Worst Race?

[Kitirat]

What is your general opinion on the worst of the races (Mechanically)? If ya vote, reasons why and what you'd think of doing with the race to make it better would be great things to post.

It would also be cool to post if you've actually played as well.

See ya,
Ken

[Saitou]

You mean, besides the Half Elf?

The only thing the Halfelf seems good for is a Star pact Warlock. Maybe a Warlord, but it wouldn't be all that optimal.

[FitzTheRuke]

I can't say I understand what people think is wrong with the half-elf. Seems fine to me if you don't "leave out the multiclass power due to space limitations".

With enough room on your character sheet I think they're great.

Can't say I've personally found a bum race. They're all good depending on what you are trying to do.

Fitz

[lutecius]

shouldn't this thread have a poll?

[rkanodia]

People don't like the half-elf because multiclassing is turning out to be very, very hard in 4th edition. You can't just pick any random class and pull a power from it. First, you have to make sure that the power uses a stat that is high for you. Then, you have to make sure that the tool required for that power is compatible with the tools that you use. If those conditions are not both met, then you are going to find out that your multiclass skill has a terrible chance to hit and/or low damage and/or requires you to juggle weapons in combat.

At low levels, the 'tool' thing isn't necessarily as serious. For instance, a Tactical Warlord might pick up Scorching Burst (like the KOTS Warlord pregen) and find it to be quite handy. However, as the Warlord gains levels, they'll find that their to-hit lags significantly behind a 'real' wizard, unless he both invests in a magic wand, and spends actions swapping it in and out during combat.

[Cadfan]

Or fights with a wand in one hand, and a sword in the other. Worth it if you're serious about multiclassing enough to pick up the encounter power swap, and maybe the daily power swap.

[mattdm]

Originally Posted by rkanodia

If those conditions are not both met, then you are going to find out that your multiclass skill has a terrible chance to hit and/or low damage and/or requires you to juggle weapons in combat.

Hmmm. What about some mechanism by which the half-elf gets a boost to to-hit with the dilettante power? (Maybe by allowing it to use Cha even if it's not normally a Cha-based power?)

[Raith5]

None of the above - I thought the races are all good and interesting. Well balanced too.

[small pumpkin man]

Originally Posted by mattdm

Hmmm. What about some mechanism by which the half-elf gets a boost to to-hit with the dilettante power? (Maybe by allowing it to use Cha even if it's not normally a Cha-based power?)

Perhaps. That's how the DragonBorn breath weapon works. On the other hand, in general, it would be nice if things like pact daggers and Holy Avengers were easier to get.

[plutocracy]

Originally Posted by Saitou

You mean, besides the Half Elf?

The only thing the Halfelf seems good for is a Star pact Warlock. Maybe a Warlord, but it wouldn't be all that optimal.

In addition to rocking out the warlock class, you forgot paladin! Paladins don't need STR anymore, you can have all CHA based powers with a nice big CON score for extra healing surges and HP (right up the paladin's alley). You can take the dilettante power from the warlock class list (eyebite). You can even multiclass warlock all the way up with the paladin warlock dabbler.

So yes, 1/2 elves only rock 2 classes (paladin/warlock) and are passable at a third (warlord), just like pretty much all the other races.

Worst race= eladrin. Int AND Dex? crap. Both provide the same bonuses to REF and AC, and no class really excels with having both of them high (wand wizard being small exception).

[Masquerade]

I would say Tiefling. Fire resistance is too conditional and Infernal Wrath is no Elven Accuracy.

Personally, I like the Half-Elf. Much improved from its 3.5 version.

[rkanodia]

Originally Posted by Cadfan

Or fights with a wand in one hand, and a sword in the other. Worth it if you're serious about multiclassing enough to pick up the encounter power swap, and maybe the daily power swap.

This is doable, but it comes at a cost beyond that of the feats/class abilities; namely, you're giving up the +1 AC/+1 Ref that a typical Warlord gets from his shield.

An artful dodger rogue might be able to pull off that stunt and not give anything up by grabbing a wand or rod and some Warlock powers. But again, that is a case of specifically finding a compatible combination of stats and tools. You can't just say, "You know, my 16th-level Class X has decided that he wants to be more like Class Y, so he's going to take some multiclass feats" and expect to come up with something good, or even average.

[Falling Icicle]

I don't like the Half-Elf primarily because their racial traits don't make any sense. +2 Con? Where the hell did that come from? And on top of that, they got one of those lousy, "aura" like +1 skill for allies abilities, which I really don't like for several reasons. The dilettente feature is also really odd. I can see why they'd be given a very flexible feature, but why does it have to be an ability from another class? I think a bonus feat or skill would have made more sense, and been more in line with their human heritage. Instead of creating a race that really feels like a half human, half elf, what they came up with feels to me like a very bizarre and contrived race.

[kennew142]

Originally Posted by Falling Icicle

I don't like the Half-Elf primarily because their racial traits don't make any sense. +2 Con? Where the hell did that come from?

Hybrid vigor?

I hate half-elves for the same reason I hate half-orcs and half-dragons. I don't allow them in my homebrew games.

[Wik]

Y'know, I like the half-elf. When I first read over the races, I thought - "Finally, they've made half-elves playable again! And I love the idea of a group diplomacy boost. That's nice. And they have feats that give boosts to other skills, as well.