20 vs 18

[UngeheuerLich]

18/14/14 is not possible pre racial.
And your character is fine. As said above: dex and wis are that important.
18/13/13 is possible.
So as an elf you can cheaply get 20 DEX 13 CON 15 Wis. Which is good enough for every build you can imagine. AC and especially Initiative is what makes it so good.

Beeing the first one to act often means an extra attack. And maybe some damage mitigation. Which means, every point there actually pays off.

Accuracy is a nice side effect here.

The only objection would be, that perception is also important to negate surprise rounds. Alertness will take care of it. An elf who traded elven accuracy for perception instead of ini checks would maybe better served with an 18 in dex and wis, but really it does not matter. Both builds are good.

 

[KarinsDad]

It's sad that power-creep has affected D&D so much that having an 18 at first level is now only considered "acceptable".

I took a Hybrid Bard that started with a 12 Cha.

 

[Stalker0]

I'd say 18 would be the default, out of the classes I've seen probably the rogue is SAD enough to want the 20.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I took a Hybrid Bard that started with a 12 Cha.

shamelessly expoiting the skald´s non-reliance on charisma? Which character did you hybridize it with?

 

[Gortle]

Fighters don't need Wisdom. A Wisdom of 10 will do, 12 if the player wants to have a slight boost to Combat Superiority.

Just because class feature, powers, and feat options are available does not mean that a PC has to be good in all of them. I played a Staff Wizard with a Con of 12 and Wis of 12 who never used his Staff immediate interrupt in 5 levels of play and had Cloud of Daggers and Thunderwave, only doing the 1 point of damage and pushing a foe one square respectively.

Any build that relies on heavy armour for its armour class or whose primary attack stat also boosts armour class (mostly INT\DEX) should be considered for a 20 stat.

The trade off is typically +2 to the primary stat versus +4 to a secondary stat.
That is: +1 to hit, +1 to damage, +1 to a NAD.
versus: +2 to a different NAD.

The really question you should be asking is why shouldn't you be taking a 20 for your primary. What am I going to miss out on? A net +1 to a NAD, an occasional damage bonus or effect rider, harder feat qualification? Generally not worth it.

For plenty of builds the benefits from a secondary stat are minor.

 

[KarinsDad]

shamelessly expoiting the skald´s non-reliance on charisma? Which character did you hybridize it with?

I didn't play a skald. This was before the skald came out. Even so, there is no skald aura for a hybrid. Actually, I went back and looked at the PC and he only had a Cha of 10. I just ignored the Bard powers for the most part and used the Battlemind powers.

 

[KarinsDad]

The really question you should be asking is why shouldn't you be taking a 20 for your primary. What am I going to miss out on? A net +1 to a NAD, an occasional damage bonus or effect rider, harder feat qualification? Generally not worth it.

Well, the 7 point buy points between a 20 and an 18 will buy 3 and possibly 4 points of other NADs. It could buy extra hit points, healing surges, and possibly an additional point restored on a heal if some of it is devoted to CON. Plus, some feats are worth the expenditure.

I don't think there is one right solution. Every situation is unique, even when discussing the same class and race.

 

[Obryn]

I'd say 18 would be the default, out of the classes I've seen probably the rogue is SAD enough to want the 20.

I'd argue...

Wizard/Mage (except for some builds like the Genasi Blaster)
Thief
Hunter
Executioner
Rogue
Archer Ranger

are all good candidates for a 20, or at least a pre-racial 18.

-O

 

[Gort]

Hell, I reckon pretty much any class makes sense to take a 20 in the primary stat. Accuracy and damage are vital for everybody outside of some extreme corner cases.

 

[SSquirrel]

Hell, I reckon pretty much any class makes sense to take a 20 in the primary stat. Accuracy and damage are vital for everybody outside of some extreme corner cases.

Any character I make needs a 20 and every accuracy feat I can come up with. I have terrible luck w/my dice. My L13 Halfling Daggermaster Rogue can frequently hit enemies on 4 and higher, occasionally on charges into CA so long as I don't roll a 1 I'm fine. I still miss an appalling amount of the time