Is there a strong case for strong characters?

[RobW]

Originally Posted by larsdangly

A lot of the discussion in this thread concerns combatants whose attacks would mostly be neutralized with good armor (say, 5 points total). The only reliable way to get at a target like that with something other than a charge attack is to be stronger than ST 9. A combatant with ST 11 DX 13(9), chainmail, a large shield and a suitable weapon has always been a combination that is tough for lightly armed combatants to go after.

I agree that at low attribute totals, low-ST high-skill figures can't penetrate high armor. But with the new Expertise/Mastery rules and changes to old rules like Two Weapons talent, they can safely impede the enemy to a surprising degree, so the ST12 crossbows in the party take out threats.

As the characters progress, it looks like from the new 1v1 simulator results that fast, low-ST, high-skill weapon masters now dominate. As zot said, a 40pt fencing master wields two weapons each with battleaxe levels of damage. These are figures that couldn't exist in the old rules.

I think the new ITL rules and talents have shifted the balance towards a new type of low ST fighter.