D&D 5E Dex mod tp damage when using ranged weapons: Please do away with.

[ForeverSlayer]

I think you're being rather disingenuous here, and more than a little bit snarky.

I understood quite well what Nezkrul meant, and I believe you do too. His response was an accurate observation, and an honest attempt to answer your question. I believe you've done both yourself and ENWorld a disservice by answering him they way you have.

The 5E designers wanted high dex characters to be just as effective as high strength characters. That want players to feel that they can envision and make a high dex character that is just as lethal on the battlefield as a comparitively high strength character (of the same class and level, of course).

I think that's a good design concept. It creates a sense of inclusiveness and possibilities for would be players, rather than a sense of limitations and exclusion.

Pathfinder does this perfectly without giving bonuses to damage from anything other than strength. There is a specific weapon property that allows a PC to add their dex mod to damage.

I don't want a return to:

Dex based PC's adding dex mod to damage.
Int based PC's adding Int mod to damage.
Wis based PC's adding Wis mod to damage etc etc.....

 

[ForeverSlayer]

I think you're being rather disingenuous here, and more than a little bit snarky.
.

Not my problem how you read into things.

 

[Obryn]

My suggestion is to keep Str and Dex to modify damage, but eliminate them from modifying to-hit. Then have certain large weapons have Str requirements (minimum Str 15 for a great sword, or else you can only attack once every 2 rounds), and certain hard to use weapons have Dex requirements (minimum Dex 15 for a spiked chain, or else you injure yourself).

I could get behind this. Bounded accuracy is incredibly fragile, and this could shore it up a bit. Make more room for other modifiers.

-O

 

[Dice4Hire]

Overall, I like the idea of adding stat bonuses to damage, as well as magical weapon plusses and feats and , well, everything. It is an easy way to make characters better as they level, but not break the game by having huge to hit bonuses. I really would prefer not to see things like 4E where a 25th level character has massive defenses and to hits, but effectively they are meaningless against nearly equal level opponents.

D&D is built around hit points, and I'd like to see that as a focus of getting better, getting rid of enemies hit points faster. Not necessarily being invulnerable to lower level creatures by having high defenses.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Not my problem how you read into things.

Don't think we need anyone to be snarky, thanks.

 

[Warbringer]

My suggestion is to keep Str and Dex to modify damage, but eliminate them from modifying to-hit. Then have certain large weapons have Str requirements (minimum Str 15 for a great sword, or else you can only attack once every 2 rounds), and certain hard to use weapons have Dex requirements (minimum Dex 15 for a spiked chain, or else you injure yourself).

I think expertise dice can provide a solution; bong meet the min, lose a die.

Now, that of course means making weapons relevant which already has a great thread going.

 

[GX.Sigma]

I've never really understood the whole damage from dex mod mechanic when using a bow or a sling. If it was meant to represent hitting someone in a vital spot I could understand but sneak attack already covers that.

Only for certain kinds of Rogues in certain kinds of situations.

In general: If you shoot an arrow at someone, how much does it hurt? Well, that depends on where you hit them. That depends on your accuracy (Dexterity). Makes sense to me.

 

[Plane Sailing]

The 5E designers wanted high dex characters to be just as effective as high strength characters. That want players to feel that they can envision and make a high dex character that is just as lethal on the battlefield as a comparitively high strength character (of the same class and level, of course).

I think that's a good design concept. It creates a sense of inclusiveness and possibilities for would be players, rather than a sense of limitations and exclusion.

I think I might disagree with you here - because if DEX is great for hit and damage with ranged weapons, AND AC boost, AND initiative boost AND saves against damaging spells, then how does that compare with STR which is just great for hit and damage with melee weapons? On the face of it, Dex becomes a much more valuable commodity pound for pound.

I think I'd be in the same boat as Forever Slayer here - I'd quite like to just see STR being used for damage bonus in all circumstances (missile and melee weapons). If someone wants to be a DEX based fighter then they are deciding to prioritise not being hit over doing more damage - and if things work out well both the STR fighter and the DEX fighter would be able to do about the same amount of damage before they die, one by doing more damage each time they hit, the other by lasting for a longer period of time and so getting more hits in albeit at lower damage.

(In 3.x editions, high Dex archers were a real pain - getting full attacks safely at range with rapid shot to boot and a nice AC, Initiative and to hit boost, while the poor melee fighters were taking all the risks up close and personal. I'd hate to see that become a likelihood (or possibility) again. But that's just me

Cheers

 

[Plane Sailing]

In general: If you shoot an arrow at someone, how much does it hurt? Well, that depends on where you hit them. That depends on your accuracy (Dexterity). Makes sense to me.

But wouldn't that argument hold true for melee weapons too? But Strength is used as a combination of both how hard you hit someone and how well you can land a blow in a damaging location - both of which can be equally true for missile weapons too. The strong person is able to use more powerful bows, aim better with that heavy old crossbow etc.

In other words, I don't think it is necessarily a foregone conclusion.

Cheers

 

[Warbringer]

The main problem I see is that if we have str only fighters do we get str only fighters? I'm behind the rogue not staying lock step with the fighter, and agree with the op that I don't want int, cha or whatever physical attack bonuses for fighters (fine for magic/psi).

I think I'd rather just see the bonuses to hit and damage go away! The latter is becoming irrelevant anyway with xd and the former is too strong in bounded accuracy.

If we dothat (and we won't) then what are stats for?

I like mins on armor and weapons
I like that hey are now the skill roll, I think we could go further with skills k own being based on the stat as well ... You have a 17 dex, fine you know 3 related dex skills.....

That's all I've got ....