Most Powerful Phb Race!
Jack Daniel
dice-universe.blogspot.com
Gnarly Gnomes Gnever Gnive up!
Do any of you realize just how bleeding hard it is to kill a Gnome? I mean jeez-o-peez, whenever I DM a Gnome PC, they just don't die!
Do any of you realize just how bleeding hard it is to kill a Gnome? I mean jeez-o-peez, whenever I DM a Gnome PC, they just don't die!
Lord Pendragon
First Post
Dwarves are nice, and I play a human myself, but I voted for halflings. They get a +1 to attack and AC for being small, then get a +1 to all saves, not just vs. spells, they get bonuses to a handful of skills, a bonus to dex, etc. etc. etc. It's a really tough package to beat.
Sure, the dwarf's bonus to con is nice, but a halfling fighter throwing daggers starts out with a +2 (+1 size, +1 thrown weapons) at level 1.
Sure, the dwarf's bonus to con is nice, but a halfling fighter throwing daggers starts out with a +2 (+1 size, +1 thrown weapons) at level 1.
El Ravager
First Post
I voted humans. 9 out of 10 of all the characters I play are human. I just find the extra feats and skill points just too useful.
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El Rav
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El Rav
Uller
Adventurer
Dwarves make the best tank fighter types, especially in a setting where most of the foes are orcs and/or giants.
But that's a niche, really(a large niche, but a niche none the less). So a dwarf will be really great at fighting giant spell casting orcs with poisoned weapons...
The versatility of the humans wins out, IMO. Besides...
********************(a D&D twist on an old joke):
A human fighter and a dwarf fighter are treed by a Dire Brown Bear(it ate the druid). It is only a matter of moments before the hungry bear realizes he can just push the tree down, so the human and the dwarf agree that they will simultaneously jump out of the tree and run in seperate directions, ensuring that at least one will survive.
The human says "one moment..." and begins removing his armor. The dwarf asks "Do you think that will help you out run the bear?"
"No" the human replies. "But it will guaruntee that I can outrun you..."
***********************
'nuff said. Dwarves are the first to get eaten when it comes time for the party to run away, leaving the other races to gain levels faster and therefore become more powerful.
Besides...It has already been established that clerics and wizards are the most powerful classes and Dwarves make average wizards and generally poor clerics. Humans are pretty good at both and can freely multiclass to them.
But that's a niche, really(a large niche, but a niche none the less). So a dwarf will be really great at fighting giant spell casting orcs with poisoned weapons...
The versatility of the humans wins out, IMO. Besides...
********************(a D&D twist on an old joke):
A human fighter and a dwarf fighter are treed by a Dire Brown Bear(it ate the druid). It is only a matter of moments before the hungry bear realizes he can just push the tree down, so the human and the dwarf agree that they will simultaneously jump out of the tree and run in seperate directions, ensuring that at least one will survive.
The human says "one moment..." and begins removing his armor. The dwarf asks "Do you think that will help you out run the bear?"
"No" the human replies. "But it will guaruntee that I can outrun you..."
***********************
'nuff said. Dwarves are the first to get eaten when it comes time for the party to run away, leaving the other races to gain levels faster and therefore become more powerful.
Besides...It has already been established that clerics and wizards are the most powerful classes and Dwarves make average wizards and generally poor clerics. Humans are pretty good at both and can freely multiclass to them.
Grayswandir
Just a lurker
Have to go with Humans, personally. Dwarves are a close second, but that Favored Class: Any makes a huge difference. Of course, half-elves also get Favored Class: Any, but their other bonuses just don't compare IMO with a free feat and +1 skill points.
Omegium
First Post
dwarves average wizards? not imo. I think they make great wizards. A wizard gets just 1d4 or 2.5 hp/level. plus 1 con means an increase of 50%!!! And concentration is a very important skill for wizards. In every case they are better than the wizard favorite class elves. And the darkvision is also good, it is more useful when you don't stand into melee. Ok, a feat is useful for a wizard, but I never have an urgent shortage of skillpoints as a wizard.
Heh... Halflings... Sorry, but dwarves beat them hands-down.
The +2 bonus to throw daggers would be nice, if daggers thrown by something with -2 strength were actually something to be feared... It is a nice bonus to hit for a sneak-attacking halfling rogue, but it's not about to carry the class.
The +1 to hit and +1 AC are, unarguably, very nice - pretty much the only good thing about the race. Although the bonuses against orcs/goblins and giants are nothing to scoff at either, in most D&D games.
As far as saves go - dwarves get +2 to saves vs. spells and vs. poison - that leaves out what, exactly - reflex saves versus traps? The +1 to all saves doesn't even come close.
Stat adjustments: +2 CON, -2 CHA vs. +2 DEX vs. -2 STR? Let's see... A bonus to a vitally important stat for any class and a penalty to a dump stat (yes, a dump stat... a good DM can make CHA more relevant, but it still lags behind) vs. A penalty to an extremely important stat for any class that fights in melee and a bonus to a stat that's only very important for rogues and monks. I don't think this is even remotely close.
