Zardnaar
Legend
Not as bonus actions though. Very important in combat.
More MAD so something has to give if you want a decent charisma score.
D&D (2024) Which class is the most durable (level 1)?
- Thread starter FrogReaver
- Start date
Not as bonus actions though. Very important in combat.
More MAD so something has to give if you want a decent charisma score.
SoSaltySalt
Villager
STR can use Finesse Weapons no problem. Just not ranged weapons
EzekielRaiden
Follower of the Way
Originally, I was thinking the short list had to be Fighter, Barbarian, and Paladin...but really if we're restricted to exclusively 1st level in 5.5e, it's got to be Fighter.
Barbarian's only durability boosters at 1st level are that it resists B/P/S damage while raging, and it has +2 bonus hit points. But now that Rage doesn't play nice with heavy armor, you're practically guaranteed to have worse AC, and you have no ways to heal yourself outside of Hit Dice...which only on average give you +1 HP compared to the d10s that Paladins and Fighters use. So Barbarian is pretty well out--you do take less damage, but once you're out of those HP, you're out.
Paladin is a tricky beast because I think some folks forget that it can now cast two 1st level spells at character level 1. That's a pretty stark change from 5.0. It means the 5.5e Paladin can now top herself up with two uses of 2d8+CHA healing (assume 2d8+2, if Str and Con are getting the 16s), for an expected average of +11 HP per use--which is going to be nearly a full self-heal! And then they also get 5 points from Lay on Hands. So that's an approximate average of +27 HP/day.
The Fighter, meanwhile, has Second Wind, and gets slightly more uses than 5.0 did; you now start with two and get one back per short rest. Ironically, by being smaller and swingier, this is actually somewhat more useful than the spells above; at 6.5 average HP per use, you're getting enough benefit to make it worthwhile, but not so much that you'll be afraid to use it unless you're getting full efficiency out of it. At higher levels, when there are more HP to lose, the Paladin would pull ahead even for unchanging amounts of healing. The sticker is in the need for short rests: the Fighter is stuck with only 13 HP/day if they never get any short rests, not even half the Paladin. They absolutely must get at least two short rests in order to even keep pace (6.5 x 4 = 26), though efficiency is a valid concern--but by that same token, those 5 points from LoH are perfectly efficient, while SW may still overheal, just with less chance than cure wounds.
So:
If you know your group takes the actually expected number of short rests (2-3) per day, then Fighter. If you are pretty confident you aren't going to get 2 short rests per adventuring day, Paladin.
Barbarian's only durability boosters at 1st level are that it resists B/P/S damage while raging, and it has +2 bonus hit points. But now that Rage doesn't play nice with heavy armor, you're practically guaranteed to have worse AC, and you have no ways to heal yourself outside of Hit Dice...which only on average give you +1 HP compared to the d10s that Paladins and Fighters use. So Barbarian is pretty well out--you do take less damage, but once you're out of those HP, you're out.
Paladin is a tricky beast because I think some folks forget that it can now cast two 1st level spells at character level 1. That's a pretty stark change from 5.0. It means the 5.5e Paladin can now top herself up with two uses of 2d8+CHA healing (assume 2d8+2, if Str and Con are getting the 16s), for an expected average of +11 HP per use--which is going to be nearly a full self-heal! And then they also get 5 points from Lay on Hands. So that's an approximate average of +27 HP/day.
The Fighter, meanwhile, has Second Wind, and gets slightly more uses than 5.0 did; you now start with two and get one back per short rest. Ironically, by being smaller and swingier, this is actually somewhat more useful than the spells above; at 6.5 average HP per use, you're getting enough benefit to make it worthwhile, but not so much that you'll be afraid to use it unless you're getting full efficiency out of it. At higher levels, when there are more HP to lose, the Paladin would pull ahead even for unchanging amounts of healing. The sticker is in the need for short rests: the Fighter is stuck with only 13 HP/day if they never get any short rests, not even half the Paladin. They absolutely must get at least two short rests in order to even keep pace (6.5 x 4 = 26), though efficiency is a valid concern--but by that same token, those 5 points from LoH are perfectly efficient, while SW may still overheal, just with less chance than cure wounds.
So:
If you know your group takes the actually expected number of short rests (2-3) per day, then Fighter. If you are pretty confident you aren't going to get 2 short rests per adventuring day, Paladin.
Willie the Duck
Hero
Yes, but that shifts the requirement from 13 Str (remember OP premise is 1st level, so we're looking at chain mail, not plate) to 14 Dex, making the challenge even harder.
mellored
Legend
Both Fighter and Barbarian (and paladin) can easily start with 16 AC, 18 with a shield.
Heavy armor can upgrade to 17 with money, maybe by level 3, but doesn't start with it.
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They can, but the fighter also starts with a fighting style. The barbarian or paladin doesn't have the fighting style for that 1 more point of AC or whatever. All three start with weapon mastery.
The barbarian also cannot use blade ward and the shield spell picked up with magic initiate and also rage. The barbarian ends up with either no damage reduction and a small AC drop compared to the fighter or damage reduction and ~3.5 points of effective AC lost because of blade ward.
Going back to a typical +4 to hit bonus on opponents such as goblin minions, those goblins hit the 18 AC barbarian 35% of their attacks (before disadvantage). Those same goblins hit the 19 AC fighter applying a d4 penalty 17.5% of their attacks (before disadvantage) so the barbarian gets hit twice as often.
Paladins can take blade ward and shield but lack the 1 point of AC, and paladins also lack CON proficiency save so the fighter could maintain blade ward better.
Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad
Barbarian. D12 hit die and max at level 1 means you will have the most hit points.
Rage means you will be taking only half damage (or less) from attacks, while dishing out more damage than anyone.
Your AC will be the same as the Fighter. You will likely both be AC 17 at level 1. Barbarian with a 14 Dex 16 Con and a shield. Fighter with Chain Mail and a Shield, unless you're a Dex based fighter which seems much less optional these days with the nerfs to ranged weapon attacks.
For those mentioning Fighter's Action Surge, you don't have that at level 1.
Rage means you will be taking only half damage (or less) from attacks, while dishing out more damage than anyone.
Your AC will be the same as the Fighter. You will likely both be AC 17 at level 1. Barbarian with a 14 Dex 16 Con and a shield. Fighter with Chain Mail and a Shield, unless you're a Dex based fighter which seems much less optional these days with the nerfs to ranged weapon attacks.
For those mentioning Fighter's Action Surge, you don't have that at level 1.
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Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad
He likely has the same AC as the fighter at level 1 though so why would they take more hits before rage happens? They will probably both be AC 17 though both could be AC 18 at level 1 if they push it.
Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad
You cannot afford good heavy armor at level 1 though and the best you can afford provides the same AC as medium armor with a +2 dex modifier, or no armor with a 16 con and 16 dex. You're not getting Splint Mail at level 1. So Chain and Shield is 18. And Scale + Dex + Shield is 18, and Unarmored Defense with 16 Con and 16 Dex and Shield is 18. The best either is doing is 18, unless Fighter is choosing Defense for their Fighting Style.
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