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

[Blackbrrd]

Btw, 3e "solved" this issue, by just letting you add STR to damage, not DEX for finesse weapons or ranged attacks. If you wanted to do high damage you either needed high strength or an alternate way (sneak attack dice for instance). This kind of made a "trap" for new players making a dex-based Rogue that did nothing in combat without sneak attack.

 

[caudor]

It depends on what you mean by better. If a player enjoys the strong fighter play style, then it is better. If the players prefers a lighter, more finesse fighter, then a Dex-based fighter is better. In other words, what is best depends on what the player enjoys.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Fair point. Still, I would generally take Stealth and Acrobatics over Athletics.

I would too if Shove/Grapple didn't exist, use Athletics, and only take 1 Attack!

But stupid Gauntlets of Ogre Power/Belt of Giant Strength...

I like that DEX FTR is super-viable, though!

 

[Quartz]

Page 60, under Attack Rolls and Damage

Got it, thanks.

 

[TwoSix]

• I think Dex-based rapier-and-board edges out Str-based longsword-and-board, but not overwhelmingly so.
• Two-weapon fighting is better than great weapon in the early levels, on par in the mid-levels, falls far behind at high levels. However, feats and other martial archetypes might change this.

Not to mention the greater chance that Gauntlets of Ogre Power might be coming into play at this point. Why be a Str or Dex fighter when you can be both?

 

[Morlock]

I don't have anything useful to add, just wanted to say that I prefer STR fighters to have the edge over DEX fighters, so any "fixes" folks post would be useful, I think. They have weight classes in boxing and MMA for a reason, and I don't think that boils down solely to "easily quantifiable." And in the aggregate, strength seems to be more the forte of the mythic warrior than agility. Agility would seem about as important as other secondary traits like cunning, charisma, etc.

In gamist terms, Dex already has a class.

Btw, 3e "solved" this issue, by just letting you add STR to damage, not DEX for finesse weapons or ranged attacks. If you wanted to do high damage you either needed high strength or an alternate way (sneak attack dice for instance). This kind of made a "trap" for new players making a dex-based Rogue that did nothing in combat without sneak attack.

Dex shouldn't add to damage was the first thing that sprang to mind for me.

 

[Cybit]

Note; STR fighters can get up to 21 AC with Plate + Shield + Defensive Fighting Style, and 19 AC with a 2h Weapon. Dex fighters seem to be more versatile, but STR fighters lay out the damage from my experience.

Also, breaking down doors and stuff ends up being STR, as does grapple / shove / etc; which has proven way more useful in play than I ever imagined.

Also, I assume there will be a DEX based magic item as well?

 

[Sacrosanct]

I think there's a difference, but not significantly so to the point where no one would want to play a STR based fighter. Maybe in the charop groups, but most gaming groups I know, players don't drill down to that level of analysis. They just play what they think is cool. As it should be.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Shove and Grapple aren't corner-case, they're really awesome in 5E because they take 1 ATTACK not 1 ACTION, and are powerful and, against many enemies, extremely reliable. Most powerful they've ever been in any edition by a long shot, I think.

Too powerful, I think. I was shocked when I saw them in the combat section. They'll definitely need tweaking in my game:

You have disadvantage on your check if your opponent is larger.
You have advantage on your check if you are more than 1 size larger than your opponent.

This will stack both ways when the combatants are more than 1 size apart, making for about a +/-7 difference.

Back to the OP:

Remove the DEX bonus to (non-finesse) damage.
Bring back Fort/Reflex/Will saves and the 4e allowance for "better of two" stat modifiers-- that will put STR back into play for Fort saves.

 

[the Jester]

Overall the Dex based fighter is better, except for the few corner cases when strength is useful, and at that point the player/character will get gauntlets of ogre power. Since the gauntlets are one of those iconic magic items that will appear in adventures and most likely in a home campaign.

Given that magic items are unnecessary and not assumed, I think any 5e analysis that relies on easy access to a given item is flawed on its face. I don't think we'll see gauntlets of ogre power in every campaign by any means.