D&D 5E The Int 8 Party: A Solution?

[Lanefan]

Another option, perhaps not to everyone's taste but it's better than nothing, might be to bring back the 1e idea of minimum stat requirements in order to be a particular class. Clerics, say, might need Int 11+, Wis 13+ and Cha 12+; Rogue types could require Int 11+ and Dex 14+; and so forth.

This way, unless a party really trends toward a very few classes, a party-wide dump stat would become much less likely.

Lan-"pleasant side effect here: this also makes it more difficult to multi-class, which is always a win"-efan

 

[Shadowdweller00]

I make fairly extensive use of knowledge and investigation checks (and I filter information I provide through a given character's class / background / skillset). I've never once had issues with players dumping Int.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I use a variant of the Thule's campaing rules for literacy. In my setting, not every body has the opportunity to go to school and learn how to write and read (I use the standard array).
13+: you can read, write and speak every languages given by your class, background and race.
10-12: You cannot read or write, but can speak any language given by your class, background and race.
-10: You only speak your racial language (ex: a dwarf with 8 Int will only be able to communicate in Dwarvish)

This way, if my players want to dump Int, they have to make sure to have someone else to translate for them. I have a half-orc cleric who changed is 10 Int to a 13 Int just to be able to read and write his prayer book of Pelor.
Another one is playing an old tiefling blacksmith from a small village, who clearly had no opportunity to learn how to read or write. She can only speak in Common since she's a tiefling with 9 Int. She relies on other party members to write back home and read riddles in dungeons.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

I "encourage" someone to have high INT by requiring INT\Investigation to work out how traps work and INT\Thief's Tools to disarm them.

WIS\Perception only tells you, "there is something hinky with that floor tile, it is slightly higher than the rest and there are fewer footprints on it."

 

[Illithidbix]

I would argue another problem is the (IMO) blurred and unclear crossover between when you use:
Perception vs Investigation and Nature vs Survival.

However, despite the (good) optimisation arguments about the lack of applied uses for INT (beyond spellcasting modifier)
I personally haven't noticed Intelligence being dumped by those I play with or run for.
I tend to prefer having either Charisma, Dexterity or Wisdom as a dump stat myself, based upon which I think is more fun to play, not that being a little dumb isn't potentially fun.

As a dissenting voice.

If your expressed intent is to make having a non-sucky Intelligence mechanically rewarding alongside the other Ability scores

I actually think having a number of extra skill proficiencies (perhaps limited to INT skills) equal to your INT modifier would be entirely fine.

Yes it would be pretty good, but realistically even secondary ability modifiers tend to be only +2 and it doesn't take away the reasons people want other ability scores as higher.

And I would have no problem saying that Wizards don't get this or only get half.
Since they're frikkin' Wizards in D&D.
And I will never feel pity for them, not even in 4E.
(Ok, being level 1-2 in AD&D was harsh)

 

[Blue]

I think how quickly you can take in and assess a situation then formulate an action is much more related to your ability to think quickly then to juggle or balance. Make Initiative based off INT gives INT a real, regular meaning in combat (not just in the other pillars). It also slightly dilutes how many things are based off DEX, which is a bonus advantage in my book.

 

[Valetudo]

I love dumping dex and strapping on some plate, then trying to stealth everywhere.

 

[Dualazi]

I am almost certain I have never played in a game with more than one player with 8 Int in 5e, we often haven't even had one and that's with a lot of fighters, barbarians, rogues, etc and very few wizards. In all of the documented games, live-plays and such we have available today I doubt there is even one that has a party with all 8 INT unless that was the core premise of the show.

What I'm saying is, if it's not obvious, is that situations like this are not the norm and so the system itself isn't purely responsible. It's an issue with certain player types and certain tables and so the best way to fix it depends on the table in question. I have found the skills with different attributes helpful in many circumstances for instance.

The system is absolutely and completely responsible. It's not even ambiguous, while all 8 int parties themselves might be rare, if absent a wizard (or the coming mystic) it's not at all unusual to see the stat hover around 10, doubly so for point buy. Compare that to how many characters have a reliable positive modifier in stats like dex or con and it's not even a contest.

Int, as it stands, is the worst stat in the game, bar none. Even the classes that should need it like eldritch knight and arcane trickster can manage builds keeping it low by taking the right spell selection, and the skills linked to the stat are highly situational. Int is also one of the minor saves, and is probably the rarest honestly. All of these factors compound each other and ultimately playing a low Int character is often the most intelligent choice to make. You may play with people who make sub-par optimization decisions for the sake of RP but I don't blame those who don't.

 

[dropbear8mybaby]

D&D 5e: the Dexterity & Charisma Edition.

There really is far too much emphasis on these two stats. Even Con takes a back seat to either simply due to how powerful Charisma checks are, backed up by the charm condition, and how many classes gain power from it. And Dexterity, as we all know, is the God-Stat, despite this being a problem in 4e as well and so was known about and not mitigated for 5e.

I try to put more importance and emphasis on Intelligence checks, especially Investigation but also Arcana, History, etc. I give pretty decent information based on such rolls so the players are starting to catch on to that. I've also converted the warlock to intelligence. Not much, but it's a start.

 

[happyhermit]

You may play with people who make sub-par optimization decisions for the sake of RP but I don't blame those who don't.

Neither do I. Pointing out that the problems being discussed are by no means universal is not blaming people for having a problem. The Op started out with; "In 5E, Intelligence is a dump stat for almost everyone except Wizards." If this doesn't seem to be the case in actual play then what is the issue with pointing that out?

By no means am I denying that it's a problem for some, obviously it is as I have seen it discussed in forums before. I'm not suggesting that they shouldn't try to modify the game in a way that works better for them.

Oh yeah, I do play with people care more about realizing a particular character and a whole host of things more than they do about which stat is more valuable, but I wasn't just talking about my game. I looked up the stats on games like Dice, camera, action and Critical role, etc. before and they all showed similar results.

ETA; I just double checked to see if I was wrong as I don't watch Critical role. There are 18 character sheets listed on their site, 1 has Int as a dump stat, one has it tied with Dex at 10.