4th Edition Class/Race Optimization

[mattdm]

So, using your 1.2b version and the default assumptions therein yields the following table. In bold, the 80%+ matches, normal, the 75-80% values, and after that, 70-75%.

Cleric: -, Dwarf, Human, Elf
Fighter: -, Dragonborn, Dwarf, Human, -
Paladin: Dragonborn, Human, Tiefling, Halfling, Dwarf, Half-Elf, Elf
Ranger: -, Elf, Eladrin, Human
Rogue: -, Halfling, Elf, Eladrin
Warlock: Tiefling, Human, Halfling, Dragonborn, Half-Elf, Eladrin, Dwarf, Elf
Warlord: Dragonborn, Human, -, Halfling, Eladrin, Tiefling
Wizard: Human, Eladrin, Tiefling, Elf

Dragonborn: Paladin, Warlord, Warlock, Fighter, -
Dwarf: -, Cleric, Paladin, Fighter, Warlock
Eladrin: -, Wizard, Warlock, Ranger, Rogue, Warlord
Elf: -, Ranger, Wizard, Cleric, Paladin, Rogue, Warlock
Half-Elf: -, Warlock, Paladin
Halfling: -, Warlock, Paladin, Rogue, Warlord
Human: Wizard, Warlock, Warlord, Paladin, Cleric, Fighter, Ranger
Tiefling: Warlock, Wizard, Paladin, Warlord

Time will tell how good your weightings are in reality.

 

[mlund]

The Paladin's structure is basically this:

Primary: Strength OR Charisma
Secondary: Wisdom

If you want to try and mix both Strength and Charisma based attacks with the Paladin instead of maximizing one or the other, then the Dragonborn runs out in front of everyone else - but with his 18 STR/CHA + 16 STR/CHA + 13 WIS he's not as powerful as someone with just 18 STR/CHA + 14 WIS, in my opinion, and 16 STR/CHA + 15 STR/CHA + 14 WIS seems extremely sub-optimal.

If you are looking for pure optimization, though, the only race that makes a stand-out Paladin is the Shifter Longtooth. They get +2 STR and +2 WIS which puts them head-and-shoulders above everyone else with 18 STR and 16 WIS off the Standard Array - which is a massive beating.

- Marty Lund