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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wulf Ratbane" data-source="post: 4167173" data-attributes="member: 94">--> Half-Orc Fighter, 18 STR by point buy, 20 STR after racial bonus, no STR booster.--> Halfling Fighter, 16 STR by point buy, 14 STR after racial penalty, +6 STR item.Both of those guys are on the same footing, mathematically. (+1 to hit for the halfling for size.)Is the half-orc behind the expected curve? If he gets a +6 STR booster, he must be ahead of the curve.At any given time, even under fairly normal "stress testing" of typical play, you're going to have 1-5 points on the d20 to "play with."The design is just not so finely tuned that the Big Six are required at every level of play at the expected rate of enhancement (typically +1 per 4 levels for most enhancement bonuses). If you assume that every character has "level appropriate gear for his class" at all levels of play, you've still got room for the numbers to wiggle around on the d20.Now, here's the cost of "expected" gear for a PC at the major break points (that's +1 at 4th, +2 at 8th, +3 at 12th, etc.):4th level (+1)-- Weapon, Natural Armor, Deflection (2000 each), Armor, Resisance (1000 each), Stat Booster +2 (4000), Total = 12,000 (5400 recommended by DMG)8th level (+2)-- Weapon, Natural Armor, Deflection (8000 each), Armor, Resistance, Stat Booster +2 (4000 each), Total = 36,000 (27000 recommended by DMG)12th level (+3)-- Weapon, Natural Armor, Deflection (18000 each), Armor, Resistance (9000 each), Stat Booster +4 (16,000), Total = 88,000 (88000 recommended by DMG)16th level (+4)-- Weapon, Natural Armor, Deflection (32000 each), Armor, Resistance (16000 each), Stat Booster +4 (16,000), Total = 144,000 (260,000 recommended by DMG)20th level (+5)-- Weapon, Natural Armor, Deflection (50000 each), Armor, Resistance (25000 each), Stat Booster +6 (32,000), Total = 236,000 (760,000 recommended by DMG)It's not even possible to have all that "expected" gear until 12th level, and then only if you spend every penny on it.There's also the issue of whether you think the spells like Greater Magic Weapon, Barkskin, Shield of Faith, etc. exist for any purpose other than crafting magic items. If everyone always has the gear they need to replicate these effects, the spells are redundant.It also depends on what you think the ideal rate of success on a given roll should be. I personally feel like optimal builds should approach 50/50, with optimal play (flanking, aid another, the right buffs at the right time) pushing the PCs over the 50/50 mark.</blockquote>

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