D&D 5E What potential problems are there with this medium armor fix?

[Giltonio_Santos]

I think the concern is that for everyone but a barbarian, all those characters have the option to be Dex based and, from an optimization perspective, they should.

Only if you're in full optimization mode, and that's not always the case (for our group, it's rarely the case). I only start to optimize my character after deciding things like which race I want to be or which weapon I want to wield, and recently I ended up with a greatsword-wielding dragonborn valor bard. I could afford a 14 dex, but anything higher than that would be a waste.

 

[jaelis]

Only if you're in full optimization mode, and that's not always the case (for our group, it's rarely the case). I only start to optimize my character after deciding things like which race I want to be or which weapon I want to wield, and recently I ended up with a greatsword-wielding dragonborn valor bard. I could afford a 14 dex, but anything higher than that would be a waste.

Yes, but if someone does care about the optimization game, then it's not unreasonable for them to tinker with the Str/Dex balance.

I generally try to evaluate proposed house rules based on what the poster seems to want to accomplish, not on whether the rule would be good at my own table

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

And making a longsword wielding ranger invest in Dexterity or lose 2 AC over the finesse ranger is pushing into that category.

Investing in Dexterity isn't his only option. If he cares about his AC, and he's Strength-based anyway, he can take the Heavily Armored feat (or whatever it's called), wear plate, and gain 3 points of AC. He now has +1 AC better than the finesse ranger at the cost of one feat. (He's also way better at tanking because he can shove/grapple more effectively.)

I realize that this doesn't address your concern of wanting to keep wearing medium armor AND still be competitive; but it does solve the ranger's dilemma.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I don't think this homebrew for Medium Armor breaks anything, but take that with a grain of salt, because I also think there is nothing wrong with a Character that starts with 14 Str, 14 Dex, and 14 Con.

 

[Hillsy7]

I don't think this homebrew for Medium Armor breaks anything, but take that with a grain of salt, because I also think there is nothing wrong with a Character that starts with 14 Str, 14 Dex, and 14 Con.

Well actually, if any character is going to start with high str (athletics), and high dex (stealth, acrobatics), it's going to be a melee Ranger. If you focus on skills before attributes, medium armor for a Ranger makes lots of sense......

 

[BookBarbarian]

Well actually, if any character is going to start with high str (athletics), and high dex (stealth, acrobatics), it's going to be a melee Ranger. If you focus on skills before attributes, medium armor for a Ranger makes lots of sense......

Indeed the Last Character I rolled up was a Melee Ranger, but I'd use those stats on a Barbarian or a Fighter too.