Two stats per defense!

[Crazy Jerome]

Knowing where to duck out of the way is just as important as having the quickness to do so.

And anyone that has seriously done any martial arts training or even related training (e.g. sports fencing) can tell you that it is true. If anything, Int has been way under-represented in combat in games.

Sure, it's a little crazy that a guy with a +5 Int mod can cancel out an opponents +5 Dex mod in certain circumstances. But it is no crazier than the idea that the guy with the +5 Int mod (or +3 or +2) has no inherent compensation compared with another target with +0 Int mod. The game has to make some rough decisions around the edges for these corner cases. I'm looking forward to trying a game that experiments with a different solution.

A common mistake of people with no relevant real-world experience is to assume that speed is far more valuable than it actually is. (Accuracy is incredibly important. Speed, only up to a point.)

 

[mach1.9pants]

Yes, I was. The blog doesn't say "either Str or Con feed into Fort." It says, "Str and Con feed into Fort."

There is a huge difference between "either" and "and."

Yeah you are right, but I am pretty sure it is the best of. Poor wording on Shoe's part I reckon

 

[Walking Dad]

Yes, I was. The blog doesn't say "either Str or Con feed into Fort." It says, "Str and Con feed into Fort."

There is a huge difference between "either" and "and."

As big as the diference between "add to" and "feed into"?

 

[Sir Brennen]

Yeah you are right, but I am pretty sure it is the best of. Poor wording on Shoe's part I reckon

Or deliberately vague wording...

 

[Branduil]

If you want a real-life example of how intelligence is as important to avoiding things as manual dexterity, just watch professional sports.

 

[Plane Sailing]

but how on earth do you justify Int for reflex defenses (other than "game balance").'

Int is often used to portray quick-wittedness; speed of thought in the same way that Dex represents speed of action.

In that sense it doesn't seem a forced marriage to me, but instead rather a natural thing.

Cheers

 

[Kunimatyu]

Thats the problem with 4E. Game balance is everything. Don't ask for any logic besides balance.

If this is 4e's biggest problem, I will be ecstatic.

 

[Primal]

Int is often used to portray quick-wittedness; speed of thought in the same way that Dex represents speed of action.

In that sense it doesn't seem a forced marriage to me, but instead rather a natural thing.

Cheers

Indeed, and some games also use INT for initiative, too. I don't have a problem with this. I am a bit worried, though, that although this 'pairing' is a good idea, it may result in pretty much the same Defenses for nearly every character of each class -- especially if you use the point-buy method.

 

[Belphanior]

That doesn't add up. It makes sense, but the math is wrong.

(snip)

No no, not quite. Shields seem to add to Reflex and all classes have a total +2 bonus to defenses.

Half-Elf Warlock:
Fort 13 (+3 Con)
Ref 13 (+2 Int, +1 class)
Will 15 (+4 Cha, +1 class)

Dwarf Fighter:
Fort 16 (+4 Con, +2 class)
Ref 13 (+1 Dex, +2 heavy shield)
Will 12 (+2 Wis)

Halfling Paladin:
Fort 13 (+2 Str, +1 halfling)
Ref 14 (+1 Dex, +1 halfling, +2 heavy shield)
Will 16 (+3 Wis or Cha, +1 halfling, +2 class)

Eladrin Ranger:
Fort 13 (+2 Str, +1 class)
Ref 15 (+4 Dex, +1 class)
Will 13 (+2 Wis, unknown other +1 bonus which I suspect to be tied to race)

Human Cleric:
Fort 13 (+2 Str, +1 feat)
Ref 12 (+1 Int, +1 feat)
Will 17 (+4 Wis, +2 class, +1 feat)

Tiefling Wizard:
Fort 10 (+0 Str or Con)
Ref 15 (+5 Int)
Will 13 (+1 Cha, +2 class)

Kobold Skirmisher:
Fort 11 (+0 Con, +1 class)
Ref 14 (+3 Dex, +1 light shield)
Will 13 (+2 Cha, +1 class)

 

[mach1.9pants]

Belphanior is right, I had +1 to all defences if small. But I missed the light shield for the Kobold, so the +1 must be a Halfling racial feature.
mmmm what is it with the eladrin +1 to Will defence AND a bonus to WIS!