Attributes and Builds
It really depends on the class. In the example you gave, yes, it is entirely viable to do strength and wisdom at the same time with a cleric. In such a case, strength should probably be primary, wisdom secondary, then charisma gets whatever is left over. Strength will lend you good melee power, while wisdom will give you ranged or area of effect powers, and better healing. Charisma provides miscellaneous benefits that really can't be calibrated well, so just toss some points in it and move on.Yeoman said:
Another example that works well is a rogue with high dexterity, then both charisma and strength. A lot of rogue powers get an extra boost from strength, even if you're not a brutal rogue. So dex first, then charisma, then strength.
Other builds don't work so well in this manner, so stop and think about what you're doing and how, before you do it.
mattdm
First Post
Yeoman said:
It's easy to get an 18 with the racial adjustments. Based on what I've seen so far, here's my advice:
Use 16 16 13 11 10 8 or similar if you have a racial bonus which matches your class's primary stat.
Consider 18 14 11 10 10 8 or similar if none of your racial bonuses match your class's primary stat. This is clearly weaker (you end up with a non-primary stat 2 less than the other way), but lets you do non-optimal-for-the-race classes with as little pain as possible.
You can also use the 18-etc array if your bonuses match but you really want to be überfocused at the price of: -1 to two of your defenses, narrower feat choices (which will probably become more important with supplements), restricted choices in a couple of classes, and of course whatever minor benefits each stat provides on its own. Maybe that's not big price to pay, but my current belief is that it is. I think the one-stat focused builds are at the very least ignoring the benefits of increased defenses. Simply based on considering 3.5 saves, I expect that having two weakish defenses outweighs having a single really good one by a wide margin. (This, by the way, is the same reason the human race is really quite good even with only one +2.)
Comments? This isn't based on real play at all, so I'm totally open to revaluating.
Rystil Arden
First Post
You can actually have two fine defenses even with the 18 14 11 10 10 8 array, particularly if your 18 is not in the defense that your class boosts and if the 14 is in a racially boosted stat as well. Frex, Imagine a Dragonborn Smity Cleric with 20 Str and 16 Cha. You'll have both 15 Fort and 15 Will. You will, of course, have pretty rotten Ref (10), but you would have probably had no more than 11 with the other array, so it is only a small loss.mattdm said:
Admittedly, it is quite possible to screw yourself over with only one good defense.
silentounce
First Post
This is directed for those who actually have play experience in 4e, if possible.
My first character is going to be a gnome warlord. These are the abilities I was planning on playing. I'm going for the inspiring build. Should I buy an 18 for strength instead and take a hit on the others? Gnomes get an int and cha boost.
Str 16
Dex 8
Con 13
Int 13
Wis 10
Cha 18
My first character is going to be a gnome warlord. These are the abilities I was planning on playing. I'm going for the inspiring build. Should I buy an 18 for strength instead and take a hit on the others? Gnomes get an int and cha boost.
Str 16
Dex 8
Con 13
Int 13
Wis 10
Cha 18
You need strength to hit and most of the powers work better when they hit. I designed a gnome warlord and went with 18, 10, 10, 15, 8, 15. (SCoDIWCh). Then the DM ruled no races from the MM, so I made it a halfling, 18, 10, 12, 13, 8, 15 and took Lost in the Crowd. This is a warlord who's going to be running around, dodging OAs whenever he can.
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