D&D 5E Does the Artificer Suck?

[ReshiIRE]

The only class that should be strength based is Barbarian.

Best fighter is dex based, best ranger is dex based, best cleric is wisdom based with dex as a secondary/tertiary.

Paladins can go either way probably better strength based but that's debatable as well.

I'd argue Paladins should go Strength to at-least open up mutli-classing opportunities later. If you go Dex you can't mutli-class period.

What are we determining 'best' for Fighter and Cleric? Fighter seems quite shakey as a lot of powerful weapons are Strength based ones, and not every party needs a Fighter who is ranged.

Can't argue with Ranger for obvious reasons, Cleric I am unsure about, depending on what Subclass is considered the 'best'.

 

[Zardnaar]

I'd argue Paladins should go Strength to at-least open up mutli-classing opportunities later. If you go Dex you can't mutli-class period.

What are we determining 'best' for Fighter and Cleric? Fighter seems quite shakey as a lot of powerful weapons are Strength based ones, and not every party needs a Fighter who is ranged.

Can't argue with Ranger for obvious reasons, Cleric I am unsure about, depending on what Subclass is considered the 'best'.

Fighter XBE+sharpshooter got into melee using that.

Overlooked the Paladin MC option.

Resident cleric player is always going dex based cleric I agree with her seeing what she's getting up to.

Way she builds them running rings around strength based ones and competing with Rogues for damage.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Fighter XBE+sharpshooter got into melee using that.

Overlooked the Paladin MC option.

Resident cleric player is always going dex based cleric I agree with her seeing what she's getting up to.

Way she builds them running rings around strength based ones and competing with Rogues for damage.

Best MCs for Paladin IMO are rogue, Sorcerer, and Warlock. Dex Paladin rules.

That said, I’ll play a Str Paladin no problems and kick ass all day.

 

[ECMO3]

And yet, I never see any wizards with 14+ Str. Or sorcerers. Or rogues. Or warlocks. And very few bards, druids, monks or artificers either.

For more than half the classes, Str 14+ builds are extremely rare.

Of the remaining 5, my experience has been that clerics and rangers tend to go 50-50 Dex and Str. Then fighters (Str slightly more common than Dex, but I see a lot of duellists and swashbucklers as well). Finally, paladins and barbarians tend to favor Str over Dex.

High-strength Rogues work just fine, expertise in athletics and a 16 strength and 14 Dex to start can be very effective, especially with a race that gives them medium armor. Nothing says you have to use dexterity for sneak attack, finesse weapons work fine with strength. More of my Rogues are dex based, but I have played strength based Rogues and they bring a lot to the table. Rangers are always dex based in my games.

Fighters it is about 50-50, if you want your fighter to be a pure combatant (like most on this board) then strength is better. If you want your fighter more well rounded and more useful in role play dex works better. For Paladins I like dex better, although if you want to multiclass you can't dump strength.

Monks and Warlocks I have never seen strength. Bards I have not seen played enough. The rest of them I don't see high strength very often but on Wizards and Sorcerers I have seen builds that dump both strength and dex.

 

[Zardnaar]

Best MCs for Paladin IMO are rogue, Sorcerer, and Warlock. Dex Paladin rules.

That said, I’ll play a Str Paladin no problems and kick ass all day.

Yeah Paladins can go either way. It's really only the Barbarian locked into strength and even then I'm not sure you couldn't use a rapier off the top of my head.

 

[Zardnaar]

Wife's created a level 10 armorer.

On my world they all go up one tier as they're very good at negating my environmental challenges.

Cooking and brewing tools can purify food (magic version doesn't).

Proficient in con saves.

Can infuse poison resistance into armor

Power armor and guns exist.

Tasha racial swap for tools.

She's using sharpshooter with her armor weapons.

From low level think she will play an artillerist. Mountain Dwarf seems a no brainer.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Fighter XBE+sharpshooter got into melee using that.

Overlooked the Paladin MC option.

Resident cleric player is always going dex based cleric I agree with her seeing what she's getting up to.

Way she builds them running rings around strength based ones and competing with Rogues for damage.

Not everyone wants to play xbe + sharpshooter. And this build is not even that until late in your career (if you start with standard array).

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Fighters it is about 50-50, if you want your fighter to be a pure combatant (like most on this board) then strength is better. If you want your fighter more well rounded and more useful in role play dex works better. For Paladins I like dex better, although if you want to multiclass you can't dump strength.

I disagree with the well rounded assessment if you go dex.

There are situations where you need someone with a bit of strength is very useful.
In one of our first party everyone was all about dexterity and str as a dump stat... and mainly ranged.

There were quite a few very hard challenges.

 

[Zardnaar]

Not everyone wants to play xbe + sharpshooter. And this build is not even that until late in your career (if you start with standard array).

Level 6 if Vuman.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Level 6 if Vuman.

That makes your choices even more narrow...
and you miss out darkvision, extra benefits like +1 AC from warforged or extra speed from wood elf... I am not sold...