when I roll for hit points

 

[Arnwolf666]

I really wish they would have given an extra skill for each point modifier of intelligence. It's not really game breaking.