Werebat
Explorer
In 5E, Intelligence is a dump stat for almost everyone except Wizards. Because of this, we see entire parties full of Int 8 characters. In the game I play in, I gave my Circle of the Moon druid an Int of 12 just because I didn't want to play an Int 8 character -- he is the smartest character in the party because we have no wizard (everyone else is Int 8).
I don't care for this aesthetically, and in addition I think it poses some problems when most of the PLAYERS have an Int significantly above 8 (and then try to downplay their characters' low intelligence).
Would it break anything, or overpower the Wizard, if we houseruled that for every +1 modifier granted by high Int, a character got proficiency in a bonus skill of their choosing?
Edit: After some deliberation, this is what I went with IMC:
* For every point of Int penalty, a character loses one language, skill, or tool of their choice.
* For every point of Int bonus, a character gains one language, CLASS skill, or tool of their choice.
* Wizards do not get any skills FROM THEIR CLASS (even with this, they will almost universally benefit from this houserule).
One player actually changed their character's intelligence after I implemented this -- the brand-new bard bumped Int from 8 to 14.
Not terribly impressive, maybe, but I think the real proof is in what people choose to do when it's time to make new characters. The player who looked at the rule set and decided to make a "KRUNK SMASH!" barbarian (or cleric, or rogue...) with an 8 Int might want to keep him that way a year into playing the character, but might be less inclined to make such a character in the future. Maybe.
I don't care for this aesthetically, and in addition I think it poses some problems when most of the PLAYERS have an Int significantly above 8 (and then try to downplay their characters' low intelligence).
Would it break anything, or overpower the Wizard, if we houseruled that for every +1 modifier granted by high Int, a character got proficiency in a bonus skill of their choosing?
Edit: After some deliberation, this is what I went with IMC:
* For every point of Int penalty, a character loses one language, skill, or tool of their choice.
* For every point of Int bonus, a character gains one language, CLASS skill, or tool of their choice.
* Wizards do not get any skills FROM THEIR CLASS (even with this, they will almost universally benefit from this houserule).
One player actually changed their character's intelligence after I implemented this -- the brand-new bard bumped Int from 8 to 14.
Not terribly impressive, maybe, but I think the real proof is in what people choose to do when it's time to make new characters. The player who looked at the rule set and decided to make a "KRUNK SMASH!" barbarian (or cleric, or rogue...) with an 8 Int might want to keep him that way a year into playing the character, but might be less inclined to make such a character in the future. Maybe.
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