High str only increases your damage by like 1/7th or 1/8th at max level; not worth it. The only other benefit is carry weight. High dex gives you crit chance and initiative, as well as bonuses to many skills.
If what I saw in that old old devlog is still correct, swords get a bonus of 7% per point of STR over 6. So, assuming 18 STR, (18 - 6) -> 12 x 7% -> 84% damage bonus. Almost double damage by end game.
Am I misunderstanding something? That's how I thought STR worked when I played a sledgehammer character too (the numbers were different with sledges of course).
Being able to wear metal armor is a nice option that high STR characters have.
That said, I agree with your other points about DEX. Crit chance is particularly significant. I see other pluses around fast attack speed. I guess I'm going to rethink.
You can persuade lucas to give you one at the start, or you can just buy one from him like I did. I went to Blaine over a dozen times in the early game and I never saw a single tichrome bar; I had to wait until foundry. That said, for flurry, you want a curved tungsten machete (assuming your crit chance is good, otherwise a straight tungsten), since it has a set AP cost.
Ah, that's great. Machetes from the get-go.
I'm not counting on an early TiChrome at all. I've had it happen, but I think it's pretty rare. I might semi-rush Foundry, though.
Thanks for the tip about Flurry. I like the image of a dude with a TiChrome machete in one hand and a tungsten one in the other.
Somewhere I heard there was a katana; did you find it? (definitely not asking for spoilers if you did, just if you did or not)