D&D 5E How would changing bows to Str-only change the game?

[Quartz]

Real bows require strength to pull and fire. So how would it change D&D if we stopped allowing Dex for bows and mandated Str instead? Just keep Dex for finesse weapons.

 

[Kobold Stew]

It would be fine.

The archery proficiency wold be more valuable than it already is; you'd need to make a decision about slings and crossbows, for which strength is not a factor in the same way; and fighters would seldom have a dex above 14, which really is okay.

 

[Kobold Stew]

I've always liked the houserule where you use Dex to hit, and Str for bonus damage with bows and crossbows. But even that is more fiddly than some people like.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

I was all on-board, until you mentioned the finesse weapons. Just change the word "Strength" to "Attack", and it could be the offensive counterpart to Dexterity's defense.

Your change would basically kill off ranged rangers and rogues, who need Dexterity for their AC and can't afford to invest in Strength. Alternatively, you could introduce crossbows as ranged-finesse weapons, and only rangers would be left in the cold.

 

[Yardiff]

Your change would basically kill off ranged rangers and rogues, who need Dexterity for their AC and can't afford to invest in Strength. Alternatively, you could introduce crossbows as ranged-finesse weapons, and only rangers would be left in the cold.

Its the point buy and standard array that limit MAD classes. Changing Dex to Damage would also require an increase in stat gen to allow multiple good stats. Current stat gen favors SAD classes.

At least that my opinion. I also prefer rolling for stats.

 

[Quartz]

The archery proficiency wold be more valuable than it already is; you'd need to make a decision about slings and crossbows, for which strength is not a factor in the same way; and fighters would seldom have a dex above 14, which really is okay.

Slings are already thrown weapons so Str can already be used. Crossbows would require Str also - you've got to be strong to crank the draw weight in time.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Slings are already thrown weapons so Str can already be used.

Are you sure?

Crossbows would require Str also - you've got to be strong to crank the draw weight in time.

Yes -- hence "in the same way" It's the loading that requires strength, not the firing.

 

[Quartz]

Your change would basically kill off ranged rangers and rogues, who need Dexterity for their AC and can't afford to invest in Strength.

Hmm... Rogues can throw finesse weapons and rangers have class features which add to damage.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Its the point buy and standard array that limit MAD classes. Changing Dex to Damage would also require an increase in stat gen to allow multiple good stats. Current stat gen favors SAD classes.

SAD classes are still favored when rolling, because you're more likely to roll one good stat than two. Regardless of what you do to the stat gen method, it would be equally important to break clerics from their SADness.

 

[Kobold Stew]

SAD classes are still favored when rolling, because you're more likely to roll one good stat than two. Regardless of what you do to the stat gen method, it would be equally important to break clerics from their SADness.

This is off-topic for the thread, but quickly: in my experience:
MAD Clerics (or at least 2AD) are the ones with Divine Strike at level 8, and Nature.
SAD Clerics are the non-Natural ones that have Potent Spellcasting at level 8.
(You can make exceptions, but that's my sense having played a bunch of clerics)