Do you need high stats to be an effective character?
- Thread starter Crothian
- Start date
Inconsequenti-AL
Breaks Games
Somewhat depends, IMO.
Firstly, I'd say you need high enough stats to do your 'job' properly. I think you can have specific stats so low that your character is basically useless: Spellcasters with 9 or less in their prime casting stat, fighters with no physical stat over 4 and other extreme and similarly ridiculous examples.
As long as your stats are high enough to function, then I don't find it's a huge problem. IMO, effectiveness is about the actions you take with the character?
Some of my most memorable and fun characters have had really poor stats, I'd have considered them effective. At some point I think it even becomes a roleplaying adavantage.
Firstly, I'd say you need high enough stats to do your 'job' properly. I think you can have specific stats so low that your character is basically useless: Spellcasters with 9 or less in their prime casting stat, fighters with no physical stat over 4 and other extreme and similarly ridiculous examples.
As long as your stats are high enough to function, then I don't find it's a huge problem. IMO, effectiveness is about the actions you take with the character?
Some of my most memorable and fun characters have had really poor stats, I'd have considered them effective. At some point I think it even becomes a roleplaying adavantage.
MonsterMash
First Post
It depends a lot on the campaign, mine with lowish magic and not particularly high level NPC would not require too high a set of stats, but when I'm rolling a character of course I'll hope for straight 18s. But its possible to have a good campaign without high statted characters as long as its fairly consistent among the party.
I cant rp a high int char with int 12. I cant be exceptionally charismatic with charisma 12. I cant make wise pronouncements that are actually wise at wisdom 12. This hampers my roleplay.
Thus, higher than "average" stats are nice, since it lets me roleplay someone who isnt joe schmoe "I swing my axe at it again" guy.
Thus, higher than "average" stats are nice, since it lets me roleplay someone who isnt joe schmoe "I swing my axe at it again" guy.
I couldn't vote. I'm somewhere between needing a 16 and needing a 14 (every character doesn't need a 16, but I think it would be difficult to play a character whose highest score was 14 (assuming every other score is lower)).
For instance
15,14,13,12,10,8 is fine and I have played before.
14,14,13,13,12,12 is fun for a well-rounded character.
I've played higher than the Elite array, but not lower than the above well-rounded character (although I have played with stats lower than 10 often).
Technik
Edited: I looked at the point buy and the well-rounded comes to 30. I've played 28, but I wouldnt want to play lower than 29 pb. As others are saying, its relative for some people, personally it isn't. I played a dwarven monk with a 10 dex amongst players whose lowest score was 12 (and highest, 18) and I impressed them because I knew what to do with what I had. My highest score was a 16, in con IIRC. And for my characters I like to generate my own scores, based on the background and personality of the character.
For instance
15,14,13,12,10,8 is fine and I have played before.
14,14,13,13,12,12 is fun for a well-rounded character.
I've played higher than the Elite array, but not lower than the above well-rounded character (although I have played with stats lower than 10 often).
Technik
Edited: I looked at the point buy and the well-rounded comes to 30. I've played 28, but I wouldnt want to play lower than 29 pb. As others are saying, its relative for some people, personally it isn't. I played a dwarven monk with a 10 dex amongst players whose lowest score was 12 (and highest, 18) and I impressed them because I knew what to do with what I had. My highest score was a 16, in con IIRC. And for my characters I like to generate my own scores, based on the background and personality of the character.
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Estlor
Explorer
If you're not a spellcaster you can reasonably get away with two low, two average, and two high ability scores. (Note: By "low" I mean the 8-10 range, "average" is the 11-13 range, and "high" is above 13.) A fighter can put his good scores in strength and constitution and take a penalty in intelligence or wisdom and charisma (though I lean toward intelligence, as wisdom alters saving throws). A rogue can pump his dexterity and intelligence and let whichever scores his isn't using for skills suffer.
Some classes are harder to stat out like this. Monks are fairly stat dependent, needing good strength, dexterity, and constitution scores. A paladin can really only afford to dump wisdom if they're willing to pick up Iron Will to offset it. Spellcasters have to put such a concentrated effort on boosting their primary stat that more than one poor score becomes hard to overcome.
Some classes are harder to stat out like this. Monks are fairly stat dependent, needing good strength, dexterity, and constitution scores. A paladin can really only afford to dump wisdom if they're willing to pick up Iron Will to offset it. Spellcasters have to put such a concentrated effort on boosting their primary stat that more than one poor score becomes hard to overcome.
Thanee
First Post
It depends on the whole party (and the NPCs), of course. Given a roughly balanced setup, you don't really *need* high stats in anything to be truely effective, a 14 is certainly enough, but it shouldn't really be below that, just because it's bland.
D&D characters tend to be exceptional. This should be reflected in their attributes as well.
If the difference is only between 8, 10, and 12, then there is very little difference at all, attributes basically do not matter and everyone is pretty much the same. Higher attributes automatically make for a greater difference, which sets characters apart.
Bye
Thanee
D&D characters tend to be exceptional. This should be reflected in their attributes as well.
If the difference is only between 8, 10, and 12, then there is very little difference at all, attributes basically do not matter and everyone is pretty much the same. Higher attributes automatically make for a greater difference, which sets characters apart.
Bye
Thanee
diaglo
Adventurer
3d6 six times in order. str, int, wis, con, dex, cha
i don't need anything else.
others will disagree. and that is their choice. but it isn't going to change how i referee the game unless they want to make it an issue.
the monsters (anything not a PC) have common stats. with some with more exceptional ones.
so the characters can too.
some like to powergame and have an 18 in all stats. they still die too.
i don't need anything else.
others will disagree. and that is their choice. but it isn't going to change how i referee the game unless they want to make it an issue.
the monsters (anything not a PC) have common stats. with some with more exceptional ones.
so the characters can too.
some like to powergame and have an 18 in all stats. they still die too.
