Dexterity or Strength for attacks?

[npiccini]

Ive scoured through the players handbook and feel like ive read it five times looking for this rule but can't seem to find it. I remember people saying Rogues could use their dexterity to make a standard attack instead of strength modifiers similar to that feat they had in 3.x (although I can't for the life of me remember the name of that one either ) I was using an excel downloaded chacater sheet and it confirmed this when I was inputting the rogue's attack with his short sword but again I can't find the rule for this anywhere. Does anyone know where this is or am I going crazy (and the sheet I downloaded wrong)?

 

[StormCrow42]

Almost all rogue powers use dexterity rather than strength, but as far as I know, all melee basic attacks are strength based. Ranged basic attacks are dexterity based unless they're made with a heavy thrown weapon.

The basic rule for basic attacks is at the bottom left of page 216.

 

[Skywalker]

Ive scoured through the players handbook and feel like ive read it five times looking for this rule but can't seem to find it. I remember people saying Rogues could use their dexterity to make a standard attack instead of strength modifiers similar to that feat they had in 3.x (although I can't for the life of me remember the name of that one either ) I was using an excel downloaded chacater sheet and it confirmed this when I was inputting the rogue's attack with his short sword but again I can't find the rule for this anywhere. Does anyone know where this is or am I going crazy (and the sheet I downloaded wrong)?

Most of the Rogue's Powers are Dex based, including the At-Wills. So you use your Dex rather than your Str. This doesn't apply for you melee base attack though which remains Str based.

 

[Boarstorm]

In 3.X, it was called weapon finesse. So far as I recall, there's no similar ability in 4E, though I admit to fallibility and could very well be mistaken.

 

[npiccini]

ok thank you. So basically the sheet figured out the basic attack using dexterity because it assumed the rogue would be using that short sword as part of an at-will or other power not a straight out strike with the weapon. Essentially though, if a rogue is lazy and just decides to swing the shortsword it uses its strength modifier?

 

[Tony Vargas]

It's the power now that determines the stat involved in attacking.

there are basic attacks anyone can use. Basic melee = STR, basic ranged = DEX, basic ranged with a 'heavy thrown weapon' = STR. Charging and Oportunity Attacks are basic melee attacks. The warlord has several powers that give his allies free basic attacks. And there may be other time when the only attack you can make is a basic attack.

 

[Jack Colby]

FYI: the basic attack powers are on page 287 of the Player's Handbook. If you're using a basic attack, you follow the info listed on these.

 

[Mort_Q]

The excel sheet fooled me too.

 

[erik_the_guy]

When you don't use a power you use either:

Melee basic attack (str) or ranged basic attack (dex). The exception to this rule is ranged basic attacks with thrown weapons that have the 'heavy thrown' property, which rely on (str) instead.

The melee and ranged basic attack 'powers' are listed in the PHB (p287).

Most of the time when the characters attack they will use one of their powers, in which case you use the information from the power to determine the attack and damage rolls and modifiers.

Occasionally a character will make a melee basic attack (for opportunity attacks, or when a power allows them to) and you can use page 287 for reference.

Most character will use their primary attribute even for melee attacks. For example fighters powers rely mostly on strength and rogues on dexterity. Many paladin melee attack powers use either strength or charisma.

 

[Saeviomagy]

A rogue needs to keep track of his bonus to hit using his strength, because that's what governs his basic melee attacks. So a rogue tends to be a lot less effective with OAs, granted attacks and the like.