Dex conferring "to hit" as opposed to Str

[malichai]

It's been proposed in our group that Dexterity will now confer "to hit" bonuses for all weapons and Strength will only handle "damage" bonuses. What do folks think?

 

[Broken Fang]

I would say that it is not unheard of...many other games do the same thing. Dex represents skill (and in the case chance to hit) while Str represents damage. Might be more challenging to play the Ftr now that they need 3 good stats (Str - for damage, Dex - to hit bonus, and Con - extra HP's).
It might make Elves better Fighters than 1/2 Orcs though...I'm not sure. Hit more for less or less for more...might be a toss up.

 

[Painfully]

Actually, I think it works quite well. The idea of a big, strong guy that tends to miss his mark is always a stereotype seen in movies, right next to the quick and agile guy that doesn't hit as hard, but does hit often.

 

[malichai]

I'm really not looking for opinions on the concept so much as your thoughts on the mechanics and workability. I personally think that it makes the dexterity attribute too important and that the designers had obviously already considered and discarded this idea by just inventing the "Weapon Finesse" feat.

 

[Crothian]

I'm really not looking for opinions on the concept so much as your thoughts on the mechanics and workability. I personally think that it makes the dexterity attribute too important and that the designers had obviously already considered and discarded this idea by just inventing the "Weapon Finesse" feat.

The Dex attribute is already the best attribute in the game. I think this would seriously unbalance it while making strength almost useless.

 

[fba827]

Ditto what Crothian said (why retype if he already said what I was going to say )

 

[Lily Inverse]

Here's an idea that my friends and I have tossed around.

When using a light weapon or a rapier, Dexterity is automatically the relevant statistic for to-hit, strength determines damage.

Weapon Finesse: As in PHB but can be applied to any medium weapon.

New Feat:

Precise Blows:

Prerequisite: Dex 12+, BAB +6, proficency with chosen weapon, must use Dexterity as relevant To-hit statistic.

Effect: You can add your dexterity bonus to your damage instead of your strength bonus.

Normal: You use add your strength bonus to your damage rolls.

 

[AGGEMAM]

Lets see, you use Dex for AC, ranged attacks, most good skills.

And you propose it to work with melee attacks, as well ?

Hey, why not make the change completely and have it count for damage, and bonus spells ?

 

[Crothian]

Here's an idea that my friends and I have tossed around.

When using a light weapon or a rapier, Dexterity is automatically the relevant statistic for to-hit, strength determines damage.

Weapon Finesse: As in PHB but can be applied to any medium weapon.

New Feat:

Precise Blows:

Prerequisite: Dex 12+, BAB +6, proficency with chosen weapon, must use Dexterity as relevant To-hit statistic.

Effect: You can add your dexterity bonus to your damage instead of your strength bonus.

Normal: You use add your strength bonus to your damage rolls.

Using this totally destroys the need for a good strength score. Strength is already a dump attribute for many types of characters, and this will only make it worse.

 

[Lily Inverse]

Using this totally destroys the need for a good strength score. Strength is already a dump attribute for many types of characters, and this will only make it worse.

I think this may be why we discarded it, although large weapons are still required to use Strength and nothing but Strength. We may also have proposed a feat that allowed you to use the Strenght bonus as AC (Using powerful blows to deflect lighter strikes in combat.)

This way you have both Strength and Dexterity as being important, but to different characters.