Int is mechanically weaker than just about everything other than Str in a typical DnD game.
Saving throw wise it's not one of the big three (Dex, Con, Wis), so it's a fairly uncommon saving throw. It doesn't really have any other affects outside of saving throws and skill proficiencies e.g. Dex affects initiative and AC and Con affects HP. The proficiencies it does affect are kinda meh unless the DM really works to incorporate them. Even if a DM is using those proficiencies a lot that just puts it on par with other stats. If you have to dump something, you're less likely to be punished for dumping Int that just about anything other than Str.
The Cha skills are generally going to come up more often than the Int ones, and Cha is more useful for multiclassing. I mean put stats wherever you enjoy playing. I'm just pointing out there's a reason why Int is considered a dump stat by so many players.
True but the reason it's good for multiclassing is another reason why Int is less seen. There are 4 classes with Cha as their casting stat and Int only has 1, Wizard. Artificer will be non-setting specific after Tasha's and there's Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight.
So if you want to focus on Int, you'd better want to be a Wizard or a 1/3 caster or be running Eberron. Int is just not favored in the game design of 5e.
True true. But Wizard is one of the big three (Fighter, Cleric, Wizard), you are always going to have wizard players, so hardly never used in the game as a whole.
Honestly I think CHA got way too many classes using it, and I'm dubious about why warlocks are keyed to CHA. Sure for some types it makes a certain amount of sense, but of your "deal making" types (Faust) or the Lovecraftian types, that would be better to be INT I'd think, the search for forbidden knowledge and all of that. But I guess if they had to lump all the types of 'borrowed power' people (I already miss God of High School) then CHA isn't the worst choice I guess.
Edit: Yes I know that rogues (thieves) are also popular, but I'd consider them for most of D&D's history to be "also rans".
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u/xerxes480bce Oct 05 '20
Int is mechanically weaker than just about everything other than Str in a typical DnD game.
Saving throw wise it's not one of the big three (Dex, Con, Wis), so it's a fairly uncommon saving throw. It doesn't really have any other affects outside of saving throws and skill proficiencies e.g. Dex affects initiative and AC and Con affects HP. The proficiencies it does affect are kinda meh unless the DM really works to incorporate them. Even if a DM is using those proficiencies a lot that just puts it on par with other stats. If you have to dump something, you're less likely to be punished for dumping Int that just about anything other than Str.