- Search
- Search all Forums
- Search this Forum
- Search this Thread
- Tools
- Jump to Forum
Dex, the underrated Barb stat?
-
#1 Oct 17, 2019
Zoomzoom97
Zoomzoom97
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
- Prestidigitator
- Join Date: 2/17/2019
- Posts: 44
- Member Details
Hullo all!
I got bored the other day and started to peruse some Barbarian guides as was a little surprised to see how many of them treated Dexterity as a meh stat.
Obviously Strength and Constitution are the Barb's best stats, but I think Dexterity is easily the third most important. If you're rushing down a bunch of enemies, you want the extra AC and maybe some acrobatic skill to maneuver your way to them. Additionally, the higher Initiative is real good for a Barbarian! If you're able to get on top of your enemies before they can react, then you're right where you want to be!
Yet a lot of guides I've read just say that "Oh yeah Dexterity is something you should eventually up, but its not that important." The guides usually throw it as a mid tier stat, and some even rate Wisdom as better or just as good.
Maybe I'm missing something, but I think an agile Barbarian is rad! Why just be strong when you can be strong and agile? I think its cool! What about you guys? Is there something I'm missing with Dexterity that's super bad or something?
-
#2 Oct 17, 2019
HouzoS
HouzoS
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
- Feytouched
- Join Date: 10/12/2019
- Posts: 237
- Member Details
i disagree since i have a Kokiri barbarian (homebrew race) with unique barbarian stats, high dex lower str
My Spells, My Races, My Magic Items, My Monsters, My Subclasses,
-
#3 Oct 17, 2019
Sigred
Sigred
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
- Thaumaturgist
- Location: St. Louis
- Join Date: 3/23/2018
- Posts: 1,879
- Member Details
No, there's nothing bad about Dexterity. What youare missing is the value of Dex--relative to the other ability scores--for a Barbarian.
Barbarian class design revolves around Strength as your ability score for making attacks. You do not gain bonus damage from Rage unless you are attacking with Strength. You cannot use Reckless Attack at all unless you are attacking with Strength. The greatest thing about Dex in 5e is that it can be used as your attack stat with ranged & finesse weapons. You can absolutely be a Barbarian with high dex stabbing things like crazy with a Rapier, but then you're just a worse version of a Fighter doing the same thing.
Constitution is naturally the #2 most important for a Barb, for obvious reasons. Depending on your Primal Path, there is a strong possibility that Wisdom plays a role in the features from that path, sothat's why some people value it over Dex. Wisdom isalways good if for no other reason than having a decent Perception, and 3/6 of the possible skills a Barbarian can be proficient in rely on Wisdom. Acrobatics is something that will rarely ever come up for a Barbarian. Most of the common situations which call for an Acrobatics (Dex) check can also be done with Athletics (Str) more easily. Point-for-point, you will get more out of Str/Con--and possibly Wis--than you will out of Dex.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk birddivebombing youwhile carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
-
#4 Oct 18, 2019
Lunali
Lunali
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
- Adventurer
- Join Date: 4/6/2018
- Posts: 1,416
- Member Details
You said it yourself, dexterity is the third most important stat. That means it's halfway down the list of stats, making it 'meh.'
-
#5 Oct 18, 2019
halfling2099
halfling2099
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
- Burglar
- Join Date: 5/18/2017
- Posts: 225
- Member Details
I would say wisdom is a more important stat than dex for a barbarian. Hold person and hideous laughter are low level spells that can be used to make you drop rage and are both wis saving throws. Most dex based saving throws are just damage, failing those isn't as bad for a character with the biggest hit dice.
Also barbarians are proficient with medium armor and shields if they wanted more AC they could get it.
-
#6 Oct 19, 2019
crzyhawk
crzyhawk
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
- Veteran
- Join Date: 8/18/2017
- Posts: 2,694
- Member Details
It depends on what you're trying to do with the character really. Most barbarians probably don't need any more than 14 dex. If you take your dex higher than that, you're probably gimping a stat that you'd prefer to be higher.
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
-
#7 Oct 19, 2019
HouzoS
HouzoS
- View User Profile
- View Posts
- Send Message
- Feytouched
- Join Date: 10/12/2019
- Posts: 237
- Member Details
my gimp stat is wisdom tbh lol
My Spells, My Races, My Magic Items, My Monsters, My Subclasses,
- To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Posts Quoted:
Reply
Clear All Quotes
Previous Thread
Jump to Forum
Next Thread
