Worst Race?

[Dice4Hire]

I voted elf

I hope you did not mean mechanically..........

 

[Kitirat]

I voted elf

I hope you did not mean mechanically..........

OK for future readers who read this, yes I meant mechancially, not flavorwise or overall.

See ya,
Ken

 

[Mengu]

My answer would be either none of them, or all of them except human. You can be human and make just about any character concept work. For the other races, the moment you start looking at something non-cliche, you start running into problems. Try making a Tiefling Fighter, Eladrin Paladin, Dwarf Rogue, Halfling Cleric, Dragonborn Wizard, Elf Warlord, or Half-elf Ranger, and you'll see what I mean.

It's difficult to ignore the difference in competance between a Halfling Cleric and a Dwarf Cleric, or between a Halfling Rogue and a Dwarf Rogue.

I think this is one of the few steps back from 3.x, where you could take a Halfling Cleric, give him a level of Rogue, and be an excellent tumbling combat healer. Or you could give the Dwarf Rogue a level of Fighter for a very survivable flanker, and a great dungeoneer.

In 4.0, in order not be outdone by the other characters, you pretty much have to play one of the few "recommended" race/class/stat combinations.

 

[Chibbot]

Halfling.

I haven't studied the races in depth, but it seems like the kept penalties for being small (can't use certain weapons, don't do bonus damage with certain weapons), but removed the advantage of being small (AC/to-hit bonus).

 

[Spatula]

Halfling.

I haven't studied the races in depth, but it seems like the kept penalties for being small (can't use certain weapons, don't do bonus damage with certain weapons), but removed the advantage of being small (AC/to-hit bonus).

Small in 3e had lots of disadvantages, using smaller weapons was just part of it. Namely the slower speed and grapple penalties (encumberance penalty too, but that's not so important), which the 4e halfling doesn't have.

 

[Chibbot]

Small in 3e had lots of disadvantages, using smaller weapons was just part of it. Namely the slower speed and grapple penalties (encumberance penalty too, but that's not so important), which the 4e halfling doesn't have.

True. I didn't mean to say that all of the disadvantages of being small in 3.x were still in 4e.

What I meant was that in 3.x there were both advantages and penalties to being small, while in 4e they kept penalties (they changed what they are, and got rid of several, but they're still there) but seem to have gotten rid of any of the advantages.

I'd be happy to be wrong - I'm a fan of the stunties myself. From my initial look through though, it does appear to be the case.

 

[Kichwas]

Half-elves are similarly only really using both of their stats as a Warlock, and Halflings as a Rogue. On the flip side, Dragonborn has 4 [Cleric, Paladin, Rogue and Warlord], Elves have 3 [Fighter, Ranger, Wizard] and Tiefling has 2 [Warlock and Warlord].

Keep in mind that a paladin, even a Cha based one, needs a Str and Con of 15 each (to wear plate).

Half-elves thus end up using that Con bonus on Paladin very nicely:

ex:
15
13 - 15
10
10
14
14 - 16

 

[stonegod]

Keep in mind that a paladin, even a Cha based one, needs a Str and Con of 15 each (to wear plate).

Actually, that only matters for half-elves that didn't take a class w/ the plate proficiency: If they get it, they can wear it regardless of Str/Con.

 

[Kichwas]

Actually, that only matters for half-elves that didn't take a class w/ the plate proficiency: If they get it, they can wear it regardless of Str/Con.

Where do you get that from? I read it the other way - on prereqs for feats it says that if you ever lose the prereq you can't use the feat anymore.

Is there something that says a class that gets it can use it even without the prereq? I'd be very interested in finding that.

 

[silentounce]

Where do you get that from? I read it the other way - on prereqs for feats it says that if you ever lose the prereq you can't use the feat anymore.

Is there something that says a class that gets it can use it even without the prereq? I'd be very interested in finding that.

Someone sent the help desk an email asking a similar question about a fighter that didn't have the required abilities for a type of armor. The response was that they can wear the armor. It was relatively recent, within the last 24 hours. I don't have search, or I'd find it for you. They give an explanation as well.