Very Meh Stats

[LastRose]

So, my dm had me roll for stats, which I personally hate for a certain reasons, one being what I'm going to be asking about. I must look somewhere other then the 1000's of books for 3.5 which is annoying me, and went with the community I often turn to and search when I have questions.

Now, down to the stats:
13, 18, 12, 12, 12, 12

I was just wondering what type of class would benefit from having 1 good stat, and a bunch of meh stats. I was looking at a dread necromancer, that turns into a Necropolitan at level 3. Also the dm is doing something kind of weird every gold we get translates to 1 xp, but is also 1 gold obviously, seems like it will screw over any class that is very gear dependent. There doesn't seem to be any bars on the 3.5 books, just has to be fairly balanced, and will only allow a +1 LA.

[Dusk Eclipse]

That is a pretty decent array for any kind of caster, just stick that 18 on your casting stat, choose a race that either has a Con bonus (gnomes are good casters, or you could slap dragonborn in any race for a nice +2 Con, -2 dex).

[eggynack]

Those stats seem pretty ideal to me. You're running at 37 point buy which is quite good, and having one stat maxed out is pretty much what people do with point buy. The fact that you didn't need to sacrifice any other scores is a nice bonus. If you want to gain the most benefit off of one stat though, I'd suggest taking one of the casting classes. Wizards basically just need intelligence, and if you want you can push one point into constitution at level 4 to get it up to 14. You can do basically the same thing with clerics and druids. Factotums from dungeonscape also benefit a lot from that kind of stat distribution, because everything keys off of intelligence.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Incarnate and Dragonfire Adept just use Con for all their relevant stuff. Also Dread Necro into Necropolitan seems pointless if you intend to hit level 20. Consider Wiz/Sorc into Pale Master with Necropolitan on the side maybe?

[HunterOfJello]

Any set of scores that includes an 18 is not 'meh' in any way whatsoever. Go play any of the single stat casters and have fun.

Here's a list:
Sorcerer
Wizard
Cleric
Druid
Psion
Erudite
Wilder
Dread Necromancer
Warmage
Beguiler


You can play any of those classes with five 6s and one 18 while still doing a great job. If you want to play an ultimate no items character, play a Monk 1/Druid 19.

[Talya]

You can play any of those classes with five 6s and one 18 while still doing a great job. If you want to play an ultimate no items character, play a Monk 1/Druid 19.


I would argue that a 6 in constitution is going to make even your tier 1s have a very short lifespan. On a druid, I sometimes prioritize CON as high or higher than wisdom.

But yes, these stats are ideal.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Wizard do have easier access to some of the best defences in the game (abrupt Jaunt, fly, mirror image, etc) so a carefully played Wizard with Con 6 will probably outlast almost any other class.

[eggynack]

Additionally, the druid has the advantage of having an animal companion that's utterly unaffected by how theoretically crappy the druid's stats are. Druids are therefore running at at least tier 5 regardless of how low their stats are. They can fight at or above monk levels with a full array of 6's, though the fragility of the druid would be the weak link in that equation. I think clerics are probably the most stat reliant of the three core casters. Wizards and druids improve a lot with the extra survivability of HP, but it's not strictly necessary for the classes to operate.

[FreakyCheeseMan]

If you don't want to play a caster, I have a potentially stupid idea from left field - Elf (preferably painted elf, if you can swing it) Setting Sun/Shadow Hand sword sage. Burn a couple of feats and you'll be adding that Dex to both attack and damage rolls, not to mention throwing enemies around the battlefield whenever you feel like it.

If the feat tax bothers you and you don't like throwing, go for Strongheart Halfling instead.

[Dusk Eclipse]

I would add Dragonborn to the elf for some extra survivability; but that can work.

[eggynack]

When you get down to it, this doesn't even really qualify as an optimization challenge. You could even play a fighter if you want. For bonus points, stick the 13 in intelligence so you can do improved trip. It's like an optimization opposite of challenge, in that it's a bit difficult to come up with a class that wouldn't work alright with those stats. A 14 rather than a 13 would be a bit better obviously, but your stats are otherwise optimal.

[purpenflurb]

I would like to echo the sentiment of "pick your favorite caster". My last rolled stat line was much much worse than that, you could consider yourself lucky. Can play a caster with a high primary stat and no real weakness elsewhere.

[Squark]

Let's see... Just to give you a few quick examples...

