D&D 5E The Int 8 Party: A Solution?

[Werebat]

I think bonus skills would be too much.

I'd go with bonus tools and languages (any combination of the player's choice). Maybe include weapons in there, too.

Or to go crazy: If allowing bonus skills, let players select skills and cantrips, this way a fighter could use his Int bonus to get a bit of magical skill. It would really open up choices, I think.

Interesting -- I had thought tools might be more powerful than skills, although it depends on the tool and the skill.

Realistically, this would probably result in at most an extra two skills for each character -- and most would not throw a 14 into what for them is otherwise a dump stat. And remember, if they are NOT dumpstatting Int, then they are paying for it somewhere else.

My main concern is what it would do to wizards, who would routinely end up with 5 more skills than they already get.

Maybe if wizards (because most of their intellect is spent learning magic) get less of a bonus from this house rule, say only half of the extra skills/tools/languages everyone else gets?

EDIT: A better, more 3E solution would be for Wizards as a class to simply not get ANY skill proficiencies -- they have to dedicate their minds to learning magic instead. But they gain the same bonus proficiencies for high Int that everyone else gets, so they don't have such a crazy amount of them in the end.

 

[Satyrn]

Maybe if wizards (because most of their intellect is spent learning magic) get less of a bonus from this house rule, say only half of the extra skills/tools/languages everyone else gets?

Oh, no. That would feel horribly mean.

I would consider instead removing a proficiency from what the wizard starts with. Or if you added cantrips to the list of choices (the idea is really growing on me) you could remove a cantrip from the wizard knowing they can get it right back.

But I know what you're thinking: How does this not feel horribly mean?

 

[happyhermit]

I am almost certain I have never played in a game with more than one player with 8 Int in 5e, we often haven't even had one and that's with a lot of fighters, barbarians, rogues, etc and very few wizards. In all of the documented games, live-plays and such we have available today I doubt there is even one that has a party with all 8 INT unless that was the core premise of the show.

What I'm saying is, if it's not obvious, is that situations like this are not the norm and so the system itself isn't purely responsible. It's an issue with certain player types and certain tables and so the best way to fix it depends on the table in question. I have found the skills with different attributes helpful in many circumstances for instance.

 

[bedir than]

I continue to think about this. I *think* I'm going to go INT bonus can apply to INT skills, tools, languages. Since I operate in a world where cantrips are common, but "full strength" magic isn't I would probably allow a cantrip to be chosen with 2 bonus skill/tool/lang.

I don't have to worry about Wizards because in my world Wizards and Warlocks don't exist.

 

[Werebat]

Oh, no. That would feel horribly mean.

I would consider instead removing a proficiency from what the wizard starts with. Or if you added cantrips to the list of choices (the idea is really growing on me) you could remove a cantrip from the wizard knowing they can get it right back.

But I know what you're thinking: How does this not feel horribly mean?

It doesn't feel mean at all. Remember, in 3E, Wizards got a really lousy 2 skill points per level. It was just assumed that their Int would bump this up. And indeed, removing the wizard's two skill proficiencies but granting him Int bonus in proficiencies OF HIS CHOICE is really a net gain for the class.

I'm also not sure about granting bonus cantrips, although I am strongly considering houseruling that all of the "prestidigitation" type cantrips (including Thaumaturgy and Druidcraft) are gained for free by the relevant classes.

 

[Satyrn]

I continue to think about this. I *think* I'm going to go INT bonus can apply to INT skills, tools, languages. Since I operate in a world where cantrips are common, but "full strength" magic isn't I would probably allow a cantrip to be chosen with 2 bonus skill/tool/lang.

I don't have to worry about Wizards because in my world Wizards and Warlocks don't exist.

I like the bit about limiting the skills to th Int-based ones, since it reinforces the idea of the character being smart.

 

[Werebat]

I continue to think about this. I *think* I'm going to go INT bonus can apply to INT skills, tools, languages. Since I operate in a world where cantrips are common, but "full strength" magic isn't I would probably allow a cantrip to be chosen with 2 bonus skill/tool/lang.

I don't have to worry about Wizards because in my world Wizards and Warlocks don't exist.

I considered limiting the bonus proficiencies to Int-based ones, but then I thought, hey, there are some really brilliant people out there who are not "book smart" but know their way around a car engine, or the swamp, or what-have-you far better than most. I'd just let it be any skill.

 

[Tormyr]

This has another solution, make the bad guys mind flayers, intellect devourers, and the like.

 

[Zardnaar]

Its an over lapping series of problems. The main 1 being.

1. Intelligence is the worst st in the game with only 1 class really uing it and 2 subclasses (arcane trickster, eldritch knight).

I don't think they really thought out their 6 save progression thing. Doesn't help that a wizards versatility is often beaten to bad by things like light clerics and sorcerers who get better saves and due to the concentration mechanic being better at the best spells and being proficient in the best save and being able to use metamagic on them is often better than the wizards versatility.

 

[mach1.9pants]

I'm running intelligence bonus for tools and languages, also what would be knowledge skills in previous editions (intelligence proficiency apart from investigation). Also intelligence modifies initiative, Dex is already to useful. I also have investigation to do anything that is not basically spotting hidden creatures, so traps, secret doors, clues. Anything that takes time to search is investigation, anything that is in an instant notice is perception. So we have intelligent rogues, at least not dumb!

This is all a bit balanced by classes getting expertise in their classes relevant skill, wizards arcana, cleric religion, fighter athletics, rogue another one of their list- at first level