A guide matching Characteristics with Frameworks: my take after 3 days of CO.

Strength - Lifting stuff, unless you like to throw things and avoid knockback (which seem to be frequently avoided by blocking), is there any reason to make this primary?

Dexterity - Increases Critical chance, this is actually pretty nice, but pretty much requires EGO, otherwise all those crits do very little additional damage.

Constitution - More health and more damage, where do I sign! The question is, how much is enough? Before today's patch there was a point of overkill, where just having an endless bucket of health didn't mean anything, and it was often better to have a Focus Characteristic with a secondary function (like EGO)

Intelligence - Someone will have to explain this one to me. More pet damage looks good, if you have pets, but how much more damage? stealth detection, meh, without assassinations, blocking does wonders vs. sneaky peeps. Cool Down speeds and reduced Energy costs, this could be huge, it basically replaces both END and REC, however in my limited testing it did almost nothing. Inteligence easily has the most side effects, making it a bargain, except as far as I can tell it doesn't do any of them well.

Ego - Crit severity. This is pretty big, all those power replacer primaries that add +fire, or +sonic, none of them Proc as often as your average crit, and with a big EGO you are going to see some great damage, plus this characteristic sinergizes with DEX beter than any other characteristics combination i've seen. Oh yea as an added benefit, you get intangible hold defense, and pumps most Mental powers (but how much?)

Presence - Affects Thread generation and Health of pets. Ok, this actually beats STR as the most worthless stat. Most pets wont last long enough to die from damage (and they can be resummoned), and it seems that most healing capable frameworks have an included agro reduction power.

Recovery - Sets you equilibrium (the fill marker on your energy bar), and the gain rate of your energy building powers. I happen to really like recovery, maybe not enough to make it a Focus Characteristic, but it is always nice to start a fight with your biggest attack, or regenerate your entire energy bar in two hits from your energy building attack. However this characteristic is virtually useless without a high END.

Endurance - Total Energy pool and rate non-energy building attacks add to energy (do they?). This is critical attribute to energy hog builds, particularly the ones with maintainable powers with scalable damage (the longer you maintain the higher damage per pulse). Like CON, and to some extent EGO, END makes a good stand alone Focus Characteristic, but does synergize well with REC for a quick fill-up.

And what does this mean to base Power Frameworks?
Well the Developers did build in some benefits to keeping the pre-selected packages, as some of those stats will boost specific powers, or some powers will compensate for specific weaknesses, but in many cases you may be better off selecting different Characteristics Focuses.
Unfortunately I haven't had an opportunity to thoroughly play all the Frameworks (or combination's), but there are a few outstanding combination's and a few stinkers (hopefully someone can identify something I overlooked).

Electricity (REC/END) - normally I like the REC/END synergy, but electricity has mostly low fixed cost powers and a number of powers that increase equilibrium and generate energy. I would seriously consider shifting to a DEX/EGO combination to take advantage of multi-hit-crit attacks.

Fire (PRE/REC) - I haven't played fire at all, but I am almost positive that PRE is a waste, and REC is only good if you have a lot of cheap tap attacks (or an END pool to fill), unfortunately fire is anything but, a bunch of expensive maintained damage, this is definately a candidate for END/REC

Force (EGO/END) - again haven't played this one, but nearly dropped a brick when I saw the price of Force Cascade and Force Detonation, fortunately the rest of the powers are relatively cheap. END is required if you ever plan on using those two powers, but EGO is a little out of place. While I am still on the fence about INT this may be the perfect power set, it has the most expensive powers, and tons of recharge times (no pets but you could get some from other power sets). On the other hand this framework is all about defense and survival which makes CON appealing. Verdict: END/CON or END/INT

Ice (DEX/REC) - REC looks like a good fit, with many low/mid clost click powers, and only one Energy hog (Frost Breath). I'm not sure about the DEX portion, I'd consider trading it in for CON or EGO, or most likely dipping into a second Framework to get some more offense and select a Characteristic based on that Framework.

Archery (DEX/INT) - haven't played (but looks fun). INT... no pets, rapid recharge, low/mid Energy cost. Drop INT. What else does the Framework offer, good AoE and a huge damage via Focus Arrow, why not up the ante with DEX/EGO and be a one-shot boss killing machine

Gadgetry (INT/END) - I have only dipped into gadget, but INT looks like a good fit, many recharge powers to benefit plus pets. I'm a little uncertain about END although this Framework has a lot of buffing powers that so you can buff and shoot right away (no energy building). On the other hand, it also has the best Energy Building power (with the AoE advantage) so building power can be fun. I acutally used this Framework as part of an experiment using DEX/EGO and cheap AoE powers to great effect, AoE critting is a blast although a low END limits things.

Munitions (DEX/EGO) - haven't tried it, but DEX/EGO is such a strong combo, and munitions is so Energy efficent it would be difficult to go wrong.

