D&D 5E Dex barbarian
This right here. There are no issues of balance if there's no one else on the other side of the scale.
So if no one else is playing a melee-focused DEX combatant (rogue, ranger, fighter etc.) then you're fine. Just let the barbarian swap out every instance of STR in the mechanics to DEX and let them play. Even with that swap the barbarian isn't going to become an overpowered class, just like the Fighter doesn't become one when they focus on DEX instead of STR. The only reason the barbarian doesn't have a DEX option is due to WotC's desires for "class fantasy" ideals, not because of any balancing issues.
humble minion
Legend
Fair question.
Wizard, warlock, warlord (the Kibblestasty one), and one undecided at this point, possibly paladin.
One of my main balance concerns is if i houserule to make Dex attacks work with rage etc, the barbarian might end up TOO tanky, and to seriously threaten them I'd have to use enemies that would squish the rest of the party like bugs. But consensus here seems to be that a houserule like that is unnecessary.
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Then a DEX barbarian will be perfectly fine. And you don't even need to restrict them to "light" weapons... your standard 1d8 Finesse weapon in their hands will be perfectly acceptable. (And if the flavor of the "rapier" is an issue, then just change that 1d8 Finesse weapon to a "cutlass" or "sabre" or "falchion" or whatnot. It's all fine.)
It will be fine. Balance within the party is more important. The barbarian won’t be “too” tanky. The AC will still be lower than a full plate and shield paladin, especially if anyone ever gets magic armor. Too Tanky comes up really when someone’s AC gets past 21, or someone gets a +1 Shield. If the barbarian is hard to take down, just hit them again. Or knock him prone with that low strength. Or any number of other solutions.
The paladin is the too tanky potential.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
I don't think it is a good idea to use houserules like that. 1. The fighter does bot get +3 AC for switching to dex.
2. You never know if at some point somone else will play a melee class and then you might find yourself in a bad spot: do you give the other person also some extra or do you live with disbalance and possible dissatisfaction from the other classes player.
3. The restriction prevents elven accuracy working with rage wgich might be too easy. At least you can't use it with GWM - 5/+10 on top as there is no heavy finesse weapon.
Overall changing such rules might have consequences lated that you did not forsee. Often one houserule leads to anontger and you wonder why the game fell apart.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
Con 16 + dex 20 and a shield +1 at level 8 easily gets you to AC 21. Add half damage from melee attacks and advantage on reflex saves and good luck bringing this barbarian down. If they also have top damage, I would root for the barbarian...It will be fine. Balance within the party is more important. The barbarian won’t be “too” tanky. The AC will still be lower than a full plate and shield paladin, especially if anyone ever gets magic armor. Too Tanky comes up really when someone’s AC gets past 21, or someone gets a +1 Shield. If the barbarian is hard to take down, just hit them again. Or knock him prone with that low strength. Or any number of other solutions.
The paladin is the too tanky potential.
humble minion
Legend
That was my impression. And the DMsGuild subclass I linked in the OP has a 6th-level ability that costs an action to apply disadvantage against all incoming attacks for 1 minute - I have some definite balance concerns about that one.
Still, I think the player is fairly intent on playing a two-weapon barbarian though, so they probably won't max out the AC with a shield. Dual Wielder feat will probably show up, but that's only +1 to AC.
We will be playing the early parts of SotDQ though, which does hand out a +1 shield as a story reward at low level. Still, I'm the damn DM, i can change that to another item if i like,
So... from where I'm sitting I really don't see a problem.
When raging they'll get bonuses to Strength saves and ability checks to kick down a door. With a Strength of 8 that's still a big boost that'll help keep them from getting pushed, pulled, knocked down. And let them bust doors and stuff.
Make the rage damage bonus apply to finesse weapons instead of standard melee weapons. Allow Reckless attack to work with finesse weapons. Make Primal Champion apply to Dex instead of Str.
Nothing else requires Strength at all for the Barbarian or their Archetypes.
MAYBE take away shield proficiency just to press them harder into dual-wielding and let 'em rip like a beyblade.
Will they be more durable than other barbarians? Marginally. But they won't be slinging d10s or d12s around, so they're losing some offense. And once magic gear comes in it'll all balance out more or less since they won't be taking magic armor or shields to boost their AC further.
Early game they'll be about 10% harder to hit. Late game they'll be about as hard to hit as ever and almost entirely reliant on their resistance while doing slightly less damage than a Str-focused barbarian unless you homebrew some Elven Greatblade that hits like a greataxe while being finesseable.
When raging they'll get bonuses to Strength saves and ability checks to kick down a door. With a Strength of 8 that's still a big boost that'll help keep them from getting pushed, pulled, knocked down. And let them bust doors and stuff.
Make the rage damage bonus apply to finesse weapons instead of standard melee weapons. Allow Reckless attack to work with finesse weapons. Make Primal Champion apply to Dex instead of Str.
Nothing else requires Strength at all for the Barbarian or their Archetypes.
MAYBE take away shield proficiency just to press them harder into dual-wielding and let 'em rip like a beyblade.
Will they be more durable than other barbarians? Marginally. But they won't be slinging d10s or d12s around, so they're losing some offense. And once magic gear comes in it'll all balance out more or less since they won't be taking magic armor or shields to boost their AC further.
Early game they'll be about 10% harder to hit. Late game they'll be about as hard to hit as ever and almost entirely reliant on their resistance while doing slightly less damage than a Str-focused barbarian unless you homebrew some Elven Greatblade that hits like a greataxe while being finesseable.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
Yes. And the dual woelder path works perfectly fine with either str or dex first, the other one third or second.
Str 16, dex 14, con 14, (or dex 13, con 16) chain shirt, two handaxes.
Or
Str 13, dex 16, con 16, no armor, two short swords.
Both work perfectly fine. You don't even need a 3p subclass.
Totem or zealot or ancestral guardian or storm herald or wild magic (all but berserker) work well with lower str and more tankyness.
Ancestral guardian makes you the protector. Wolf totem allows you to give advantage to those near you. And so on.
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