Quick Pathfinder Question on Ability Scores

[Person_Man]

In a Pathfinder material only game, assuming that something is your primary ability score and your intentionally max it out, what do ability scores typically start at for your group, and what would they typically be at 20th level, assuming that you are not using any obscure tricks or high level optimization to do so?

And separately from that, if you were to use every Pathfinder rule available in a completely cheesy and optimized group, how high could you get your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma?

[Golkiwu]

What is the Point Buy?

[Person_Man]

Assume standard Pathfinder Society, or whatever your group uses.

[Zubrowka74]

PFS puts a limit of 18 as a starting ability using high fantasy PB, so without magic I'll say in theory, 23.

But in practice, point buy makes it globally less desirable to pump a score beyond 16. If you really want to max out one stat, ok. Otherwise I'd keep increasing scores to 17 and up for level stat boosts, wich nets you 1 point each wheter it's from 10 to 11 or 22 to 23.

[NightbringerGGZ]

Assume standard Pathfinder Society, or whatever your group uses.

With PFS, there are some guidelines to keep in mind. You'll have a 20 point buy at character creation, and can expect another +3 Ability Score points by the the time you hit the level cap (12).


From what I've seen posted on forums, most player try to get their primary stat to 18. MAD classes might settle for 16. Usually you wind up with your primary stat at 19-20 from leveling, and many will opt to add a +4 from either a headband or a belt.

Edited: Had some cheese but I didn't know about the 18 cap. =P

[AttilaTheGeek]

My group uses 25 PB, and most everyone starts with an 18 or 20 in their primary stat. By 20th level, the bare minimum you should have in your primary stat is 30- it should probably be higher than that. My 18th level sorcerer has 34 Charisma: 18 PB + 2 (racial) 4 (levels) + 6 (item) + 4 (tome) makes 34. I can see you going as high as 38: 18 PB + 4 (racial*) + 5 (levels) + 6 (item) + 5 (tome/wishes) without some pun-pun type loophole.

*The advanced race guide is like the internet in that if you spend enough time looking at it, you'll eventually find anything.

[Spuddles]

Start at 18, race +2, level +5, book +5, item +6, age +2 for a total of 38.

[Blisstake]

Typically, you want to start with an 18 or 20 in your primary. Then you can get up to +6 enhancement, +5 inherent (rare exception - sorcerers can get a +6 inherent bonus in strength or con based on bloodline), and 5 from levelling up.

For the more cheesy ways, I honestly can't think of too many. There's an alchemist archetype that let's you make a mental mutagen, but typically they don't get much use out of temporary bonuses to mental stats (all it really helps with are will saves and bomb damage). Level 10 Divine Scion gets you +1 wisdom or charisma. Age gets you up to +3. You can get the age benefits without the penalties if your age is reset (Sun Orchid Elixer), you have a class feature preventing aging, or using a certain spell (forgetting the name). Level 20 monk (Weapon Adept) gets +2 wisdom. Mythic Tiers in the playtest let you add untyped bonuses to your stats.

That's all I can think of right now for mental stats.