D&D (2024) Buffing Int, Wis, and Cha (Mostly Int and Cha)

[DrJawaPhD]

We do play with encumbrance, but the weight limit is so absurdly high it doesn't matter. Like, they even state in the rule

"Carrying Capacity. Your carrying capacity is your Strength score multiplied by 15. This is the weight (in pounds) that you can carry, which is high enough that most characters don't usually have to worry about it"

It's a rule designed specifically to not be used, even when its used.

Now, I have played games where it does matter. Star Wars has a pretty restrictive weight limit, Pathfinder to some degree, but D&D says "yeah, that 8 Strength couch potato? They can carry 120 pounds without being slowed down at all, no problem!"

Really? I don't think I've ever played a character in a campaign without going way way over 120 pounds worth of inventory. Even if you go naked with no weapons, you're capped at 6000 gold as the maximum you can earn. I've only ever played in one campaign that used encumbrance, and it was very restrictive even without dumping strength.

It is definitely a very dumpable stat though at most tables where encumbrance isn't tracked

 

[AK_Ambrian]

Maybe someone with a high Strength should get longer range with thrown weapons like spears, hand axes and javelins (and perhaps short bows and long bows too). Like for every +1 of strength their range could increase by 5 feet.

So for someone with a strength of 10 (+0) the range of a thrown spear would be the regular 20/60 feet.
But for someone with a strength of 14 (+2) the range of a thrown spear would be 30/70 feet.

 

[ezo]

I don't know about that: my sister's ex-husband is a locksmith and he's a total idiot. Hah!

Good thing it her "ex"-husband. :-D

 

[Xeviat]

Maybe someone with a high Strength should get longer range with thrown weapons like spears, hand axes and javelins (and perhaps short bows and long bows too). Like for every +1 of strength their range could increase by 5 feet.

So for someone with a strength of 10 (+0) the range of a thrown spear would be the regular 20/60 feet.
But for someone with a strength of 14 (+2) the range of a thrown spear would be 30/70 feet.

Yes! Very

 

[Merlecory]

Maybe someone with a high Strength should get longer range with thrown weapons like spears, hand axes and javelins (and perhaps short bows and long bows too). Like for every +1 of strength their range could increase by 5 feet.

So for someone with a strength of 10 (+0) the range of a thrown spear would be the regular 20/60 feet.
But for someone with a strength of 14 (+2) the range of a thrown spear would be 30/70 feet.

How often are non-strength based characters using thrown weapons? Casters would have cantrips and crossbows, Dex based characters have crossbows and bows.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Really? I don't think I've ever played a character in a campaign without going way way over 120 pounds worth of inventory. Even if you go naked with no weapons, you're capped at 6000 gold as the maximum you can earn. I've only ever played in one campaign that used encumbrance, and it was very restrictive even without dumping strength.

It is definitely a very dumpable stat though at most tables where encumbrance isn't tracked

You can certainly earn more, you just cant carry that much coins. Moneychangers, vaults, etc exist. My games tend to have some kind of home base, and frankly, I'm stingy with huge amounts of raw coins.

Though I did give them a million copper pieces once when they found a mad gnome pirate's lost hoard, but that was a different kind of challenge.

 

[Xeviat]

How often are non-strength based characters using thrown weapons? Casters would have cantrips and crossbows, Dex based characters have crossbows and bows.

I had a TWFing rogue that used shuriken and daggers back in 3E. The ability to dual wield hand crossbows kind of threw that style out the window.

 

[Merlecory]

I had a TWFing rogue that used shuriken and daggers back in 3E. The ability to dual wield hand crossbows kind of threw that style out the window.

I could see a rogue still dual weildign daggers to throw them in 5.5, but they are a finesse weapon now. Close, and yet so far.

 

[KryHavok]

So there are a few rules from pathfinder 2 that I think would be nice to balance stats:

• All melee weapon attacks and thrown weapons use strength for damage, even with finesse
• Use skills for initiative based on circumstances, e.g. Wis (Perception) by default, Dex (Stealth) if hiding, Int (Arcana) if a magic trap goes off or Cha (Deception) if luring an enemy into a trap, Str (Athletics) if you’re swimming without a swim speed. Different skills for different characters is fine.
• Downtime Mode — lots of mental work there

And some ideas I had:

• Rather than announcing things players know, use passive skills and write notes to players, letting them decide what to share
• Cap literacy at 1+int modifier languages—you can speak the languages from your BG but, if you’re int 8 you can’t read. Illiteracy used to be super common.
• Use int saves for hints here an player misses a clue their PC might have put together
• Use cha saves to prevent a scandal when a character does something rude or embarrassing

 

[ECMO3]

Really? I don't think I've ever played a character in a campaign without going way way over 120 pounds worth of inventory. Even if you go naked with no weapons, you're capped at 6000 gold as the maximum you can earn. I've only ever played in one campaign that used encumbrance, and it was very restrictive even without dumping strength.

It is definitely a very dumpable stat though at most tables where encumbrance isn't tracked

On one of the games I play on a VTT I play with an 8 Strength, higly optimized PC. The VTT automatically does encumberance and my fellow players and DM joke about how I pick up a dagger or 5 gold and get encumbered.

Luckily we have a Leonin Barbarian to carry loot!