D&D 5E Underpowered INT solution - Bonus Skill Proficiencies for high INT

[S'mon]

Forked from the CHA thread, a bit of early morning design work. Thoughts? Polite, respectful & friendly criticism?

Bonus Skill Proficiencies for high INT

A PC may begin play with a number of additional skill proficiencies from their class skill list equal to their INT bonus.

ie 12-13 = +1, 14-15 = +2, 16-17 = +3 etc. Multiclass characters choose from their starting class skill list.

If INT is raised during play, additional class skills up to the bonus limit may be learned using the Downtime rules in XGTE, ie 10 weeks - INT bonus per skill.
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It's intentional that very high INT PCs may max out their class skill list, then being unable to take additional skills. It favours Wizards and to a lesser extent Rogues, which I think is ok.

 

[pukunui]

I have a similar house rule, except mine is “a number of additional language, tool, or Intelligence-based skill proficiencies equal to your Intelligence bonus”.

 

[Horwath]

I have a similar house rule, except mine is “a number of additional language, tool, or Intelligence-based skill proficiencies equal to your Intelligence bonus”.

I would add weapon proficiency also to the list

int based skill,
tool+language,
weapon+language,

or for every 2 bonus proficiency trade for 1 expertise.

 

[Leatherhead]

It doesn't solve the problem of INT itself not being useful.

It puts a bandaid on the problem by redirecting you back to the actually useful skills and stats.

 

[Charlaquin]

I have a similar house rule, except mine is “a number of additional language, tool, or Intelligence-based skill proficiencies equal to your Intelligence bonus”.

This seems to be a very common house rule from what I’ve seen/heard on the internet.

 

[S'mon]

It doesn't solve the problem of INT itself not being useful.

It puts a bandaid on the problem by redirecting you back to the actually useful skills and stats.

I want it more 'desirable'; I don't much care about how often you're rolling on your INT score.

 

[5ekyu]

I want it more 'desirable'; I don't much care about how often you're rolling on your INT score.

More desirable but still not worth it is just cosmetics, seems to me.

If you have a penalty, does it reduce skills prof? If not 8 Int dump stat is still a thing.

Do you see someone building a character dropping say a 14 con to 10 to raise a 10 int to 14 in order to get 8 proficiencies instead of 6 at first level? Any character can start with at least 6 ptofivirnces in skills+tools, some more. Two more is not that big compared to moving a +2 worth of bonus from a stat they will use.

This seems to be going to accomplish two things to me...

Move wizards into having more skills, plus any others who already have reason to spin higher INT. Its rewarding more those who already emphasize INT for other reasons.

In a few cases push other dump stats - maybe put 8 in STR instead of INT for more dex skills for your agile fighter? Ard you better off just sliding dump stats around ?

In my experience, in actual play, wizards dont need "more" - they do well in and out of combat and work very well in all pillars.

 

[S'mon]

More desirable but still not worth it is just cosmetics, seems to me.

If you have a penalty, does it reduce skills prof? If not 8 Int dump stat is still a thing.

Do you see someone building a character dropping say a 14 con to 10 to raise a 10 int to 14 in order to get 8 proficiencies instead of 6 at first level? Any character can start with at least 6 ptofivirnces in skills+tools, some more. Two more is not that big compared to moving a +2 worth of bonus from a stat they will use.

This seems to be going to accomplish two things to me...

Move wizards into having more skills, plus any others who already have reason to spin higher INT. Its rewarding more those who already emphasize INT for other reasons.

In a few cases push other dump stats - maybe put 8 in STR instead of INT for more dex skills for your agile fighter? Ard you better off just sliding dump stats around ?

In my experience, in actual play, wizards dont need "more" - they do well in and out of combat and work very well in all pillars.

Thanks - ok, that seems a reasonable critique (though IMCs players soon learn not to dump STR!).

My preferred stat gen method is roll 3/4d6 in order then replace 1 stat with a 15, which makes stat dumping less of an issue than with Point Buy. OTOH I tend to feel 5e PCs have too few skills, especially Rogues & Wizards, and this could help with that.

 

[Shiroiken]

I modify your languages and tool proficiencies by your Int modifier. Having a bonus gives you extra, but having a penalty reduces it. I don't like to adjust actual skills, because I feel those are stronger than the others.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Like many, this is a standard house-rule for us. Each mod of INT grants one proficiency. You can use it for anything: skills, language, armor, weapons, tools, or kits. If you have an INT penalty, you must give up a proficiency.

We also make languages a skill, modified by INT and proficiency bonus. Skill in language is not automatic, although that does simplify things.