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Message: <blockquote data-quote="77IM" data-source="post: 7639572" data-attributes="member: 12377">I think the deeper problem here is that 5E really encourages pumping your primary attack stat and dumping everything else (except Con).Dex-warrior: Pump Dex, get all the Dex goodies, dump Str, still have good AC due to light armor.Str-warrior: Pump Str, get all the heavy weapon goodies, dump Dex, still have a good AC due to heavy armor.To me, those cases do not count as "investing" in AC because increasing your primary attack stat is already an attractive option for the other benefits. There's no trade-off regarding AC; you don't have to pick between being good at your primary job and having AC. (There is a trade-off regarding other functions of the ability scores, like skills and saves.)Barbarian/cleric/ranger/valor-bard/etc.: Pump your primary attack stat, get all its goodies, but wait, now you have a choice: Either divert some ability score points into Dex (and possibly a feat) or suffer a lower AC due to medium armor. There's a trade-off to be made. This is in addition to the trade-offs you're making regarding the other functions of ability scores. And the pain here is that you can't choose to ignore AC because you are going to get attacked.For example, if you're playing a Str-based fighter in plate, you can choose to get a little Dex and have a decent ranged attack, or you can dump Dex and just choose to deal with distant attackers a different way (e.g., your superb Athletics modifier, or the occasional javelin). But if you're playing a Str-based ranger in scale or half-plate, you can get a little Dex and have a decent ranged attack and AC, but if you dump Dex your AC suffers along with your ranged attack (and Stealth, etc.). That's not something that happens to characters that go pure-Dex or pure-Str.I find it kinda backwards; getting the good AC should require more difficult trade-offs, not fewer.</blockquote>

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