Not all opponents are intelligent, and not all opponents have the abilities to attack a caster in the back. No one said they never get attack, only that is MUCH less frequently than say the frontline melee, also a ranged Archer can be just as deadly as the Wizard.
D&D 5E Dwarves are the best spellcasters?
Not all opponents are intelligent, and not all opponents have the abilities to attack a caster in the back. No one said they never get attack, only that is MUCH less frequently than say the frontline melee, also a ranged Archer can be just as deadly as the Wizard.
High Dex does little for a caster who can wear armour. The highest native (i.e. without using magic) AC achievable for a wizard is 15 and that's only when his Dex gets to 20. A dwarf wizard with 14 Dex can have that AC as soon as he can afford the 50gp for a chain shirt (let alone anything better).
Using point buy, an Elven wizard can get an Int of 16 at level 1, giving them a marginal advantage over a dwarf in the spellcasting stakes (save DC and spell attack rolls enjoy a +1). By level 12, that margin ceases to exist at all, yet the dwarf still enjoys the benefit of superior armour which is completely inaccesible to the elf (with basic rules at least), as well as hihger Str and Con.
The dwarf can also afford to pump his prime stat, Int, to the exclusion of others, while the elf must also continue to increase dex and the other stats or lag behind further.
Using point buy, an Elven wizard can get an Int of 16 at level 1, giving them a marginal advantage over a dwarf in the spellcasting stakes (save DC and spell attack rolls enjoy a +1). By level 12, that margin ceases to exist at all, yet the dwarf still enjoys the benefit of superior armour which is completely inaccesible to the elf (with basic rules at least), as well as hihger Str and Con.
The dwarf can also afford to pump his prime stat, Int, to the exclusion of others, while the elf must also continue to increase dex and the other stats or lag behind further.
AverageCitizen
Explorer
Except native isn't the main concern for wizard ac. Dwarven wizards can't use mage armor, so they get a spell slot back, but the non dwarves catch up a bit
GrumpyGamer
First Post
As you have pointed out the choice of a Mountain Dwarf can be a good one, but there are a few drawbacks. First you are unlikely to get much use out of that +2 Str boost, second you are going to be at disadvantage on stealth checks, and third you may not be in your armor when you are attacked.
In addition all of the other races bring something useful to the table. A Halfing has Lucky, a Human has all around better stats, and an Elf has an extra cantrip.
I would take all of the cantrips in the game if I could, so I would pick the Elf, but it is going to come down to your character concept and what you value in a character.
In addition all of the other races bring something useful to the table. A Halfing has Lucky, a Human has all around better stats, and an Elf has an extra cantrip.
I would take all of the cantrips in the game if I could, so I would pick the Elf, but it is going to come down to your character concept and what you value in a character.
Sacrosanct
Legend
The best spellcaster is the one is best at casting spells. Not doing other things. You don't say someone is the best quarterback if they aren't as good as throwing as another guy but happens to also be able to kick halfway decent. And in D&D terms, the best spellcaster is the one with the highest prime attribute. INT for wizards, WIS for clerics, etc.
So quite clearly, dwarves are not the best spellcasters
So quite clearly, dwarves are not the best spellcasters
An elf will have maxed out his Int at level 8, so he can easily afford to put points into Dex at level 12 if he wants to. So while the dwarf's AC remains static, the elf's can actually improve over time.
It really is a matter of personal preference. The dwarf is not superior, just different.
GrumpyGamer
First Post
As you level casting mage armor becomes much more palatable, as you will likely not use all of your 1st level slots in a day. For this reason I would likely cap this comparison at ~8th level - prior to getting a 5th level spell slot.
AverageCitizen
Explorer
Some quarterbacks are good because they can run the ball almost as well as their running backs.
Everyone is gonna get hit, so spellcasters cast spells AND get hit (and make concentration checks). Being better at getting hit could arguably make you a better spellcaster.
Tldr; you can't cast spells when you're dead.
keterys
First Post
Since my stat preference for wizards goes Int, Dex, Con in that order, with Str at the very bottom no matter how the others go, this fascination with dwarven wizards really feels odd.
I mean, sure, at like 1st level they're special, but once you're out of apprentice tier they're a lot less attractive, and honestly I'm much more worried about winning initiative on a wizard than on my ability to wear medium armor. Especially since you can just spend a feat for armor proficiency, with some other added benefits.
I mean, sure, at like 1st level they're special, but once you're out of apprentice tier they're a lot less attractive, and honestly I'm much more worried about winning initiative on a wizard than on my ability to wear medium armor. Especially since you can just spend a feat for armor proficiency, with some other added benefits.
Sacrosanct
Legend
No one is going to convince anyone else that Mike Vick (even in his prime) was a better QB than Tom Brady or Peyton Manning because he could also run. This isn't subjective either. With the way abilities drive spellcasting (Save DC, attack bonuses, in some cases damage bonuses), the best spellcaster is the one with the best prime attribute. If the dwarf cannot cast a spell as effective as an elf, all else being equal (level, etc), then the dwarf isn't as good as a caster. End stop.
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