All Possible Ability Scores for 22 Points

[Burr]

It might not matter so much with +1 to two stats every 4 levels/tier, but 13 is a lot more desirable than 12 for feat access. So, 16 16 13 11 10 8 might be better from a practical point of view — you can then concentrate on putting your every-4 plusses into your top two stats, and the +1-to-all bump at 11 carries the two odd numbers into even.

From that perspective, the following strategy would also make a lot of sense, as it prepares you for two tertiary stat feat prereqs (one each tier) and one epic feat prereq (27 stat or higher, I believe).

Level 1:  17 14 13 12 10 8
Level 4:  18 14 14 12 10 8
Level 8:  19 15 14 12 10 8
Level 11: 20 16 15 13 11 9
Level 14: 21 16 16 13 11 9
Level 18: 22 17 16 13 11 9

 

[silentounce]

Wait, what are the stat increase levels? I thought it was +1 to two stats every four levels and then a flat bonus to all stats at each tier. Is it something different?

 

[Witchfinder General]

Wait, what are the stat increase levels? I thought it was +1 to two stats every four levels and then a flat bonus to all stats at each tier. Is it something different?

You do not get +1 to all stats at heroic tier, only at paragon (level 11) and epic (level 21). There is a +1 to any two stats at levels 4, 8, 14, 18, 24, and 28.

 

[silentounce]

You do not get +1 to all stats at heroic tier, only at paragon (level 11) and epic (level 21). There is a +1 to any two stats at levels 4, 8, 14, 18, 24, and 28.

Yeah, when I said at each tier I wasn't including heroic because you start there, I knew that much at least. Thanks for the info though, I was thinking it was every four levels.

It might not matter so much with +1 to two stats every 4 levels/tier, but 13 is a lot more desirable than 12 for feat access. So, 16 16 13 11 10 8 might be better from a practical point of view — you can then concentrate on putting your every-4 plusses into your top two stats, and the +1-to-all bump at 11 carries the two odd numbers into even.

Also, don't the multiclass feats require a 13 in a stat? This build would expand multiclassing options.

 

[mattdm]

Also, don't the multiclass feats require a 13 in a stat? This build would expand multiclassing options.

Yeah, although in most cases you'll want that to be at least your secondary stat. I mean, from a min-max point of view, which is why we have this thread at all, right?

 

[PrecociousApprentice]

Part of analyzing this data that has not been talked about is that fact that, for most characters, three of the stats won't matter most of the time. Since the defenses are the greater of two mods, then sorting the columns in decending order by stat1, stat2, and stat3 could give a better idea of playability than just total stat mods. Sure, things like stat raises, feat thresholds, and total stat mods will come into play, as well as weighted stat mods over levels, but the fundamental mechanic is the greater of two stat mods for defenses, and the primary/secondary stat mods for attacks. If you have primary and secondary stats that do not overlap, then you can get the best of both worlds. You get something like this.

17 14 14 10 10 8
16 16 13 10 10 9
16 16 13 11 10 8
16 16 12 12 10 8
16 16 12 10 10 10
16 16 12 11 10 9
16 16 12 11 11 8
16 15 14 10 10 9
16 15 14 11 10 8
16 14 14 12 10 9
16 14 14 12 11 8
16 14 14 13 10 8
16 14 14 11 10 10
16 14 14 11 11 9

Two have no penalties, most have 13s or higher in the top three, and one has a 17, which if you think about going to 30th means that counting the odd number of possible stat raises means that you get the highest possible stat mod at 28th lv, and take biggest advantage of the starting points. Notice no 18s. Interesting.

This dataset also includes only the 12.5 to 11 rated weighted averages from the original dataset that I got off this thread. It doesn't even contain all the 11s.

Condensing this data down even further, it seems you could easily get just a couple of choices.

1) Do you want to overweight your primary stat?
2) Do you want to overweight one of your secondary stats?
3) Is one secondary stat more important than the other?
4) Are you OK with a penalty in a stat?

 

[mattdm]

Notice no 18s. Interesting.

So what's the best one which does contain an 18?

 

[PrecociousApprentice]

Probably one of these.

18 14 11 10 10 8
18 14 10 10 10 9

The others were quite a bit lower in my evaluation. Unless you don't want any penalties. Then this one.

18 12 12 10 10 10

 

[Bolongo]

Two have no penalties, most have 13s or higher in the top three, and one has a 17, which if you think about going to 30th means that counting the odd number of possible stat raises means that you get the highest possible stat mod at 28th lv, and take biggest advantage of the starting points.

The number of possible stat raises is 8. Which is an even number.

1) Do you want to overweight your primary stat?
2) Do you want to overweight one of your secondary stats?
3) Is one secondary stat more important than the other?
4) Are you OK with a penalty in a stat?

1) Oh yes indeed.
2) Probably, considering the next answer...
3) For most builds, absolutely. I would say a lot of builds don't actually have a proper tertiary stat - often you just want a 3rd score to be relatively decent to shore up one of your defenses or to get more hit points.
4) Sure. You should always be able to find at least one stat that doesn't matter for defenses because you have the other one in the pair, and that isn't used for any of your trained skills.

 

[silentounce]

So what's the best one which does contain an 18?

Well, if you decide you want an 18, you don't get many choices because that takes up 16 of the 22 points. Not much point to that if you ask me.