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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ashrym" data-source="post: 9119775" data-attributes="member: 6750235">Bladesinger is an example of an issue where for some reason someone decided giving more to wizards was important.  Personally, I think it's okay to have difference levels of combat vs magic in gish-type classes/subclasses but the wizard, a class so obviously focused on magic, is the last class I would consider giving that much martial capability too.  IMO, EK could have been given a bit more and bladesingers have too much going for them.  I would be tempted to make bladesinger a fighter subclass instead of a wizard, and remove EK, tbh.In what context, however?  STR and DEX are more useful out of combat than INT, WIS, or CHA depending on what is going on.  My character cannot persuade a stuck door open or investigate across an open pit or crevasse.  Spell casters may or may not have spells to deal with those but the ability checks aren't in their favor, and using a spell in that way removes the option to later use that spell slot again at another time to create an opportunity cost.And look at monks or rangers.  For all the complaints people might have both classes still focus on DEX and WIS.  That's not just a spell caster thing.  Rogues can focus on DEX and pretty much any other ability score they want.  Reliable talent with some WIS and CHA on a rogue and proficiencies goes a long way in this area.We aren't even talking about all spell casters in a general statement about primary ability score.  INT is only there for recalling lore and investigation.  It's not helping much in social or exploration challenges at all.  WIS is useful in some ways but it's not going to accomplish CHA challenges either, and monks or rangers are going to use those stats too.  CHA is there for bards, sorcerers, warlocks, or paladins.  Useful for a few social checks but not other checks. I don't think there's any catch-all advantage in the spell caster casting ability score that really outshines the number of uses for STR or DEX in exploration.  My question would be "how is the DM populating challenges in the adventure"?I would answer that it depends on context and circumstances.  A DC 15 climb check is a DC 15 climb check.  A persuasion check varies in results depending on factors such as friendly/neutral/hostile for whatever reason.There's also the repeat roll rules and spending time to succeed if it's possible to succeed in the first place.  Someone with a +3 ability score and +2 proficiency bonus and time can auto-succeed on DC 25 checks at 1st level without the pressure of danger.  Spells that also apply ability checks cannot do that because an action doesn't allow for the time component within that action.That's one of the benefits in how I play bards.  I don't uses a spell at all when a skill can do the trick because spells are a finite resource and skills are not.  Why would anyone spend a finite resource unnecessarily?  Using those skills instead allows for having those slots available for when they are needed.  IME, using spells outside of combat for utility is often only something that is done as a backup because of that resource management component, and typically only when a time crunch is on.  That makes it an uncommon shine moment when it does occur.This is true, but those spells are shine moments.  The fighters get their shine moments in combat or outside of combat on STR or DEX checks, which happen often enough.  And any time the spell caster casts a spell that slot is gone for later.  Running low on or out of spell slots increases those moments where martials have more opportunity to shine.I don't necessarily let my players know how long they might be adventuring in the day.  DM's have agency in determine appropriate or available times for rests.  If the players don't know how long the adventuring day is going to be they become less likely to use those spell slots and may end up with slots at the end of the day or out of slots before the end of the day.  I vary it up to keep players on their toes.That assumes the spell caster has something applicable to which the spell slot can be applied.  Ideally the slots should have been spent before that point but spell slots remaining right before a long rest can go to waste if there isn't some applicable way to apply them.</blockquote>

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