Str and Dex Fighter?

Post/Author/DateTimePost
#1

Amondaun

Jul 01, 2015 12:17:49		As the title says I'm making a new character for my main d&d group. I really want to play a fighter but wanted to use strength AND dex as his main stats. Fighting style would likely include a greatsword and crossbow. I realize that in terms of stat point efficiency this is not the best decision. However, I want to make a veteran warrior who came be both strong and nimble combining all the martial aspects of a fighter. Is this a bad idea? Would I be splitting my stat points too thin by taking this approach?
#2

Rya.Reisender

Jul 01, 2015 12:48:45

The second starter set fighter is pretty much exactly like that.

 

The biggest issue I encountered with him is that it's quite hard to switch weapons if you are strictly going with the "one object interaction per turn". You can't easily switch from bow to melee weapon unless you plan ahead (end your turn unequipped).

 

Other than that it works just fine, you won't really need int, wis and cha. Leave perception, problem solving and talking to the others. You will lack a bit on constitution but as you have a 1d10 hit die, it isn't such a huge problem and if you mostly focus on ranged attacks, you won't be taking too much damage.

#3

mellored

Jul 01, 2015 13:23:02

You can simply drop your bow, then draw a greatsword.  Pick your bow up after the fight.

 

Shields are an issue though.  Can't swap them easily.

#4

Weedeater

Jul 01, 2015 14:19:09

Luckily also fighters get more ASI than anyone, so spreading your stats out is easier.

#5

GladiusLegis

Jul 01, 2015 15:01:11

With a standard point buy, you can get 15,15,14,10,8,8. Then pick a race that gives you at least a total of +2 worth of bonuses in STR and DEX.

 

You can get 20s in both, have a decent 14 CON and 10 WIS, and since you're a Fighter you still have 3 feats/ASIs to play with (4 if a Variant Human). Since you want greatswords and crossbows, use two of those feats for Great Weapon Master and Crossbow Expert, respectively. Use your last feat opening for whatever, maybe Sharpshooter, or maybe Resilient (WIS) (both of those if Variant Human).

#6

Treantmonklvl20

Jul 01, 2015 16:48:36

You may get more value from feats than from stat boosts.  Feats like Alert, Heavy armor master, Inspiring leader, Lucky or Mage slayer might be a way to get a power boost that doesn't favor one attack type over the other.

#7

UngeheuerLich

Jul 02, 2015 6:06:47

Dex and Str allows you to switch from long bo/crossbow to tw handed weapon. This makes you well rounded.

A pure dex fighter can only swap to rapier + free hand. A pure strength fighter has to rely on thrown weapons.

Swapping from one weapon to another is no problem. Drop bow and draw the sword. One switch is free.

 

One way to circumvent that restriction: be an eldritch knight and summon your weapon into your hand.

#8

LordTwig

Jul 02, 2015 10:49:03

I'm in the minority, but I like the standard human for concepts like this. With +1 to all stats you can start with something like this:

16 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 12 Int, 13 Wis, 10 Cha

Or

16 Str, 16 Dex, 14 Con, 10 Int, 12 Wis, 9 Cha

 

I personally prefer the first with the Resilient Wisdom feat. Then switch back and forth adding +2 to Str and Dex. If you go Champion Fighter you can get two Fighting styles, Great Weapon Fighting and Archery (though you have to wait till level 10 to get the second style). Of course I don't like to focus too much on one thing. I like to be more well rounded.

 

So by level 8 a Champion Fighter could be: 18 Str, 16 Dex, 14 Con, 12 Int, 14 Wis, 10 Cha, with proficiency in Str, Con and Wis saves and +3 to all Str, Dex and Con checks he is proficient in and +2 to the ones he isn't (including Dex Saves, Death Saves and Initiative rolls). He just reeks of physical competence in anything he does.

 

Or you could go with the second array, get Crossbow Expert at 4th (so you can use the extra attack at 5th) and at 8th level you would end up with: 18 Str, 18 Dex, 14 Con, 10 Int, 12 Wis, 9 Cha, proficiency in Str and Con saves, +3 to all Str, Dex and Con checks he is proficient in and +2 to the ones he isn't (including Dex Saves, Death Saves and Initiative rolls).

 

Attacks would be +7 to hit, 2d6+4 (reroll 1s and 2s) for Greatsword or 1d10+4 for heavy crossbow.

 

Is this the most optimized build? No. But you will be better in hand-to-hand than any ranged characters and better at ranged then any melee focused character, and only slightly behind them in their primary focus.

#9

SterlingRat

Jul 02, 2015 11:22:25

What I picture here is a fighter from an organized military unit... kind of a standard infantryman who learned how to fight in Medium Armor (Heavy Armor is for Nobles and Generals) with cheap, mass-produced weapons (Pikes, Halberds) rather than the expensive swords and status symbols most of the people he has to salute carry. Maybe he only joined the army because of a mis-spent youth... he was given the "Army or Jail" choice, or maybe he was taken out of jail for a suicide mission "Dirty Dozen" style... Give him Urchin or Criminal background, plan on getting Medium Armor Mastery so he can sneak in good armor, polearm master because no one would waste time training a grunt who won't live to see a second battle how to fight with a real sword.

 

4-polearm master

6-str +2 (16)

8-Dex +2 (16)

12-Medium Armor Master

14-Str +2 (18)

16-Str+2 (20)

19-Will you really get here? Ummm... Alert? Lucky? Resilient (Wis) Whatever... 

 

Definitely a battlemaster... he's picked up a few mean tricks on his way up, right?

#10

Rya.Reisender

Jul 03, 2015 7:54:29

mellored wrote:
#11

FrogReaver

Jul 03, 2015 9:23:19

Take archer style.  Start with 16 str and 16 dex.  Make a str based melee fighter.  There your melee ranged character problem is solved.  Never increase dex.

 

You'll do average 12 melee damage and 7.5 ranged damage per hit.  You will have the same to hit in both stats.

 

.5*12=6 melee DPR

7.5*.5 = 3.75 ranged DPR

 

 

Likewise you could take great weapon style.  Use 18 str and 18 dex.  which would give you.

 

12.33 melee damage per hit and 8.5 ranged damage per hit. At the cost of a 5% reduction in chance to hit.

 

.45* 12.33 = 5.5486 melee DPR

.45*8.5 = 3.825 Ranged DPR

 

 

One other option:

Go 18 in both str and dex and take archer style.

 

11 damage maul

8.5 damage bow

 

11*.45 = 4.95

8.5 * .55 = 4.675

 

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Also look into having the DM create a feat for you that will allow you to change between weapons as your free object interaction on your turn.  I could see that and a +1 to dex being appropriate for a feat.  Maybe add in the benefit to switch weapons as part of your reaction to take an OA as well.

 

So it's really just a question of how much you want your melee attacks to outdamage your ranged attacks.  And whether you can get a feat in to accomodate what you are trying to do.

#12

Yunru

Jul 03, 2015 11:14:47 		If you're not 100% on the sword:

Take a weapon with the Thrown and Light properties and a Hand Crossbow. Grab Crossbow Expert. A basic turn would go as such: Slash, Slash, Throw weapon, Shoot (and reload) Crossbow, pick up weapon.