Melee weapon scaling stats

[Jin]

I know the fitness trait allows user to scale from either STR/DEX. But if a melee weapon doesn't have fitness, does it mean it always scale off STR?

In other word, melee weapons are useless for caster since they have low str/dex? And rogue/ranger should only use fitness melee?

Edit: Asking because I found a blue spear without fitness, not sure if its worth giving to my ranger

[Vodkat The Wreckless]

Finesse is the only way for melee weapons to scale off of anything but STR.

Casters scale their magic damage from INT, WIS or CHA. So give them a damage cantrip to be their auto attack since they don't use spell slots.

[Planeforger]

Yes, melee weapons benefit from your strength stat unless the weapon has finesse, or unless you have some other class ability (for example: Monks don't have to use strength for their weapons, and Hexblade Warlocks can use charisma instead of strength).

[SpaceKiwi]

You have the correct interpretation.

[Baraz]

Few weapons have the Finesse trait, which allows Dex bonuses.

Casters who have little Dex or Str just use their damaging cantrips, which are decent in BG3; well for some classes (Wizards). Clerics cannot count on their cantrips as much.

Do not judge 5e too quickly : it is over 50 years of editions, countless thousands of playtesters before 5e release, and countless more playing while WotC really checks the feedbacks. It is the most balanced system up to now, though not perfect at all (eg. weapons are not balanced as well as they should be in my opinion and the armor table needs some love).

[Hobocop]

Pretty much. One of the benefits of having a Strength-focused character is that you get to use all the shiny weapons.

[Vodkat The Wreckless]

Originally posted by Invoky:

So majority of weapon types are only effectively usable by fighter? Doesn't that make most of melee weapons pointless?

It gets worse.
The longsword and battleaxe are the same weapon, they just look different.

Armour also directly scales, the only armour worth your time is Fullplate, halfplate, breastplate and studded leather. The rest is garbage.

[Auburn2]

Originally posted by Vodkat The Wreckless:

Casters scale their magic damage from INT, WIS or CHA.

Im 5e only warlocks with agonizing blast get this (and i tcosts an invocation). Other casters get no damage bonus. I believe it is the same in BG3 based on the damage shadowheart does with sacred flame.

[Hobocop]

Originally posted by Auburn2:

Originally posted by Vodkat The Wreckless:

Casters scale their magic damage from INT, WIS or CHA.

Im 5e only warlocks with agonizing blast get this (and i tcosts an invocation). Other casters get no damage bonus. I believe it is the same in BG3 based on the damage shadowheart does with sacred flame.

Depends. Draconic Sorcerers for example can add their Charisma mod to damage rolls on spells matching the element of their chosen ancestry at level 6, and several Cleric domains can add their Wisdom mod to the damage of Cleric cantrips at level 8.

[Auburn2]

Originally posted by Vodkat The Wreckless:

Armour also directly scales, the only armour worth your time is Fullplate, halfplate, breastplate and studded leather. The rest is garbage.

Yeah except full plate. half plate and breast plate are exceedingly rare. You can turn your nose up at chainmail and go naked I guess, but most characters are not going to have access to full plate until around level 10 and half plate and breast plate are not universally available to level 4 characters, which is where this game ends.

Scale Mail, studded leather, chain mail and a chain shirt are the most common armors used in the p+p games I play.

[tempest.of.emptiness]

Originally posted by Auburn2:

Im 5e only warlocks with agonizing blast get this (and i tcosts an invocation). Other casters get no damage bonus. I believe it is the same in BG3 based on the damage shadowheart does with sacred flame.

When Vodkat The Wreckless says that casters' magic damage scales off their casting stat I believe they mean the casters' damage output scales. The caster's casting stat increases their chance to hit and spell DC, both of which increase the chance that damage will be done, even if they don't directly increase the amount of damage inflicted.

[SketchyCoffee]

As explained Finesse is for NON-LIGHT melee weapons to scale off DEX. Shortsword and dagger use Dex, Rapier uses Dex because it has Finesse, while Longsword and most axe's and hammers or glaives will scale off STR.


OFF TOPIC but Relevant:

Someone above mentioned Weapons like battleaxe and longsword being the same weapon. This is true even in the table top, your weapon choice is more about flavor. Youre making a character not optimizing a spreadsheet. Personal example: I don't wear helmets, and keep one hand open to throw rocks.

About Armor, depends on your skillset, Rangers and Rogues dont typically get to use heavy armor and studded would give them disadvantage on stealth rolls. Which pending on your ranger, thats bad m'kay.

having 15-17 ac is about medium armor. Depending on your Dex modifier (-2 - 0) you'll want heavier armor. Or medium if you have +1 - +2,, light if its +3 or none if youre a caster because youll be using mage armor or shield spells.

A lot of things in tabletop narrative still aren't represented here and likely wont be, such as having a -2 dex would basically mean your character has really bad balance and trip on mundane objects often. The negatives are supposed to mean something about the character. Because it doesn't, it leads to an optimization habit. So keep the Flavor in mind in selecting equipment. Play to win and you'll get bored (because you will win).

[16 TIMES THE MIN REQUIREMENTS!!!]

Heh, Ranger Knight actually lets you use heavy armor. It's the only way to play pure melee ranger. You can do crazy dmg with the right bonuses and feats.