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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 9436259" data-attributes="member: 1465">Yes, this is what I meant... 5e actually went backwards and made Int less useful to generic characters. It's not like WotC was not warned about it, there were many of us duing DnDNext playtest sending feedback about it, and the possibilities to make Int more relevant to all characters, more on par with other stats, were all there: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Initiative could have been based on Int (also decreasing a bit the supremacy of Dex, which feels like the best of all stats)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">bonus skills based on Int, similar to skill points bonuses in 3e (however, when the game has less than 20 skills to choose from, bonus skills can result in repetitive characters)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">more spell effects categories could have required Int saves instead of Wis (having passive/defensive uses for an ability score helps against dumping it, since you mostly can't control how you're being attacked)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">bonus languages from Int instead of starting everyone with multiple languages already</li> </ul>I am generally never against a player coming up with a new skill, so if someone wants to have a Knowledge(Monsters) skills that can be used to know in advance strength and weaknesses of any creature, I am all in favor of it. It's not a huge motivation for high Int but it might help a little bit.I think you're onto something... sadly, whenever something can in a real world sense related to both WIS and INT together, the RPG designers almost invariably default to WIS. That's because there is a hard-boiled traditional bias towards 'dumb characters are great at making good decisions out of instinct'. Maybe ditching this old mantra and saying instead that INT includes instinctive intelligence and isn't always just good-at-math intelligence, could help move some capabilities from WIS to INT and make both more equally useful.</blockquote>

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