You primary stat should never be lower than 18

[Branduil]

I haven't crunched any numbers, but just looking at it logically, is there any reason to ever have less than at least an 18 in your primary stat? In most cases it seems the +1 to attack, +1 to damage, and +1 to one save far outweighs the more limited benefits of spreading your stats out. You might be slightly more survivable, but you'll hit less often, and if you hit less often, enemies die slower, allies get buffed less, etc.

So would it be correct to say the only time you should NOT put an 18 in your primary stat is if you're doing some weird multi-classing?

 

[Argyuile]

I haven't crunched any numbers, but just looking at it logically, is there any reason to ever have less than at least an 18 in your primary stat? In most cases it seems the +1 to attack, +1 to damage, and +1 to one save far outweighs the more limited benefits of spreading your stats out. You might be slightly more survivable, but you'll hit less often, and if you hit less often, enemies die slower, allies get buffed less, etc.

So would it be correct to say the only time you should NOT put an 18 in your primary stat is if you're doing some weird multi-classing?

Con is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of non-primary stats I would want to put points in. More Healing surges and HP's are never a bad thing.

 

[runnerXL]

Maybe if you were building a character to a particular theme and were not worried about min/maxing...

The most enjoyable 3.5e character I ever played was a fighter with only 14 strength (now at 9th level and it is unlikely to rise further).

 

[Vayden]

Really? I don't think I'll ever get a stat over 16 w/out racial bonuses. Buying 17 and 18 is way too prohibitive now, with all of the cookies and defences based off of secondary stats. And I'm not quite enough of a min-maxer to only base my race choice off getting me to an 18 in my prime stat.

(Example - my twf Elf Ranger right now at level 1 has Str 16, Dex 16, and Wis 16 (bought 16/14/14). No 18s, and Con/Int/Cha ranging from 8 to 12)

 

[Vorpal Sword]

I haven't crunched any numbers, but just looking at it logically, is there any reason to ever have less than at least an 18 in your primary stat? In most cases it seems the +1 to attack, +1 to damage, and +1 to one save far outweighs the more limited benefits of spreading your stats out. You might be slightly more survivable, but you'll hit less often, and if you hit less often, enemies die slower, allies get buffed less, etc.

So would it be correct to say the only time you should NOT put an 18 in your primary stat is if you're doing some weird multi-classing?

When you can afford 16/14/14 on the standard point buy, I can't see a good reason to ever have less than 18. (Has anyone else tried to play the KotS cleric? Case in point.)

In fact, I'd go even further on the multiclassing thing... don't bother multiclassing unless you can key attack powers off an 18 (or at least a 16).

 

[Lord Sessadore]

It is pretty easy to get an 18 with a racial bonus. Though if you picked a race that didn't have a bonus to that stat, I can't see 16/16 for primary/secondary or for a class with two primaries being bad or worse than an 18 in the primary. You pay so much for the 18 without the racial bonus that I think having some flexibility is much more attractive, and it would also allow you to spread out to some other non-primary stats.

I don't really see a reason to avoid putting 18 in your primary stat, but I don't see any reason why it's absolutely necessary either. Most of the pregens we've seen from Wizards have only had 16's, and they do just fine.

Edit: remember, as long as you're still hitting just over half of the time, you're on track. If you can achieve that, you're not subpar, as far as the system is concerned.

 

[Dragonbait]

It seems like it's about the same as 3E. A fighter without a Str 18 in 4E is.. Well.. A fighter without a Str 18 in 3E. I've found 16 without racial modifiers works just as well in both games, and allows for better numbers in other stats, and in 4E some other powers are better because you didn't sink all your points in a single score.

 

[keterys]

It's possible to survive without it - some races are still good for a role without giving a bonus to its primary stat.

For example, Elf Wizards and Gnome Rogues.

 

[Vorpal Sword]

It's possible to survive without it - some races are still good for a role without giving a bonus to its primary stat.

For example, Elf Wizards and Gnome Rogues.

Or dwarf fighters. I retract "never", but it still makes sense to get an 18 in your primary if you possibly can--and if you can't, for racial reasons, you do really need 16/16 primary/secondary.

 

[am181d]

The extra +1 you get to your defense may well come at the expense of -1s to your two other defenses. Points spent in your primary aren't going into other stats that may boost your basic attacks, your hit points, you healing surges, your skills, etc.

Also, the point of the game isn't to win.