D&D 4E Obligatory dump stats in 4e: the irrelevance of Intelligence

[Nifft]

You add half your level to Initiative. Is +5 vs. +7 at level 10 that important to people?

You're thinking in 3e terms. 4e is about relative differences.

Everything you face may get that same bonus by the time you're at that level.

Cheers, -- N

 

[MindWanderer]

You add half your level to Initiative. Is +5 vs. +7 at level 10 that important to people?

If I want to play an intelligent fighter, who perhaps picks up History and Religion, it just isn't that big a deal. I will not feel gimped next to the fighter with the 14 Dex and 10 Int next to my 10 Dex and 14 Int.

Monsters get half their level to initiative too. +3 vs. +5 is exactly the same as +18 vs. +20 in that context.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Okay, I'll accept that.

But, it still isn't that big a deal.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

So non-intellectual professions usually result in non-intellectual characters? The horror.

For the record

In my current live campaign with 3 pc, the intellgience spread is 10, 14 and 16.

In a PpP campaign I'm in it's 10,10,11,14,16,19.

Wake me up when there is a problem.

 

[Spatula]

So non-intellectual professions usually result in non-intellectual characters? The horror.

Yeah, pretty much. Felon's right that Int is a viable dump stat for many classes. I don't agree that it's a problem or that characters should be penalized, aside from the obvious Int-related skill/ability checks, for not having a good Int score.

 

[Gort]

I know you guys are theorycrafting in here, but so far in my game it's dexterity that's been dumped. The cleric has a 10, the warlord has a 10, the fighter has a 10. The wizard has a 16, but he's an eladrin, and they're like that.

The wizard has 18 intelligence, and the warlord has 14.

 

[Felon]

Increasing his AC if he uses light armor and increasing his Reflex Defense. He uses his Strength for ranged attacks, so no need for Dexterity there. I'm curious what Dexterity is useful for in a Fighter that Intelligence is not.

Well, I'd already stated it a couple of times. Even if your argument is that the Initiative is small, a small bonus is better than nothing.

You add half your level to Initiative. Is +5 vs. +7 at level 10 that important to people?

If I want to play an intelligent fighter, who perhaps picks up History and Religion, it just isn't that big a deal. I will not feel gimped next to the fighter with the 14 Dex and 10 Int next to my 10 Dex and 14 Int.

How does your fighter pick up History and Religion?

 

[Felon]

I know you guys are theorycrafting in here, but so far in my game it's dexterity that's been dumped. The cleric has a 10, the warlord has a 10, the fighter has a 10. The wizard has a 16, but he's an eladrin, and they're like that.

The wizard has 18 intelligence, and the warlord has 14.

Well, it's already been stated that wizards and warlords are a couple of classes that are designed to benefit from Intelligence. Clerics can use if for Arcana and Religion skills. You can tell us what benefit your fighter's reapoing from it.

 

[Felon]

Yeah, pretty much. Felon's right that Int is a viable dump stat for many classes. I don't agree that it's a problem or that characters should be penalized, aside from the obvious Int-related skill/ability checks, for not having a good Int score.

I don't think characters should be penalized for dumping INT. I do think characters should be rewarded for investing in INT, and it should be a reward that doesn't amount to dumping some other aiblity score instead.

 

[Felon]

So non-intellectual professions usually result in non-intellectual characters? The horror.

For the record

In my current live campaign with 3 pc, the intellgience spread is 10, 14 and 16.

In a PpP campaign I'm in it's 10,10,11,14,16,19.

Wake me up when there is a problem.

Ignoring the needless snark, feel free to provide some in-depth information on those characters' classes. Did they make the investment because they knew what the score would do for them, or in spite of it?