Power Armor (STR/INT) - Two of my least favorite Characteristics in one place. Combined with the worst Energy Building power (.5 activation documented, feels like forever). First off, Powered Armor is the only set that can run powers simultaneously (as toggles), so even the moderate costs of these powers is going to be astronomical, plus there are some downright expensive ones. Now I'm not going to tell you how to play your game, but if you don't take END as one of your Characteristics don't cry here. INT might work, but I don't think it offers enough Energy savings, STR helps your Armor (although so does CON and CON adds to your health). I would recommend END/CON or END/REC.

Duel Blades (STR/DEX) - It's like I haven't even played this game... nope haven't tested but based on the low Energy cost powers (except sword cyclone which may be the most expensive in the game at ~75 Energy/Sec) and the shear volume of AoE attacks, DEX/EGO is the only way to go, max those crits.

Fighting Claws (STR/DEX) - Again I like DEX/EGO, although this has so many cheap powers that can be chained together as a Combination (added damaged for successive attacks) with enough Energy for 3 attacks in a row (36) it can do some significant damage.

Single Blade (STR/DEX) - The most Energy expensive blade attacks, but does more damage. Frankly this one crosses the line for Energy consumption. With the additional Energy requirements you really have to look at END or REC, however as soon as you do that the damage output starts to flag behind the other MA group.

Martial Arts (STR/DEX) - Cheap and punchy, just like the others DEX/EGO

Telekinesis (CON/EGO) - Some very expensive abilities. If you want the top-shelf wreck-your-day TK powers then END is a must (note: this also scales your Id Blades power, so a double must). Fortunately some of the middle powers are relatively Energy efficient so you might be able to get away without REC if so CON is what you want. So END/REC or END/CON

Telepathy (EGO/PRE) - There is so much broken with the Framework it probably isn't work the effort yet since you will avoid broken powers that will cost you a mint to respec into (Yes a Framework I actually played). Telepathic Reverberations is broke so Energy gaining isn't working and neither are pets. But if you do, forget about EGO and think END this set is Energy Expensive. I'd also drop PRE. Even though it helps healing you will get more milage out of a full tank of gas (Empathic Healing has a progressive heal scale, the longer you keep it up the more it heals, so more END offers a much larger reserve than PRE.

Might (STR/CON) - A whole set based on STR, and yet, there is no reason to even take STR. This Framework has a couple of ranged options, so you aren't reliant upon mailboxes and street lamps for ranged attacks, and these attack run the Energy gambit, some cheap some expensive. For that reason I would recommend CON/END.

Darkness (CON/END) - My main character! I am starting to see the allure of CON/END and could definitely build around that since Darkness has a power that automatically sets your Equilibrium to your Energy max for 20 seconds and give a significant energy recovery boost, however it also does a major DoT on your (which is why you need to high CON). Instead I went the END/REC route, and I am happy with my build. I'm able to jump to max Energy quickly, and unload my favorite attack, Shadow Embrace (super expensive AoE progressive damage). Recommendation: CON/END or REC/END

Sorcery (INT/PRE) - I haven't looked very closely at Sorcery, but I imagine they recommend INT/Pre for all the pets and healing, it is still a hard sell for me, but until I get a closer look I'll go with the book: INT/PRE

Supernatural (CON/REC) - I don't like REC for this set for a one reason, Energy Builder attack is so strong you wont mind letting it run to generate that extra Energy. I do like CON, especially since this Framework relys on healing/regenerate for its damage mitigation, and some of its powers require quite a bit of energy which makes me want to pair END, but it wouldn't take much to convince me to go with DEX/EGO for a Framework combination build. Recommendation CON/END

A number of things.

1. You failed to mention in bit about STR that it increases melee damage. So if you superstat it as a melee character not only do you get the melee damage bonus but since it's a superstat it also increases your damage outright.

2. When you discuss good options for fire, you say that presence is useless. I would have to disagree strongly. While some people may be comfortable taking ice form as a passive damage bonus (ice form and fire form both effect elemental damage, but rely on different stats), some will actually want to take the fire form. And the fire form's damage bonus scales with presence. Additionally, I think you underestimate presence's usefulness in decreases threat generation.

3. About power armor... I really wouldn't be so quick to throw out INT. Seriously. It scales back the cost of their maintained powers which is invaluable. It makes keeping those toggles up so much more bearable.

4. When you're talking about healing, you cannot discount PRE because not only does it vastly improve the effectiveness of heals, but the support buffs (like Aura of Radiant Protection) are also greatly improved by PRE.

5. Again, looking at your might analysis... you forget that melee damage gets a bonus from STR!

To perfectly honest, I didn't notice increased damage in Melee with high STR, back to the Power House to see the impact pre and post focus characteristic.

As for the other items, this is the kind of feedback I was hoping for, although I haven't seen any significant benefits to powers that scale based on characteristic (although it could be that my characteristics are too low, generally 50-60s range).

PRE may be more valuable now simply due to the massive nerfing of power levels. Prior to the patch, a battle that I was completely overwhelmed on solo (Fight Club), was a piece of cake with 3. I pulled agro via damage output, took a small beatdown, but the opponent was on the mat before he finished his combo (well not really, he stood back up finished his combo then collapsed again...)