Help me Playground, you're my only hope

[Ionbound]

Long story short, I got have a 7, 9, 13, 15, 15, 16 array, and I'm worried I'll be "use-impaired" compared to everyone else's lowest score 10 and 2 18s. Any PF core is game, as is psionics, however no templates, LA, or custom races above 10 points. Will you guys please help me optimize?

[zlefin]

That's a pretty decent stat block; it comes out to a 22 point buy. It should be just fine in general, i'm not sure how silly the stats are on the rest of your team though.
If you're concerned about them being stronger than you, taking any primary caster should give you enough power to be effective.
Having a couple bad stats doesn't matter as long as they're dump stats.

How good is the rest of your group at optimizing? If they're not that great at it, you may not need to optimize at all to be useful.
Also, any preferences on what you want to play?

[Slipperychicken]

Those stats are perfectly fine IMO.

For a caster, put the 16 (18 after racial bonus) in your casting stat, then the 15s go in Con and Dex, the 13 in Wisdom, and the other two are dumpstats anyway. You won't even notice the difference between 18 and 20 in your casting stat.

For a fighter-type, put the 16 and 15 in dex/strength, the other 15 in Con, 13 in Wisdom, then laugh at intelligence/charisma because you'd be garbage at skills anyway. If you're ranged, feel free to move the 13 into Con because chances are you're not getting hit much anyway.

[Ionbound]

OK, I think I get it. I just was worried that somehow having a 7 in a stat would screw me over horribly. I have a concept that would work in mind, so thanks guys.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Starting stats become increasingly less important as you level and their bonuses are overwhelmed by level dependent variables, equipment, and other various feat and class feature sources.

[Icewraith]

What are the rest of "everyone else's" scores?

Are we talking 10 12 12 13 18 18? 10 15 16 17 18 18?

If the rest of the player's scores look like the first set, you're fine and may be in better shape than them. If they look more like the second set see if you can reroll until you get stats more in line with everyone else.

Alternatively, calculate what point buy everyone's scores work out to. The discrepancy should give you an idea of how concerned you should be about this. If you're running 22 point buy and everyone else ended up with 36, try and get your scores changed.

[Anxe]

I've honestly never had a game where stats made it feel like I wasn't having fun. Some of my favorite characters have come out to something like 10 point buy. I wouldn't worry about it. Especially with your scores. That's pretty good.

[nedz]

Some of my best characters have had 6's — it adds character.
Mechanically it's just going to be a dump stat anyway.

Your top stats are 13, 15, 15, 16 which is fine for most things. OK, you'll have a problem with MAD builds, but then who doesn't ?

[Pex]

The 7 doesn't matter. Where to put it depends on what class you want to play. Admittedly it is difficult if the class you want to play needs Charisma, the usual dump stat. Intelligence would be my second choice and just lump it not having skill points. Play human, class skill points eat the -2 with maybe a couple left over depending on class, and human bonus points can be used for Perception. Using favored class bonus for skill points or hit point depends on my mood.

If you play a human you have three good options for the +2 racial bonus.

1) Put it in the 9 to make it 11 so that your only dump stat is the 7.

2) Put it in the 16 to have an 18 at first level for your class prime.

3) Put it in a 15 to have a 17 for your prime and the 16 for your secondary. The 17 becomes an 18 at 4th level.