D&D 5E Why go Strength over Dexterity?

[DaveDash]

This exact scenario happened last week at one of the other tables in my FLGS. The party of a rogue, bard, monk and wizard wasted most of their spell slots opening a barred door because the barbarian was out sick.

"Aww damnit guys, this blasted door! Next adventure?".

 

[DaveDash]

That's what Fire Bolt is for.

(Seriously, I love destructible environments. That's what makes live RPGs better than computer games that aren't X-COM. One of the things anyway.)

Just make sure Dr Valin or whatever her name is doesn't moan at you every time you blow stuff up.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Just make sure Dr Valin or whatever her name is doesn't moan at you every time you blow stuff up.

X-COM doesn't have any Dr Valin that I know of. All the names are randomly generated.

 

[Zardnaar]

Better feat support ie Great Weapon Master, Polearm Master, Heavy Armor Master, Shield MAster. If feats are not used dex is out right better IMHO.

 

[Kikuras]

Because it's more awesome to burst from the stomach of a dragon than to never have been swallowed at all?

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Count me among those thinking, "How can we answer your question--doesn't number crunching the benefits count as min-maxing?" That said, I am generally of the opinion that a Dex Fighter is the better "overall" package too.

Strength gets you higher damage...if you're willing to forgo the highest AC (can't use a shield with those 2h weapons!). Strength potentially gets you the highest AC...but you'll have the same damage output. Strength gives you "athletic" skills, which the barred door gives as a decent example--but you'll be at all the Dexterity skills, which may be more useful (and almost certainly better at risk avoidance) in the long run. Strength saves are rare, but might be slightly nastier; Dex saves are quite common, especially at lower levels where (IMO) failing a save is the most seriously dangerous.

I really think "excellent Initiative and stealth skills" is a better deal than "highest AC ~or~ highest damage, plus athletics." In most other ways, the two are comparable, or (IMO) Dex slightly wins out. There are no mechanical disincentives to Dex (not that I think there should be), and winning initiative is always a huge boon no matter what you play.

I can agree with the "you should probably have at least one person with good Strength in the party" line--but I worry that that's a bit (JUST a bit, not a huge amount!) like the old "somebody should play a Cleric" line. That is, with such seemingly-great benefits from Dex, what do you do if nobody *wants* to play a Str-based person? Obviously if you DO have someone who wants to, you're home free.

 

[Leatherhead]

Because you can't throw the Dwarf 20 feet in the air with dexterity.

 

[PnPgamer]

Well it helps towards strength save spells. And if you encounter spiders, you sure as hell will cry if you dumped strength. The defender of grapple can use either dex or str based skill to escspe, however the one initiating only uses the str based. Also swimming, climbing and other athletic checks are easier for you. Already has been mentioned that bigger weapons are strength only. If you go for the vsriant encumbrance rules, strength gets more value in how much you can carry.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

No, you are right. For some reason I had thought that you could use Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) for avoiding a grapple but escaping the grapple required Strength (Athletics). However either may be used to escape a grapple.

If I remember right (not at home where my books are), the skill check to *make* a grapple is STR (Athletics). I think the same applies to Shove and Knock Prone.

So, if you want to be grabbing foes and moving them around then you need Strength.

 

[aramis erak]

If I want to play Thor or Conan then I'm going to focus on strength. If I want to play Zorro or Robin Hood then I'm going to focus on dexterity. Mechanics aren't everything, sometimes it's the concept that you want to play.

The Conan of the novels would be more dex than strength, but both high.