Why does STR affect Attack Bonus?

[Sado]

What is the rationale behind having your melee Attack Bonus modified by strength? Your attack bonus affects your ability to hit your opponent. Wouldn't dexterity be more appropriate for both melee and missile? It seems appropriate that strength modifies damage, but not your chance to hit. Did they just decide that dexterity was too powerful already?

 

[Sejs]

I think the rationale is that the stronger you are, the easier it is to control your weapon, which seems reasonable to me. I've hefted a fair share of swords, maces, etc, and I could easily see the advantage a stronger user would have in the placement of their blows, over a weaker one - weapons are heavy and awkward. While it's true that some weapons (lighter ones, primarily), would benefit from a very coordinated and agile wielder, that's what the Weapon Finesse feat is there for.

I just can't see a weaker but more dexterous user being able to control that greataxe better than the comparably stronger but less dexterous guy.

 

[Staffan]

That, plus you have to remember that armor makes you harder to hit. High strength helps you punch through armor, and thus makes it easier for you to hit.

 

[dcollins]

Yes, it's basically the busting-through-armor ability.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Yes, it's basically the busting-through-armor ability.

... which still applies when making touch attacks that ignore armor

-Hyp.

 

[hong]

... which still applies when making touch attacks that ignore armor

-Hyp.

You need Str to bitchslap properly, don't you know.

 

[IronWolf]

I think both main reasons presented so far are why it adds to your attack bonus. One, the stronger you are the easier it is to wield your weapon. Think of the baseball players who warm up with a weighted bat, when they pick up the normal one it seems lighter and easier to swing.

Then the punch through armor factor is another factor. With higher stength the more likely you will get your hit to actually cause damage.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I think the rationale is that the stronger you are, the easier it is to control your weapon, which seems reasonable to me. I've hefted a fair share of swords, maces, etc, and I could easily see the advantage a stronger user would have in the placement of their blows, over a weaker one - weapons are heavy and awkward. <snip> I just can't see a weaker but more dexterous user being able to control that greataxe better than the comparably stronger but less dexterous guy.

As a two-year practioner of kendo, this is absolutely true, in my experience. Strength is by far the most important attribute in swordfighting (or my experience of kendo, at least, it may be different for fencers or other types of bladed combat.)

The greater your strength, the faster and more accurate your blows. Dexterity is most useful for avoiding your opponent's blows. Which is excellently modeled by Dex to AC.

 

[Pickaxe]

Yes, it's basically the busting-through-armor ability.

Which is why some systems (e.g., Grim 'n' Gritty) that treat armor as damage reduction (rather than AC) use Dex for all attacks and Str just for melee damage. It does seem to diminish the value of Strength a little too much, IMO, and as LP's experience illustrates.

--Axe

 

[RandomPrecision]

It's a bit counter-intuitive, but it's simply true. Another example is how some people don't think steroids would make a baseball player a better hitter, but it sure seems to work. Everyone else has pretty much hit on the mechanics, like weapon control. Some weapons can be guided effectively by dexterity, but that's why we have the Weapon Finesse feat.