A possible balance for INT

[The Sword 88]

After running a mini campaign, kobold hall from the DM's guide and playing in a another round of that adventure I think INT is underpowered compared to DEX and that the rogue, along with most no wizard people, now have no use for INT. So here is quick proposed fix:

At each odd INT bonus (so +1, +3, etc) the PC gains a bonus language
AT each even INT bonus (+2, +4, etc) the PC gains a bonus trained skill from his skill list.
So at 18 INT a PC has two bonus skills and 2 bonus languages.

Just to remind everyone DEX adds to ranged to hit, ranged damage, and to initiative.

I think this may be a slight overpowering towards INT, but I have not play tested this rule and have not played extensively but I have read the books thoroughly. So please leave any feedback you have here. Thanks.

 

[DogBackward]

Honestly, I think you should do that "played extensively" before you go making house rules. WotC has had 30 years to work out balance and what means what. I'm not saying they're infallible, but it's possible that they know what they're doing by now. I'm definitely going to run at least a month or two before I even think about any house rules. And I absolutely adore house rules.

 

[Vaeron]

I don't think Int needs any help. The W classes all use int to some effect, just as the R classes use dexterity. A fighter who wastes precious stat points on int is about as worthless as a wizard who gives up a good int to raise his strength.

 

[mattdm]

A fighter who wastes precious stat points on int is about as worthless as a wizard who gives up a good int to raise his strength.

It helps to think: a) the warlord is the int-y fighter and b) one can be smart without having a high int.

 

[The Sword 88]

I just seems unusual to me that having a high DEX and a high INT has absolutely no benefit for non-warlord/wizards. It seems like being smarter has to help an adventurer in some way no matter who he is just like everyone benefits from a high STR, DEX, or CON. INT, CHA, and WIS just seem somewhat useless for most adventurers. In 3.5 INT gave more skills and more languages for each modifier and it was a desirable stat for any character just as CON gave more HP.

I am not going to implement this houserule right now since as I said I have not played extensively but I see smethingto this effect for INT and possibly WIS, and CHA going up for my games in the future.