D&D 5E (2024) Which class is the most durable (level 1)?

[Zardnaar]

Well completed Sunless Citadel today. Lots of elemental damage. Can see how people TPK.

 

[TorgoTheWhite]

There is some fighter bias in the previous stuff (said as someone who loves them fighters )

1) leaving heavily into the extra feat for a cantrip (casting time action with verbal and somatic components), but the barb does not benefit of the humans racial 2nd feat in this comparison, so an unfair maximizing comp. So if the barb is going Durable build route we are NOT choosing human... we are now maxing our durability potential by choosing stone goliath, dwarf, orc, maybe aasi-hole - So as to maximize for BOTH contestants.
2) Action economy: A FULL ACTION lost to blade ward can be arguably less reliable than BONUS ACTION lost to rage. If you are talking sap/weapon mastery coming into play earlier, this specific comp is starting to look favorably in the barbarian's direction.
3) This comp would possibly give the edge to the barb with the 1 AC detriment, but all important action economy advantage, and better lv 1 nova survivability. Sure init doesn't always favor you for rage.. same can be said for the fighter... but then all you are talking about a squishier HP base and 1 AC to the better

 

[TorgoTheWhite]

I guess I am saying it is a more fair comparison for--
human fighter: tough + magic initiate vs stoliath barb: tough + stone's endurance... missed initiative = no problem, use a reaction for 1d12+CON dmg whisked away... do it again, same amount of uses as 2nd wind.
Or dwarfbarb: tough + dwarf-tough. Stack even more HP for the rage reduction to mean even more.

If it is a maximizing comparison you can't then assume the barbarian would minimize durability feat selections to not equalize the magic initiate choice somewhat.

 

[ECMO3]

But the defenses are not perfectly equal. I’m particularly worried about the barbarian taking hits before he gets to go or running out of rages in a 4+ encounter 1 short rest adventuring day.

A 4 encounter day is going to put you at 2nd or possibly 3rd level, and if it doesn't they were weak encounters. So I don't think this is a significant concern for a 1st level PC.

 

[ECMO3]

I did my own analysis. Barbarians have half the gold fighters do to buy starting equipment. That's a fact. A fighter starts with chainmail and a shield for 18 AC before anything else. There's no reason for a fighter to start with a lower AC.

The second a barbarian makes the choice to add more rations and a decent ranged weapon they've purchased themselves out of that 18 AC for 1st level.

There is no reason for a 1st level Barbarian build for durability to have less than an 18 AC. They can do that on point buy without spending any gold on armor (S16 D16 C16 I8 W8 CH8) plus a shield.

Also what "decent ranged weapon" are you going to buy for a fighter who is using Chainmail and a Shield?

I still think a Chainlock destroys either of these though. 16 Dex, hiding with Armor of Agathys and a Shield spell in your back pocket while your Skeleton, or your Quasit or Sphinx of Wonder with 20+ hps engages the enemy .... and when they die you just summon a new one.

 

[FrogReaver]

There is no reason for a 1st level Barbarian build for durability to have less than an 18 AC. They can do that on point buy without spending any gold on armor (S16 D16 C16 I8 W8 CH8) plus a shield.

Also what "decent ranged weapon" are you going to buy for a fighter who is using Chainmail and a Shield?

I still think a Chainlock destroys either of these though. 16 Dex, hiding with Armor of Agathys and a Shield spell in your back pocket while your Skeleton, or your Quasit or Sphinx of Wonder with 20+ hps engages the enemy .... and when they die you just summon a new one.

Hiding isn’t full proof and you only have 10hp and 14-15 ac yourself. Armor of Agathys helps some. Strong build, but ‘durable’ isn’t the descriptor I would use.

 

[FrogReaver]

A 4 encounter day is going to put you at 2nd or possibly 3rd level, and if it doesn't they were weak encounters. So I don't think this is a significant concern for a 1st level PC.

Maybe. Not everyone plays with xp as the leveling option.

 

[FrogReaver]

I guess I am saying it is a more fair comparison for--
human fighter: tough + magic initiate vs stoliath barb: tough + stone's endurance... missed initiative = no problem, use a reaction for 1d12+CON dmg whisked away... do it again, same amount of uses as 2nd wind.
Or dwarfbarb: tough + dwarf-tough. Stack even more HP for the rage reduction to mean even more.

If it is a maximizing comparison you can't then assume the barbarian would minimize durability feat selections to not equalize the magic initiate choice somewhat.

Strangely the Goliath Stone Endurance ability works better for Fighters than Barbarians. While raging the damage reduction from stones endurance occurs before resistance's half damage reduction, essentially making stone's endurance half as effective for the raging Barbarian.

Somewhat ironically, Magic Initiate False life would benefit the raging Barbarian more than it does the Fighter.

Tough and Dwarven Tough also benefits the Raging Barbarian more.

Then if we go beyond BPS damage types, Lucky or halfling are helpful to improve saves.

 

[FrogReaver]

Warlock does have 1 particularly tanky build. Fiendish Vigor Invocation.

12 temp hp per action.

Couple that with Goliath Stones Endurance and Healing Word / Cure Wounds and thats a ton of hp to chew through. If one can get armor of agathys in there, then do that, but it doesn't aid in durability, it's just really strong due to the high temp hp you can get.

 

[mellored]

Warlock does have 1 particularly tanky build. Fiendish Vigor Invocation.

Requires level 2.

But Pact of the Chain works better than you think.
13 AC and 24 HP, for 10GP and an action.

You can easily get 120HP if you dumped money into incense. On top of Armor of Agathys.

Not going to be a long term strategy, but there you go.