D&D (2024) Aberrant Mind Sorcerer With a High Intelligence?

[DEFCON 1]

Basically every single spellcasting subclass has reasons why they should each possibly have a different one of the three mental stats as their primary casting stat. Psionic Sorcerer could use INT... Enchantment Wizard could use CHA... Celestial Warlock could use WIS... and so on.

If it matters that much, and having two mental stats (CHA and INT) as high stats is an issue (because whatever feelings towards character optimization one might have)... then one needs to make arrangements with their DM to see if they are okay with switching the Psionic Sorcerer from CHA to INT.

 

[DEFCON 1]

agree, but both should be looked at. And especially to watch underwhelming options, those are not fun at all.

I don't disagree... but I probably am more willing to play less optimally than others might in order to play to concept. If a DM doesn't allow the switching of primary casting stat, I myself wouldn't have an issue with two high mental stats (say 16 CHA / 14 INT) in order to play to concept, and then forsake either DEX or CON as being unable to have both of them higher.

Drop CON to like a 12 or 10 and then offset that with the Origin feat of Tough and one can then play a CHA 16 / INT 14 / DEX 14 character from the go.

 

[Horwath]

I don't disagree... but I probably am more willing to play less optimally than others might in order to play to concept. If a DM doesn't allow the switching of primary casting stat, I myself wouldn't have an issue with two high mental stats (say 16 CHA / 14 INT) in order to play to concept, and then forsake either DEX or CON as being unable to have both of them higher.

Drop CON to like a 12 or 10 and then offset that with the Origin feat of Tough and one can then play a CHA 16 / INT 14 / DEX 14 character from the go.

I did that with one monk in 2014.

Had 18 dex, 12 con, 14 int, 14 wis, as I wanted smart monk. It was a pain. Next was 18 dex, 16 con, 16 wis. It worked better. hehe

 

[DEFCON 1]

I did that with one monk in 2014.

Had 18 dex, 12 con, 14 int, 14 wis, as I wanted smart monk. It was a pain. Next was 18 dex, 16 con, 16 wis. It worked better. hehe

The other thing we all need to remember is that the ability scores really have little to do with how a character is with those scores. INT of 14 versus INT of 12 or 10 means virtually little in terms of intelligence. One modifier point higher is merely a 5% chance of doing better (or 10% chance with two points higher), which means you don't actually have any appreciable difference raising your INT a few points. You're more often than not just as smart with a 10 as you are with a 14.

In addition... being proficient in something gives you the same bonus to your rolls as making your ability score a 14 rather than a 10, so again, how much does that 14 INT really mean towards your natural Intelligence? Not to mention that the die you roll to check your Intelligence means so much more than your ability score. When it comes to checking how much your Intelligence means to some activity... your actual ability score is piddling compared to just random chance. So why get bent out of shape over what your score is?