Explain INT and Reflex, Please

[D.Shaffer]

Just to add to previous comments, a big part of intelligence, IMO, is also pattern recognition. The ability to study your opponent and note his tells and other habits in a fight. Back when I was still doing martial arts, learning to spot your opponents patterns was just as important as strength and reaction speed. If you could predict what your opponent could do next, you have a huge advantage, even if you're not as strong or agile. This even carries over to video games in many ways. A lot of 'twitch' games are more a test of pattern recognition and memory then reaction speed.

 

[Reaper Steve]

Maybe it's character dependant. I remember a design article/blog/post/musings mentioning that since all Wizards had mage armor for +4 AC, they were thinking of just giving all wizards +4 AC without it taking up a spell slot. It would be minor arcane wardings that were always active.

Oene could view it that way... a high INT wizard has a few minor arcane defensive wardings always in effect. A high INT Warlord uses his superior knowledge of tactics to anticipate versus react, etc ad nauseum.

Works for me. Along with what's written in the PHB and DMG.

 

[HazardCatcher]

Maybe it's character dependant. I remember a design article/blog/post/musings mentioning that since all Wizards had mage armor for +4 AC, they were thinking of just giving all wizards +4 AC without it taking up a spell slot. It would be minor arcane wardings that were always active.

Oene could view it that way... a high INT wizard has a few minor arcane defensive wardings always in effect. A high INT Warlord uses his superior knowledge of tactics to anticipate versus react, etc ad nauseum.

Works for me. Along with what's written in the PHB and DMG.

This philosophy shouldn't just apply to Reflex and AC, but to all character traits shared by diffeferent classes, races, or even just backgrounds.

If I were to say intelligence translates into anticipation and dexterity into reaction, would anyone say "NO, dexterity covers anticipation!"?

 

[SweeneyTodd]

Excuse the pun, but I think some of you are overthinking it.

If your Dex is higher than your Int, then Dex represents the "quick thinking" part of "Quick thinking kept me from getting hit."

If your Int is higher than your Dex, then Int represents the "quick thinking" part of "Quick thinking kept me from getting hit"

Yes, if you look at it that way, then stat's don't mean exactly the same thing for every character. OMG! I can live with that under the understanding that 7 stats to represent every physical and mental attribute is already quite an abstraction.

 

[Ashenboychild]

Problem with most of these solutions is that most of these interpretations of intelligence are more covered by wisdom (WOD has been mentioned, and wits pretty much is the D&D wisdom).

Wisdom covers perception and reading people's intentions as well as the more primitive instincts that just tell someone to get out of the way. Of course, wisdom doesn't apply to reflex or armor class.

Sorry to play devil's advocate, but i just felt i had to say it

 

[charlesatan]

Dexterity = your unconscious reflexes kicking in to save you.

Intelligence = your conscious decision/plan to avoid blows.

In 3.x, creatures without Dexterity scores (i.e. Plants) use Int in place of Dexterity.