Another player in our group decided to try his hand at DMing, so I get to play. 
WOO HOO!!!
We have 2 Strikers, a Defender, and a Leader in the group, so I decided to try my hand at Wizard (Controller).
I went to the WotC web pages and found a lot of references to good Wizard builds.
However, most of these builds suggest optimal stat arrays of: 16 16 12 12 10 8.
Although I can see a slight benefit for a 18 Int / 16 Wis, or 16 Int / 18 Wis build from this type of stat array, I decided to go with something a little different.
17 14 12 12 11 8 (Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 12, Dex 12, Con 11, Str 8) for my Human Wizard.
I think that the gains of a 19 over 18 Int outweigh the losses of a 14 instead of 16 Wis.
Gains:
1) An additional +1 to hit per attack roll 14 levels out of 30.
2) An additional +1 to most damage rolls 14 levels out of 30.
3) An additional +1 to Reflex saves 14 levels out of 30.
4) An additional +1 to AC 14 levels out of 30.
5) One more hit point.
6) An additional 1 point on a Healing Surge 10 levels out of 30.
7) An additional Healing Surge per day 10 levels out of 30.
8) +1 to Int skills 14 levels out of 30.
Losses:
1) -1 to Will Saves
2) If using an Orb for single target lockdown, the opponent escapes quicker ~ 1 combat in 5 (e.g. x% lockdown vs. x+5% lockdown means a different result 95% of the time for one round, 90% for two rounds, 86% for three rounds, 81% for four rounds, etc., otherwise the result is the same). This assumes that single target lockdown is used every encounter, it might not be situation depending (i.e. there might be encounters where the Wizard does not want to use up his lockdown on a second tier opponent on the chance that the BBEG might be right behind the next door and might enter the fray in the same "encounter", at least I as a DM would have nearby opponents which hear a combat come rushing).
3) One fewer square of push for spells like Thunderwave.
4) A slightly decreased synergy for multi-class (assuming one is multi-classing). Most classes do not have a lot of good Int synergies, but several have good Wis synergies.
5) -1 to Wis skills
There is also a psychological gain. Every level that stats get improved, the character gains +1 to some set of abilities. At level 4 (and 11 and 18 and 24), Int adds +1. At level 8 (and 14 and 21 and 28), Wis adds +1. As a player, it makes me feel like the PC is really advancing if he does not have to wait until level 8 (14, 21, and 28) for a +1 to Int and +1 to Wis. Waiting every 7 levels or so for a boost is boring. IMO.
I thought I'd share this with people. There are other good stat array options out there (for most classes) other than the Internet suggested iconic ones.
Is anyone else out there running a PC with a 19 first level stat? How about a 20?
WOO HOO!!!
We have 2 Strikers, a Defender, and a Leader in the group, so I decided to try my hand at Wizard (Controller).
I went to the WotC web pages and found a lot of references to good Wizard builds.
However, most of these builds suggest optimal stat arrays of: 16 16 12 12 10 8.
Although I can see a slight benefit for a 18 Int / 16 Wis, or 16 Int / 18 Wis build from this type of stat array, I decided to go with something a little different.
17 14 12 12 11 8 (Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 12, Dex 12, Con 11, Str 8) for my Human Wizard.
I think that the gains of a 19 over 18 Int outweigh the losses of a 14 instead of 16 Wis.
Gains:
1) An additional +1 to hit per attack roll 14 levels out of 30.
2) An additional +1 to most damage rolls 14 levels out of 30.
3) An additional +1 to Reflex saves 14 levels out of 30.
4) An additional +1 to AC 14 levels out of 30.
5) One more hit point.
6) An additional 1 point on a Healing Surge 10 levels out of 30.
7) An additional Healing Surge per day 10 levels out of 30.
8) +1 to Int skills 14 levels out of 30.
Losses:
1) -1 to Will Saves
2) If using an Orb for single target lockdown, the opponent escapes quicker ~ 1 combat in 5 (e.g. x% lockdown vs. x+5% lockdown means a different result 95% of the time for one round, 90% for two rounds, 86% for three rounds, 81% for four rounds, etc., otherwise the result is the same). This assumes that single target lockdown is used every encounter, it might not be situation depending (i.e. there might be encounters where the Wizard does not want to use up his lockdown on a second tier opponent on the chance that the BBEG might be right behind the next door and might enter the fray in the same "encounter", at least I as a DM would have nearby opponents which hear a combat come rushing).
3) One fewer square of push for spells like Thunderwave.
4) A slightly decreased synergy for multi-class (assuming one is multi-classing). Most classes do not have a lot of good Int synergies, but several have good Wis synergies.
5) -1 to Wis skills
There is also a psychological gain. Every level that stats get improved, the character gains +1 to some set of abilities. At level 4 (and 11 and 18 and 24), Int adds +1. At level 8 (and 14 and 21 and 28), Wis adds +1. As a player, it makes me feel like the PC is really advancing if he does not have to wait until level 8 (14, 21, and 28) for a +1 to Int and +1 to Wis. Waiting every 7 levels or so for a boost is boring. IMO.
I thought I'd share this with people. There are other good stat array options out there (for most classes) other than the Internet suggested iconic ones.
Is anyone else out there running a PC with a 19 first level stat? How about a 20?
