transtemporal
Explorer
While I do agree that hit points are important, my gut says that AC is equally important and viable in the long run, perhaps more so than any edition in a long time. With the proficiency bonus being so flat, any bonus to AC is going to be huge and continually to be for a long time.
Kind of. Monster attack bonus doesn't outpace AC like it did in earlier editions but I still wouldn't bother as a cloth wearer unless I could get easy decent AC like a mountain dorf. 14/16/18 is what I'd be aiming at for low/low-med/med levels (maybe even med-high). Its enough that you have some miss chance rather than none. Past that, its diminishing returns for a cloth wearer.
Heck, it's the first edition in a long time where a shield is a great option, as is the Dodge action. 5E finally allows you to be a legit tank, and all it really takes is fighting with a shield and the Dodge action.
Quite true for a heavy armor/shield wearer or a monk/bbn type. 5e fighters are considerably less sticky than previous editions, even with the Sentinel and goading maneuver. Just taking the dodge action isn't enough imo.