All Possible Ability Scores for 22 Points

[PrecociousApprentice]

So after some thought, I think that the optimal arrays could be arranged into a few categories based on priorities. Deciding on the priorities of odd vs. even stats will have to be taken into account, but involves a lot of factors that are inherent to individual campaigns, so they will be ignored for this excercise. The categories to be prioritized are

Heavily Weighted Single Stat
Heavily Weighted Top Two Stats
Even Weighting of Three Stats
No Penalties

We could construct a decision tree using these factors.

Q1) Is one stat much more important than others? Yes-> go to Q2 No-> go to Q3
Q2) Is a penalty in a stat OK? Yes-> Table A No-> Table B
Q3) Are two stats more important than others? Yes-> go to Q4 No-> go to Q5
Q4) Is a penalty in a stat OK? Yes-> Table C No-> Table D
Q5) Is a penalty in a stat OK? Yes-> Table E No-> Table F

[SBLOCK=Table A]
18 14 11 10 10 8
18 14 10 10 10 9
17 14 14 10 10 8[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Table B]
18 12 12 10 10 10[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Table C]
16 16 13 10 10 9
16 16 13 11 10 8
16 16 12 12 10 8
16 16 12 11 10 9
16 16 12 11 11 8[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Table D]
16 16 12 10 10 10[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Table E]
16 15 14 10 10 9
16 15 14 11 10 8
16 14 14 12 10 9
16 14 14 12 11 8
16 14 14 13 10 8
16 14 14 11 11 9[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Table F]
16 14 14 11 10 10[/SBLOCK]
Someone threw the standard array from the PHB out here on the boards as being
16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10
Which, unsurprisingly, is not an optimal array.

 

[Mapache]

From that perspective, the following strategy would also make a lot of sense, as it prepares you for two tertiary stat feat prereqs (one each tier) and one epic feat prereq (27 stat or higher, I believe).

There's no feats that require a 27 in any ability. The highest any requirement goes is a mere 21. The various weapon mastery feats (which let you crit on 19-20) depend on two attributes, either as 21 & 17 or 19 & 19.