What if you could start with an attribute up to 20 before racial modifiers? [Archive] - Wizards Community

What if you could start with an attribute up to 20 before racial modifiers? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
denny1824
01-12-07, 11:57 PM What if you could start with an attribute up to 20 before racial modifiers? To go from 18 to 19 would cost 5 points, and 19 to 20 would cost 7 points. You could spend 28 of your 28 total points to start with a 20 in one attribute. Racial modifiers could make it start as high as 22.

How much do you think people would do that if they could? At first I think their would be a lot of 22 Int gray elf wizards and 22 STR half-orc barbarians. They would be so weak in everything else that instead of being "optimized" they would end up being "mutated freaks".

I mean really, does anyone want a character that is all one stat and nothing else? Maybe they do. Maybe they want a one trick pony that as soon as the situation arrives where that one trick is hindered they become usless. Maybe they like the idea of being so strong in one stat that they are willing to end up being a gimp in everything else.

I really don't know. That is why I am asking. And I dont mean to attack anyone. Just was wondering what others might think.
kenobi65
01-13-07, 12:32 AM I don't think many people would do it. I don't think any class can get away with having Con as a dump stat (and a Con penalty), and having a Dex penalty surely would hurt most builds, including the two you mention.
copper_wyrmling
01-13-07, 01:24 AM I don't think many people would do it. I don't think any class can get away with having Con as a dump stat (and a Con penalty), and having a Dex penalty surely would hurt most builds, including the two you mention.

I would seriously think about taking the boost from starting Int 18 to 19 with a gnome or dwarf wizard, since LG is a three-stat-bump game - Str 7 Dex 8 Con 16 Wis 8 Int 19 Cha 8. I'd probably at least consider taking a 19 with a druid / wildshaper build as well (Str, Dex and Cha are all pretty easy to dump). I don't think I'd ever spend all 28 points on one stat though.
Morgen
01-13-07, 04:14 AM Both 19 and 20 should cost you an additional 4 points to get.

A 20 would be about 24 points, leaving you a whole big whopping 8 to get your con up to for a grey elf wizard.

Serious, I think wizards are the only ones who can get away with wasting all thier points in one huge stat buying spurt. >:-/
Puggle Halfwine
01-13-07, 08:54 AM Serious, I think wizards are the only ones who can get away with wasting all thier points in one huge stat buying spurt. >:-/

Surely you mean druids.
clannagh
01-14-07, 07:16 PM my personal experience of min-maxed characters .. even under the current rules .. is that while they really shine at low levels (a dex 20 archer or strength 20 fighter is way above the curve at level one) the higher you go the more nobbled they become. Eventually by level 15 or so the difference between a DEX 30 or DEX 32 archer after buffs is neither here nor there but the lack of skill points consitution etc etc is a major hastle.
kenobi65
01-14-07, 10:30 PM Surely you mean druids.

I assume you say this because druids can wild shape into forms with better physical stats.

The issue becomes the fact that you'd have to be able to get to 5th level (and thus, gain Wild Shape) first. Assuming you're dumping that 20 into Wisdom, because you don't care about your physical stats...you're going to have a cruddy AC (8 Dex, plus poor armor choices) and weak HPs. Even if you're trying to avoid getting into melee, you're winding up not much better off than a wizard if you get melee thrust upon you.
UMiskatonic
01-15-07, 11:01 AM Assuming that you still had 28 points to work with, I wouldn't do this.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
denny1824 01-12-07, 11:57 PM	What if you could start with an attribute up to 20 before racial modifiers? To go from 18 to 19 would cost 5 points, and 19 to 20 would cost 7 points. You could spend 28 of your 28 total points to start with a 20 in one attribute. Racial modifiers could make it start as high as 22. How much do you think people would do that if they could? At first I think their would be a lot of 22 Int gray elf wizards and 22 STR half-orc barbarians. They would be so weak in everything else that instead of being "optimized" they would end up being "mutated freaks". I mean really, does anyone want a character that is all one stat and nothing else? Maybe they do. Maybe they want a one trick pony that as soon as the situation arrives where that one trick is hindered they become usless. Maybe they like the idea of being so strong in one stat that they are willing to end up being a gimp in everything else. I really don't know. That is why I am asking. And I dont mean to attack anyone. Just was wondering what others might think.
kenobi65 01-13-07, 12:32 AM	I don't think many people would do it. I don't think any class can get away with having Con as a dump stat (and a Con penalty), and having a Dex penalty surely would hurt most builds, including the two you mention.
copper_wyrmling 01-13-07, 01:24 AM	I don't think many people would do it. I don't think any class can get away with having Con as a dump stat (and a Con penalty), and having a Dex penalty surely would hurt most builds, including the two you mention. I would seriously think about taking the boost from starting Int 18 to 19 with a gnome or dwarf wizard, since LG is a three-stat-bump game - Str 7 Dex 8 Con 16 Wis 8 Int 19 Cha 8. I'd probably at least consider taking a 19 with a druid / wildshaper build as well (Str, Dex and Cha are all pretty easy to dump). I don't think I'd ever spend all 28 points on one stat though.
Morgen 01-13-07, 04:14 AM	Both 19 and 20 should cost you an additional 4 points to get. A 20 would be about 24 points, leaving you a whole big whopping 8 to get your con up to for a grey elf wizard. Serious, I think wizards are the only ones who can get away with wasting all thier points in one huge stat buying spurt. >:-/
Puggle Halfwine 01-13-07, 08:54 AM	Serious, I think wizards are the only ones who can get away with wasting all thier points in one huge stat buying spurt. >:-/ Surely you mean druids.
clannagh 01-14-07, 07:16 PM	my personal experience of min-maxed characters .. even under the current rules .. is that while they really shine at low levels (a dex 20 archer or strength 20 fighter is way above the curve at level one) the higher you go the more nobbled they become. Eventually by level 15 or so the difference between a DEX 30 or DEX 32 archer after buffs is neither here nor there but the lack of skill points consitution etc etc is a major hastle.
kenobi65 01-14-07, 10:30 PM	Surely you mean druids. I assume you say this because druids can wild shape into forms with better physical stats. The issue becomes the fact that you'd have to be able to get to 5th level (and thus, gain Wild Shape) first. Assuming you're dumping that 20 into Wisdom, because you don't care about your physical stats...you're going to have a cruddy AC (8 Dex, plus poor armor choices) and weak HPs. Even if you're trying to avoid getting into melee, you're winding up not much better off than a wizard if you get melee thrust upon you.
UMiskatonic 01-15-07, 11:01 AM	Assuming that you still had 28 points to work with, I wouldn't do this.