Pure core, I'd say a Gnome wizard (Or druid, swapping Intelligence for Wisdom) set out like so;
Str 10, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 12

Is very, very solid. Using just Dragon Magic and Unearthed Arcana, Dragonborn Desert Elf nabs;

Str 10, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 12, while a Grey Elf drops 2 points in Constitution for 20 intelligence.


So, yeah, these stats are anything but "meh." I guess if you were hoping for a more MAD class you're a bit less lucky, but an 18 in one score and no negative scores is anything but "meh".

[Eldan]

There's probably few things you can't work with these. More than average stats across the board, with one exceptionally high one.

[OverdrivePrime]

Wow. Those are 'Meh' stats? I'd hate to see what you usually roll.

You've got someone who's pretty good across the board, and absolutely fantastic at something else. I'd happily play a bard, a paladin, ranger, crusader, 3.5 druid... you name it. If you want to cheese-out and play a for a single-stat caster class, you'll be phenomenal.

Put that 18 in strength, intelligence or charisma and the 13 in dexterity and you'll have a great time with this character.

[angry_bear]

Aside from Monk or Paladin, you'll be fine in any core class you play. You're best off to go with a caster, either wizard or druid in my opinion; but really anything works well with those stats.

[Randomguy]

A gnome caster of any sort or a dwarf non-charisma based caster would do fine, as mentioned.
Those stats would also make a great Dragon Shaman if you put the 18 into Con.

You'd also make a perfectly good melee character as long as you picked up a race that got +2 to Con.

[Snails]

Any primary spellcaster would be the obvious choice.

A Fighter or Rogue could easily work. The obvious route is to double down on the extreme: Half-Orc Fighter or Halfling Rogue. Having a 12 Con is okay.

[Barsoom]

So, my dm had me roll for stats, which I personally hate for a certain reasons, one being what I'm going to be asking about. I must look somewhere other then the 1000's of books for 3.5 which is annoying me, and went with the community I often turn to and search when I have questions.

Now, down to the stats:
13, 18, 12, 12, 12, 12

I was just wondering what type of class would benefit from having 1 good stat, and a bunch of meh stats. I was looking at a dread necromancer, that turns into a Necropolitan at level 3. Also the dm is doing something kind of weird every gold we get translates to 1 xp, but is also 1 gold obviously, seems like it will screw over any class that is very gear dependent. There doesn't seem to be any bars on the 3.5 books, just has to be fairly balanced, and will only allow a +1 LA.
Dwarven Warblade: Str 18 Dex 12 Con 14 Int 13 Wis 12 Cha 10. Somewhere along the road you may want to dip 1-2 fighter levels for the bonus feats and the heavy armor. Just go out there and kick ass. "You and what army?" "Me and my axe!"

Halfling Sorceress: Str 10 Dex 14 Con 13 Int 12 Wis 12 Cha 18. Take the Animal Companion ACF for style points. Who doesn't like a three-foot-tall wolf-riding spell-slinging chick? If the DM allows it, be a Strongheart Halfling.

Gnome Wizard: Str 10 Dex 13 Con 14 Int 18 Wis 12 Cha 12. Specialize in Conjuration and take the Abrupt Jaunt ACF. Be an annoying little bugger who's exceptionally difficult to squash.

[LastRose]

I guess I'm too used to playing MAD characters, not used to just having one stat so high and all the others at a +1

[Devils_Advocate]

Well, pretty much any character build would benefit from, or at least wouldn't be hurt by, moving a couple of points to the highest-priority Ability score from any other score. Unless you have something very particular and rather unusual in mind, those numbers are strictly better than 15 14 14 12 12 12, which is itself strictly better than the elite array.

Of course, to make the best use of those rolls, you'll want a class that benefits not only greatly from one high score but also pretty well from good scores in everything. Cleric, interestingly, is a pretty solid choice.

The Factotum, from Dungeonscape, would also work. They are supposed to be the ultimate generalists, after all. Be trained in all of the trained-only skills, get all of the synergy bonuses, find traps, wield a greatsword, heal, turn undead, and cast arcane spells as needed, even if not so well as a more specialized character.

"But not as versatile as ME! Excelsior!" (http://www.nuklearpower.com/2001/05/26/episode-034-introductions-are-in-order/)

[Razanir]

You can play any of those classes with five 6s and one 18 while still doing a great job. If you want to play an ultimate no items character, play a Monk 1/Druid 19.

