Useing Dexterity to hit --> everytime.

[pbd]

Some of the posters' comments did get me thinking: is a strength requirement necessary for larger weapons, or does the fact that characters gain bonus damage for using two handed weapons ensure that lower strength characters won't use them?

I think usig str as a requirement to weild weapons, and dex to hit, would make a reasonable system. Technically, any 10 str fighter can wield and fight with a 12 pound greatax; realistically, while they could probably lift it, wielding it in combat (hitting someone and using it to stop incoming blows etc.) would not be feasible.

Maybe a reasonable system would be to use dex to hit, with minimum str requirements to wield certain weapons, and a feat to allow for using str to hit instead?

 

[Eternalknight]

True20 uses Dex for attack rolls, but it also uses armour as a kind of damage reduction. If using Dex to attack in D&D, I'd probably go with armour as DR as well.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Personally I fail to see how agility helps you more than strength when swinging your 12 pound Greataxe or Halberd.

Now, I can definitely see why requiring a certain level of strength to even heft those things might be logical (in fact, that's part of my house rules - minimum Strength ratings for every single weapon, with a penalty applying if it's not met), but in terms of coordination, accuracy etc. (i.e., being able to actually hit something)? No, I think Dexterity is the appropriate ability to represent that. But if we must simply agree to disagree, then let's just do that, eh?




As for armour as DR, I also use that, regardless of setting or campaign type. That may or may not be a factor in my opinions on this. *shrug*

 

[Eternalknight]

I seem to recall a d20 product somewhere that uses a minimum Str score for weilding weapons and wearing armour. Was it Diablo II d20?

 

[Eternalknight]

The only other piece of advice I could give is that you may have to re-do some of the ability score adjustments of races. I'm specifically thinking of the half-orc here. +2 Str, -2 Int and -2 Cha doesn't quite balance in this case, as Str does become less important.

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

Strength v Dexterity

My house rule is to use dexterity for all weapons, but each weapon has a accuracy penalty offset by a character's strength modifier.

In other words, bigger weapons require more strength to use, so if you're underpowered it's harder to hit.

Basically, the penalty is maximum base damage divided by two minus one. A 1d10 weapon will have a -4 penalty (10/2 - 1). Extra strength won't give you a bonus past zero.

Certain weapons have to be slightly modified:
Longbows have an inherent +2 strength (mechanical) bonus - strength bonuses do not add to this, just surpass it if applicable. It only applies to damage if the strength of the user matches or exceeds. Stronger bows are possible.
Shortbows have an inherent +1 strength (mechanical) bonus - same as above.
Heavy Crossbows have an inherent +2 strength (mechanical) bonus and no base accuracy penalty. Strength is important when cocking the weapon and is taken into account there.
Light Crossbows have an inherent +1 strength (mechanical) bonus and no base accuracy penalty.
Hand Crossbows have no accuracy penalty.

 

[Sir Brennen]

There's a pretty extensive variant combat system over at The Waking Lands, which takes the Dex to Hit/Str to Damage idea and combines it with Armor as Damage Reduction.

 

[Thia Halmades]

Hey Nyaricus.

Some swift notes:

HERO does what you're talking about, i.e., DEX covers all of your combat, STR covers all of your damage. Adapting that to D&D also means changing the damage model. In HERO, you reduce damage taken, you don't dodge it. To hit rolls are based solely around your DEX and skill modifiers. So there's a system that exists that does things in that fashion. That's one.

Two, D&D isn't meant to do this. Absolutley, create a feat for it, restructure things as necessary to satisfy yourself within the system, but Weapon Finesse is a feat to cover those folk who aren't swinging two handed weapons. If you want to get really technical, it's easy to wield a rapier over time than a Great Sword over time. This leads one to the conclusion that maybe we should class out different weapons under different stats. We already have light weapons, medium weapons & heavy weapons, and specific weapons are covered under Weapon Finesse.

If we do this, then you remove the Feat Weapon Finesse and wind up replacing it with Mighty Swing - a PC may use his STR in lieu of his DEX to determine whether he hits. You could also rule whichever is more favorable. We could be here for hours, but if you're dissatisfied with what the system is doing now, those would be some immediate fixes to consider.

However, I wouldn't make that change without going through at least some of the major permutations.

 

[magic_gathering2001]

My 2cp:

Name: Weapon Finesse
Prerequisites: see below
Bentifit: You may add your DEX modifier to attack rolls with any weapon so long as your strength is greater than or equal to tice the wieght of the weapon in pounds.
Special: This bonus does not stack with your strength bonus to attack rolls.

Don't have my book on me but that looks about right.

 

[pbd]

My 2cp:

Name: Weapon Finesse
Prerequisites: see below
Bentifit: You may add your DEX modifier to attack rolls with any weapon so long as your strength is greater than or equal to tice the wieght of the weapon in pounds.
Special: This bonus does not stack with your strength bonus to attack rolls.

Don't have my book on me but that looks about right.

I like it.