Race Character Optimisation: Just Choose Dwarf

[scylis]

Hitting is, far away away, the most important thing in 4e. Not for the damage, but for the riders on nearly every power. Despite the fact that the Dwarf was -1 to hit over every other optimal choice for a Fighter (and debatebly a -2 since you wouldn't ideally use a +3 prof weapon as a Dwarf), they were still optimal for many builds.

This change takes the Dwarf from top tier Sky Blue, to Gold. There is no mechanical reason, ever, to play a Str/Con Warden who is not a Dwarf with this change. Ditto a lot of Fighter builds. Str/Con Runepriest, ditto. Dwarves have the best feat support of any race barring maybe, maybe, Eladrin.

What if I want a third at-will and better NADs?

 

[Aulirophile]

What if I want a third at-will and better NADs?

Then you're making an unoptimal choice for any class that is Str/Con. Really straightforward. Before there were trade-offs between races. Dwarves sole downside for several classes/builds was the lack of a racial bonus to Str. Now there isn't.

Also Humans don't get a third At-Will anymore anyway.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Actually dwarf runepriest fits with the race...

really, the improvement is much less severe than you all try to suggest. Of course DWT needs to be looked at, but it had to be before, after battlemind appeared in PHB3

 

[Peraion Graufalke]

Dwarves are certainly good if you want a Str/Con class (battlerager or knight fighter) or a Con/Wis (... I'm drawing a blank here) class.

Resilient fightbrain battlemind, guardian or swarm druid, and wrathful invoker for Con/Wis.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Then you're making an unoptimal choice for any class that is Str/Con. Really straightforward. Before there were trade-offs between races. Dwarves sole downside for several classes/builds was the lack of a racial bonus to Str. Now there isn't.

Also Humans don't get a third At-Will anymore anyway.

Wrong. They can still have the third at will as stated today on WotC website. Also humans can do with lower con and one less surge, as they have 3 defenses higher than the dwarf on a Strength/Con build...

Actually without the compensating + NAD features (which most(all) races get with stat bonuses which increase the same NAD), dwarven fighters may need to shrug off conditions and damage the human hasn´t recieved at all...

 

[scylis]

Wrong. They can still have the third at will as stated today on WotC website. Also humans can do with lower con and one less surge, as they have 3 defenses higher than the dwarf on a Strength/Con build...

Actually without the compensating + NAD features (which most(all) races get with stat bonuses which increase the same NAD), dwarven fighters may need to shrug off conditions and damage the human hasn´t recieved at all...

I like that they get the choice between the third at-will or the racial power (which is pretty awesome on its own). Sometimes that third at-will can be a really great thing, sometimes it's not overly thrilling.

 

[ppaladin123]

Wrong. They can still have the third at will as stated today on WotC website. Also humans can do with lower con and one less surge, as they have 3 defenses higher than the dwarf on a Strength/Con build...

Actually without the compensating + NAD features (which most(all) races get with stat bonuses which increase the same NAD), dwarven fighters may need to shrug off conditions and damage the human hasn´t recieved at all...

I love humans:

1. The third at-will is great for controllers who need to have multiple tricks up their sleeves to deal with various scenarios.

2. The extra-feat is crucial for builds that are feat-starved.

3. Their racial feats are top notch, especially for wardens who can use them to become totally immune to all save-ends effects.

4.Their racial paragon path is extremely powerful.

5. Now they get a great option to increase accuracy or shurg off a condition once per encounter. If you loved humans for action surge, you'll love this new option. The flexibility with humans is just great.

6. Because of 1 and 2, humans are easily the kings of hybrid class builds.

 

[keterys]

3. Their racial feats are top notch, especially for wardens who can use them to become totally immune to all save-ends effects.

Wha...? How? I can see how to get +2-3 to most things, +7 to some others... maybe you mean only at like 30th level? And even then, only one save at start of turn, not all?

 

[ppaladin123]

Wha...? How? I can see how to get +2-3 to most things, +7 to some others... maybe you mean only at like 30th level? And even then, only one save at start of turn, not all?

I should amend that to "effectively immune at epic levels."

Wardens have a feat that lets them make two saves at the beginning of their turn (enduring font). You can also take (through multiclass) "martial resolve" to make saves against many conditions at the beginning of your turn(dazed, slowed, stunned, weakened, and immobilized). Then there are rings that add to all saving throw bonuses (nullifying ring), the warden feat that adds to font of life saving throw bonuses (enhanced font of life), the stubborn survivor and human perseverance feats (+1 or +3 when you have no action points remaining), timely revival (death saves at beginning of turn, use second wind on 10 or higher).

You can add in martial freedom and focused mind for additional fun.

 

[keterys]

Ah, okay, thanks All good stuff.