D&D 5E Allowing some casters to choose INT

[Blue]

In a thread about the Bladesinger, [MENTION=6683613]TheCosmicKid[/MENTION] mentioned that without SCAG he was letting Oath of Ancients paladins use INT instead of CHR to make his own bladesinger.

And it occurs to me that the paladin is a great platform for "classic gish" if it was said to be arcane and used INT.

Now, INT seems to be among the least important ability scores. Except for a small selection of skills that are okay to have only a single expert in the party, it doesn't have a lot of use. Making it the prime ability for a class seems, in general, to be neutral or a minor debuff depending what you give up.

Which made me think about other casters that could work as INT, like Lore bard.

A INT-based paladin would synergize well with Wizard, but before it shared CHR with three casters (Sorcerer, Bard and Warlock).

So, if I allowed Paladin and Bard to change from CHR to INT for their casting and class features, picked when firswt entering the class, what abuses am I setting myself up for that wouldn't happen with CHR-only? What reasons are there not to allow this?

Assume allowing SCAG/Volo/EE. For UA stuff just call out that it's UA.

Note: Yes, you could do a Paladin/Wizard(Bladesinger) with Shield and Absorb Elements and end up remarkably defensive with a good spell advancement to divine smite with. This may be better than paladin/sorcerer with bladesong and absorb elements but misses out on metamagic like twinning buffs or quickened spells after an Attack action.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

I'd allow bards to use Int mechanically (flavorwise I prefer them on Cha), but if I were going to find a reason not to, it would be because their casting score is primary for them, whereas it's secondary for a half-caster like the paladin, so if an abuse did exist bards would be in better position to exploit it. But this is me straining to play devil's advocate. As far as I'm concerned, go nuts. Just don't do something stupid like Dex-based casting.

 

[Fanaelialae]

I don't foresee significant issues with allowing a paladin to use Int. Personally, I would probably create a new Oath (probably centered around the protection and sharing of knowledge) that has a feature which substitutes your Int for Cha when using your paladin features.

Frankly, I can't imagine any abuses involving multiclassing wizard that you can't match or exceed with sorcerer/warlock. The paladin/bladesinger might be able to achieve a pretty exceptional AC if he goes Dex/Int, but with heavy armor and a shield (and the shield spell) a paladin/sorcerer can achieve close to that anyway (and he doesn't have to worry about his AC dipping if he can't use Bladesong because he has 3 encounters in between a short rest).

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I'd allow bards to use Int mechanically (flavorwise I prefer them on Cha), but if I were going to find a reason not to, it would be because their casting score is primary for them, whereas it's secondary for a half-caster like the paladin, so if an abuse did exist bards would be in better position to exploit it. But this is me straining to play devil's advocate. As far as I'm concerned, go nuts. Just don't do something stupid like Dex-based casting.

No love for the College of Dance Bard?

 

[firstkyne]

Wouldn't an intelligence based bard be very powerful indeed?

 

[Harzel]

Just don't do something stupid like Dex-based casting.

One stat to rule them all...

 

[Blue]

Wouldn't an intelligence based bard be very powerful indeed?

I think they'd be a very good skill monkey for INT-based skills at the cost of losing out at being a skill monkey for party-face type CHR skills. I see that as mostly a wash, or maybe a slight depowering my my games where RP skills come up more then knowledge skills?

Is that the main thrust or is there something I'm missing? A big part of my question is if I'm missing something. Details, man, details!

 

[TheCosmicKid]

I think they'd be a very good skill monkey for INT-based skills at the cost of losing out at being a skill monkey for party-face type CHR skills. I see that as mostly a wash, or maybe a slight depowering my my games where RP skills come up more then knowledge skills?

Is that the main thrust or is there something I'm missing? A big part of my question is if I'm missing something. Details, man, details!

If you're missing something, I haven't found it yet, nor has anyone else I've read on these boards.

Of course, real bards max out both Int and Cha.