Encumberance penalties - Halflings get their carry weight reduced because of their small size - combined with the -2 to strength, this really starts to hurt very quickly... Halfling armor does weigh 1/2 as much as normal, but everything else - weapons, gear, potions - weighs the same... Welcome to a base speed of 15 feet if you're not really careful... Well, that's ok, that huge +2 bonus to jump checks will take care of that...
Inability to use the best weapons in the game - sorry, but a halfling fighter is beating no one without being able to use a greatsword, greataxe , spiked chain, longbow, and most polearms, only being able to use the bastard sword or dwarven great axe two-handed at the cost of a feat, and being reduced to weapons that do 1d6 damage if he wants to use a shield.
And, to top it all off, drakvision vs. low-light vision - the main selling-point of the dwarves, all their other great abilities aside.
As for humans, I think they're firmly in the #2 spot, perhaps even close to being tied for #1 - their flexibility and lack of weaknesses do make them an excellent choice this time around.
Edit: Damn, some people and their short, poorly supported viewpoints... Those weren't there when I started my essay!
Dwarves make poor wizards and clerics? They make some of the best wizards! CON is the second most important stat to a wizard... As for clerics, they easily hold their own against any other race - all the advantages that make them great as fighter still hold true for them as clerics, the +2 to saves vs. spells combined with +2 CON and two good saves makes them amazingly sturdy, and the -2 CHA hurts them only a little when it comes to turning - the turning table is pretty forgiving.
Oh, and running away - they're hardly the worst off... Because of their higher carry capacity, they'll actually usually be better off than a gnome, and certainly better off than a halfling - assuming we're not being silly and comparing a dwarven fighter in heavy armor and a halfling rogue, or something.
Finally, I forgot to say - I actually prefer humans or elves to dwarves for my characters... I just happen to think that, mechanically, they're easily the best.
The +2 bonus to throw daggers would be nice, if daggers thrown by something with -2 strength were actually something to be feared... It is a nice bonus to hit for a sneak-attacking halfling rogue, but it's not about to carry the class.
The +1 to hit and +1 AC are, unarguably, very nice - pretty much the only good thing about the race. Although the bonuses against orcs/goblins and giants are nothing to scoff at either, in most D&D games.
As far as saves go - dwarves get +2 to saves vs. spells and vs. poison - that leaves out what, exactly - reflex saves versus traps? The +1 to all saves doesn't even come close.
Stat adjustments: +2 CON, -2 CHA vs. +2 DEX vs. -2 STR? Let's see... A bonus to a vitally important stat for any class and a penalty to a dump stat (yes, a dump stat... a good DM can make CHA more relevant, but it still lags behind) vs. A penalty to an extremely important stat for any class that fights in melee and a bonus to a stat that's only very important for rogues and monks. I don't think this is even remotely close.
Encumberance penalties - Halflings get their carry weight reduced because of their small size - combined with the -2 to strength, this really starts to hurt very quickly... Halfling armor does weigh 1/2 as much as normal, but everything else - weapons, gear, potions - weighs the same... Welcome to a base speed of 15 feet if you're not really careful... Well, that's ok, that huge +2 bonus to jump checks will take care of that...
Inability to use the best weapons in the game - sorry, but a halfling fighter is beating no one without being able to use a greatsword, greataxe , spiked chain, longbow, and most polearms, only being able to use the bastard sword or dwarven great axe two-handed at the cost of a feat, and being reduced to weapons that do 1d6 damage if he wants to use a shield.
And, to top it all off, drakvision vs. low-light vision - the main selling-point of the dwarves, all their other great abilities aside.
As for humans, I think they're firmly in the #2 spot, perhaps even close to being tied for #1 - their flexibility and lack of weaknesses do make them an excellent choice this time around.
Edit: Damn, some people and their short, poorly supported viewpoints... Those weren't there when I started my essay!
Dwarves make poor wizards and clerics? They make some of the best wizards! CON is the second most important stat to a wizard... As for clerics, they easily hold their own against any other race - all the advantages that make them great as fighter still hold true for them as clerics, the +2 to saves vs. spells combined with +2 CON and two good saves makes them amazingly sturdy, and the -2 CHA hurts them only a little when it comes to turning - the turning table is pretty forgiving.
Oh, and running away - they're hardly the worst off... Because of their higher carry capacity, they'll actually usually be better off than a gnome, and certainly better off than a halfling - assuming we're not being silly and comparing a dwarven fighter in heavy armor and a halfling rogue, or something.
Finally, I forgot to say - I actually prefer humans or elves to dwarves for my characters... I just happen to think that, mechanically, they're easily the best.
Last edited:
Arcane Runes Press
First Post
I vote human.
The big problem with dwarves is their base speed of 20. SLOOOOWWWW. Put them in plate and they might as well be standing still. Fine for some character types, crippling for many others.
The big problem with dwarves is their base speed of 20. SLOOOOWWWW. Put them in plate and they might as well be standing still. Fine for some character types, crippling for many others.
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