D&D 4E Dump Stats in 4e?

AFGNCAAP

First Post
First off, I apologize if there's already a thread on this topic. With that said...

Is there a chance that the concept of a full-time dump stat may reappear in 4e? With the mention of Wisdom governing gaining powers (IIRC--on the 4e page) for classes, will this cause characters to strive for a high Wisdom score overall to have more potent characters?

Though it sounds liek AC still has a role, if there's a shift to a SWSE-based Defense mechanic, will high Dexterity scores be the "thing to have" for characters instead of relying on better armor?

Will Intelligence not be as critical of a stat to have (except for a few classes) because of the changed nature of skills from the current skill-point method?

If combat is going to be a more prominent role in the game, does this mean certain stats will suffer for many character types because they won't have an impact on a character's combat ability at all?

I liked how 3.X D&D made Charisma a valuable stat again, rather than the red-headed stepchild of the game is it was in previous editions. I also would hope that 4e won't have a "one ability score to rule them all" apporach to the system, much as Dexterity (IIRC) apparently does in the GURPS system (and hence the hikgher cost to develop it in the latest GURPS edition).

Something I was just wondering about.
 

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AFGNCAAP said:
Is there a chance that the concept of a full-time dump stat may reappear in 4e? With the mention of Wisdom governing gaining powers (IIRC--on the 4e page) for classes, will this cause characters to strive for a high Wisdom score overall to have more potent characters?
Unless they move Will save to charisma, which already govers force of personality by RAW so it's not a stretch.

AFGNCAAP said:
I liked how 3.X D&D made Charisma a valuable stat again, rather than the red-headed stepchild of the game is it was in previous editions. I also would hope that 4e won't have a "one ability score to rule them all" apporach to the system, much as Dexterity (IIRC) apparently does in the GURPS system (and hence the hikgher cost to develop it in the latest GURPS edition).
It didn't. There was nothing inherent to Charisma other than few skills to guarantee players will not omit it. Only classes with Cha-based abilities had interest in pumping Cha over other stats like Constitution.
 

I predict that CON will still rule the stats, as even more than before, HP will be king in 4e, since all the save or die stuff goes away.
 

Since Skills will be quite important (they said there is some kind of social/skill combat), I wouldn't neglect Charisma for Bluff/Diplomacy/etc.

Even if you ignore Skills, I'm sure there will be some new uses for Charisma like Leadership Maneuvers and we still have the old classics like Turn Undead. There is also the talk about a Warlord Class, I'm sure he will need Charisma or he wouldn't be a Leader...
 

Jack99 said:
I predict that CON will still rule the stats, as even more than before, HP will be king in 4e, since all the save or die stuff goes away.

See now I must be broken. Con has ALWAYS been my dump stat (of course we do 4d6 drop lowest and arrange to taste so my version of dump stat and anyone elses are likely way different) I've always liked Charisma DEX and STR With the monk class my high to low went something like WIS, DEX, CHR, STR, INT, CON. ... best way to keep HP don't be there when the critter tries to spank you.
 

The CHA scores of the PCs in our current party:

6, 6, 7, 8. (That 7 is there because I rolled for my stats instead of point-buy like the rest.)

edit: The party is a dwarf fighter, dwarf cleric, human rogue, elf wizard.
 
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I've never really been enamoured to having dump stats, at least as a rule. It's one thing to have a weakness that fits the character, but you're still supposed to be heroes.
 

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