I was listening to the Wandering DMs podcast the other day. They were talking about STAT modifiers and how most STATs often have two associated (main) benefits. For example CHR stat might give a reaction adjustment and limit the number of henchman a PC can have etc.
It made me think about (in AD&D at least) how STR gives a ‘To Hit’ modifier and a ‘To Damage’ modifier, i.e.:
It made me wonder if there should be an option for a fighter to also have a precise strike option and a bludgeon attack option. The idea is that the PC sacrifices power for precision or the other way round.
So the PC can use both bonuses in the above table, or they can choose to (i) double the To Hit bonus (and sacrifice the To Damage bonus) or (ii) add the To Hit bonus to the To Damage bonus (and sacrifice the To Hit bonus).
Example: a Fighter with 18/51 STR gets the above bonuses, or they can do a precise strike at +4 (with no damage bonus) or a bludgeon attack with no to hit bonus but at +5 damage.
So, if fighting something really stealthy/armoured a precise strike might be a good option; but fighting a huge slow moving blob, maybe maxing out the damage on an easy hit might be the way to go.
That’s it. Nothing special here, but these options might give the fighter a few more tricks to draw on.
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Me on DriveThru; at the moment I’m mainly pimping my procedural:
:: High Seas ‘Hex Crawl’ – In the Heart of the Sea,
:: Wilderness Hex Crawl – In the Heart of the Unknown,
:: Dungeon/network generator – In the Heart of the Delve & Dangerous
That’s an elegant approach and cool observation, but isn’t that already a thing in modern D&D? It’s been too long since I’ve played any D&D3.+ game, but I think there is at least already a power attack feat. Although again, this seems like a more elegant way of getting at that idea.
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Hi Max – yes it could well be a thing in later editions.
The 5e is unknown to me …
:O|
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I was thinking about allowing players to choose between using the STR attack and damage modifier OR the DEX attack modifier for light and agile weapons, like daggers. I didn’t end up using it in practice.
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