D&D 5E So Is The Dex Based Fighter Just Strictly Better?

[Zardnaar]

I think having the following limits would be good:

Light armor + 5 DEX = 17
Medium armor + 2 DEX = 18
Heavy armor + no DEX = 19

I only scanned some of the posts, so I think this line might have already been posted/ suggested.

I think you should probably have different dex limits on armor.

No reason why full plate has no dex allowed.

Medium should probably have an ac limit two higher than light whike heavy is 3-4 higher.

Dex would still be Uber but wouldn't be outright the best. Giving up one point if AC for the other benefits is mostly a no brainer.

And if you're good at min maxing dex wins at damage as well due to sharpshooter.

Stat array delays the inevitable.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I think you should probably have different dex limits on armor.

I was just going with the current RAW default.

Our house-rule is:

• Light armor = full DEX
• Medium armor = half DEX (round up)
• Heavy armor half DEX (round down)

 

[Zardnaar]

I was just going with the current RAW default.

Our house-rule is:

• Light armor = full DEX
• Medium armor = half DEX (round up)
• Heavy armor half DEX (round down)

5E isn't perfect it's armor system is simple but they made those decisions for a reason.

 

[DND_Reborn]

5E isn't perfect it's armor system is simple but they made those decisions for a reason.

Ok, this is just confusing...

I think you should probably have different dex limits on armor.

Seems to be critiquing the values I used (which are default to 5E for DEX)

5E isn't perfect it's armor system is simple but they made those decisions for a reason.

Which is critiquing my house-rules when you seemed to be suggesting you didn't agree with RAW, and yet now you seem to be supporting their design choices.

Want to make up your mind?

 

[Zardnaar]

Ok, this is just confusing...


Seems to be critiquing the values I used (which are default to 5E for DEX)


Which is critiquing my house-rules when you seemed to be suggesting you didn't agree with RAW, and yet now you seem to be supporting their design choices.

Want to make up your mind?

I think we have the same conclusion (5E armor rules kinda suck) different solutions.

Yours simple house rule mines more a new edition.

 

[DND_Reborn]

I think we have the same conclusion (5E armor rules kinda suck) different solutions.

Yours simple house rule mines more a new edition.

Ok, just those responses seemed a bit contradictory.

Anyway, I favor a DR system for armor personally, instead of just AC.

Something like heavy armor would be AC 14 plus any DEX, but provide 4 DR., etc.

 

[Zardnaar]

Ok, just those responses seemed a bit contradictory.

Anyway, I favor a DR system for armor personally, instead of just AC.

Something like heavy armor would be AC 14 plus any DEX, but provide 4 DR., etc.

Could do a little bit of both. It's an easy houserule as well.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Could do a little bit of both. It's an easy houserule as well.

We did for a while, but it wasn't worth it to keep using it.

 

[Zardnaar]

We did for a while, but it wasn't worth it to keep using it.

Yeah problem with a lot of houserules.

Think I'm kinda over 5E takes around 5 years for me to get bored of an edition.

Or saturate the bookcase.

 

[Willie the Duck]

I prefer 3.5's method - they add to your existing score they don't replace it. So my house rule is that gauntlets of ogre power add +2 to strength up to a max of 20.

It never made sense to me that this kid
View attachment 252421
could hit as hard as the strongest person alive because he put on dad's belt as part of his costume.

True, but the game wasn't really designed with playing as kids in mind (the kid would still be a 0th level character, so you still wouldn't take them adventuring). The intent was for the guy who rolled a 15 Str, but chose a a fighter anyways (perhaps their overall Str/Dex/Con was good and no other class looked like a better fit) to, eventually, get up to par with or surpass the guy who rolled like crazy and got an 18/%% strength.

And that's really where 'replace'-style attribute items make sense -- when max stat is so far and away good that you really want it eventually on any successful character, but getting it naturally is unlikely and (most importantly) there aren't other major ways* of getting it. ASIs don't make sense along with these. ASIs make sense with 3e style boosts (so that no poor schlub will spend 2-3 ASIs getting their Str to 18-20, only to run across a Belt of Making that Investment Worthless next adventure. I understand that the replace items were probably to do a deliberate throwback to the TSR-era, but honestly it's one of those 'the other changes made in the meantime won't play nice with this' situations.
*Yes, wishes, but if you run into so many wishes you can raise a 15 str to 18/00 before finding gauntlets of ogre power, you're playing in a rather unique game.

Yeah, my recollection is that full plate was hard to find even when non-magical. Plate mail was kind of common, though, just as you say.

There was a subtle balance around the things, depending on which edition of TSR-era A/D&D and which expansions. Magic armor did not encumber (I think it might have gone towards max carried, but don't know if that was in all editions), and added to some saves (again, not sure if universal). So a +2 chainmail may or may not have been more useful to you than a suit of regular plate. Also differences if you used WvsAC table (and faced a lot of weapon-wielding enemies).