That sounds fun. A Monk/Druid. You should try that

[eggynack]

Eh, I generally see a monk/druid as being basically just worse than a straight druid. even before factoring in casting ability, wildshape and animal companion advancement probably makes you a better fighter than a monk/druid would be. You're gaining flurrying, which isn't really something you want to do, and wisdom bonus to AC. The latter only applies without armor, so you're trading druidiness for +2 to AC. I can see a monk dip being alright on the opposite side of druid in a gestalt, but monk/druid is pretty mediocre.

[TuggyNE]

Eh, I generally see a monk/druid as being basically just worse than a straight druid. even before factoring in casting ability, wildshape and animal companion advancement probably makes you a better fighter than a monk/druid would be. You're gaining flurrying, which isn't really something you want to do, and wisdom bonus to AC. The latter only applies without armor, so you're trading druidiness for +2 to AC. I can see a monk dip being alright on the opposite side of druid in a gestalt, but monk/druid is pretty mediocre.

That's a reasonable analysis, but technically monk/druid does lose just about the least from having no items, because with no items it wouldn't have armor anyway. (At least not in wildshape, certainly.) In other words, don't compare it to regular builds, compare it to other no-item/VoP builds.

Of course, since the no-items part of this is only tangential to the OP, it probably doesn't really matter.

[nedz]

I think Razanir may have forgot to colour his text blue ?

That said Monk 1 / Druid 19 is anything but mediocre, it's just not quite as good as Druid 20.

[eggynack]

I'd agree that a monk/druid likely loses very little from not having items, however straight druid probably loses even less. In this case I suppose that the benefit over druid is that you're gaining 4 AC over the druid rather than 2. The whole thing is rather marginal at best. You'd likely be better off just standing away from combat and sending in your animal companion backed up with spells. Going toe to toe with the enemy seems like a poor enough option that it's not worth the level, and I'd probably rather use a quarterstaff than fists anyway. In non-VoP situations at least, monk 1/druid 19 is certainly not bad, but for the most part, only to the extent that commoner 1/druid 19 isn't going to be lacking after you hit level 2.

[Sylthia]

You could be just about anything short of something extremely MAD with those stats. You have an 18 and with the right race, you can bump either your 13 to 15 or a 12 to 14.

[Razanir]

I think Razanir may have forgot to colour his text blue ?

That said Monk 1 / Druid 19 is anything but mediocre, it's just not quite as good as Druid 20.

I wouldn't know. I don't powergame. At all. Seriously, the extent of my knowledge of what is and isn't a good idea is:
1) Tier list
2) Monks are severely underpowered
3) Druids are the best class

It sounds fun. Whether it's apparently worse than Druid 20, or not, I wouldn't know :smallbiggrin:

[nedz]

Whilst I quite like builds such as:
Elf Monk 2 / Druid 3 / Seeker of the Misty Isle 9
A straight tier 1 caster is going to be more powerful. This isn't powergaming, it's just how 3.5 works.

Consider the following Druid ACF: Deadly Hunter

Gain

Bonus to AC when armoured (as monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC)
Fast movement (as monk)
Favoured enemy (as ranger)
Swift tracker (as ranger)
Track feat (as ranger)


Lose

Armour and shield proficiency
Wild shape (all versions)



Druidic Avenger is worth a look also.

[Talya]

Single class druid with Vow of Poverty > Monk 1/Druid x.

(No, Vow of Poverty isn't optimal here. Druid just suffers the least for taking it, and druid suffers the most loss from multiclassing.)

[Gotterdammerung]

So, my dm had me roll for stats, which I personally hate for a certain reasons, one being what I'm going to be asking about. I must look somewhere other then the 1000's of books for 3.5 which is annoying me, and went with the community I often turn to and search when I have questions.

Now, down to the stats:
13, 18, 12, 12, 12, 12

I was just wondering what type of class would benefit from having 1 good stat, and a bunch of meh stats. I was looking at a dread necromancer, that turns into a Necropolitan at level 3. Also the dm is doing something kind of weird every gold we get translates to 1 xp, but is also 1 gold obviously, seems like it will screw over any class that is very gear dependent. There doesn't seem to be any bars on the 3.5 books, just has to be fairly balanced, and will only allow a +1 LA.

Those are actually above average stats. I think you are at a 37 point buy. Most games run a 28-32 point buy.

I suggest using race to strategically bump the secondary stats you feel you are missing in exchange for a stat you feel is less important.

Other than that, there are a lot of good suggestions here for SAD classes. And the forums itself is littered with SAD builds.

You shouldn't have any problems solving this problem that isn't really a problem :smallcool: