If stats didn’t matter, what would you build next?

[cutlery]

Assume stats don’t matter; a 6d6 drop the lowest while nobody is looking situation. You can have 18s or 20s in any stat you want - you are free to multiclass as you like. Basically, your concept determines your stats, and if you need high int and cha and wisdom, you have them.

Average hit dice for hp at level up (max at level 1), so hit dice matter a bit; but a high con is there if you need it.

Thus freed from stat synergies, what character would you build for your next campaign?

[CTurbo]

I would finally get the opportunity to play a Champion Fighter! Woohoo!


ok but seriously if I could just choose my stats or whatever I would want to recreate a couple of previous characters that I love.

1. Female Scourge Aasimar Bardbarian. 2 levels of Bard minimum, the rest Zealot Barb. She's a beautiful warrior that wears a dress and never any armor. For this concept she needs high Str, Dex, Con, and Cha. I had some really high rolled stats when I played this character. It was so much fun, but I never got to fully realize it before the campaign ended.

2. Stout Halfling Berserker Barbarian. I played him as a wild feral animal. His stats were something like 12 Str, 20 Dex, 20 Con, 4 Int, 14 Wis, 6 Cha, but if I could do it all over again, I'd like to have a high Str too just for kicks.


If I were to make a brand new character, I would go for a Paladin/Monk, Paladin/Beastmaster, or Paladin/Moon Druid with 20 Wis and 20 Cha.

[cutlery]

Paladin/monk sounds pretty neat; that could be a terrifying number of smites all at once.

[Icewind]

Paladin/monk sounds pretty neat; that could be a terrifying number of smites all at once.

That combo’s also particularly fun at level 20, because if you go Monk 14 / Paladin 6 you have proficiency in all saves on top of Aura of Protection! Pick something with Magic Resistance as your race like a Yuan-ti or Satyr and you almost never fail a save again... which to be fair, is actually pretty reasonable at 20.

[CTurbo]

That combo’s also particularly fun at level 20, because if you go Monk 14 / Paladin 6 you have proficiency in all saves on top of Aura of Protection! Pick something with Magic Resistance as your race like a Yuan-ti or Satyr and you almost never fail a save again... which to be fair, is actually pretty reasonable at 20.

The Paladin 6/Monk 14 never fail a save again thing is what I was thinking.

[FabulousFizban]

Stats dont matter?

I'd go the other way with it and play a 40 year old accountant having a midlife crisis who decides to become an adventurer. No stats above a +1

[Edea]

In this hypothetical scenario, are the in-class ASI's still present (in other words, are these basically free feats)?

[JNAProductions]

You'd probably see something like a Paladin 5/Sorcerer 4, or a Wizard 9, or a Warlock 9, or a Bard 9...

Why do I give these examples? Because that's what four of my current players are. And this is my rule on stat generation:


Ability Scores: Pick six numbers. These are your pre-racial stats. No number may be higher than 18 or less than 3. You may modify them freely up until the game starts, and may pick duplicate numbers.

[Joe the Rat]

Probably a Genasi Warlock or a Bugbear Monk.

But those are the next two on deck for when I need a new character anyway.

[cutlery]

In this hypothetical scenario, are the in-class ASI's still present (in other words, are these basically free feats)?

Good question.

Lets say around three feats per class (five for fighters and four for rogues); something like one at 8, 16, and 19.

Fighters and rogues get their bonus feats when they get their bonus ASIs.

[Porcupinata]

Ancestral Barbarian. I've liked the idea since XGtE came out but haven't had chance to play one yet (the perennial DM problem).

As for race, even without the new rule I'd be going for a cool visual rather than mechanical synergy - it's not as if mechanical synergy is essential for a barbarian anyway, they're strong enough to be playably competent without it.

I've thought about being an Aarokocra, simply for the whole "angry bird to the face!" in a flurry of feathers shtick, and the new rule certainly makes that easier. But my current character is an Aarokocra so I'd want a change. Maybe, and ironically it would be a standard barbarian cliche anyway, an orc or half-orc so that my ancestral spirits would be tribe members.

[Contrast]

A halfling with Bountiful Luck. I don't even know what class, I just love that feat but its always the 3rd or 4th feat I'd want to get and stuff never gets to that level. Stats being arbitrary would give me the confidence to just do it.

Maybe a grave cleric for maximum crisis management.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Ooof hard choice.
Wolf Totem Barbarian 3/Open Hand Monk 14/Hunter Ranger 3

Strength monk that doesn't sacrifice on the AC.
Rage damage
Dueling fighting style
Horde Breaker Ranger

5 attacks per turn, Advantage to all my allies, fun abilities, a little spellcasting.

[nickl_2000]

High Elf Arcane Archer. Since I've got all the stats I need, I can take sharpshooter, Elven Accuracy, Ritual Caster, and all the other feats. I know AA isn't considered all that great, but I still want to play one. Honestly, I believe that this is going to be my next character either way.

[Stangler]

Paladin(Vengeance X)/Ranger (Hunter 3)/Artificer (3 Artillerist)/Cleric (Forge 1)

Themed after the Mandalorian where they are a holy warrior of sorts (Paladin+Forge) who become Hunters but also need Artificer to manage their suit.

Artillerist for the flame cone.

[Blood of Gaea]

I would probably just default to one of my favorite builds: Conquest Paladin, Arcana Cleric, Illusion Wizard, and Thief Rogue.

Conquest Paladin and Arcana Cleric gain a bit from having whatever stats they like, so perhaps one of those.

[da newt]

Gnome Swashbuckler Barbearian or Zealot - 20 ST, DEX, CON. 10 INT, WIS, CHA. Mobile. Dual Wielder. Lucky. Tough. A kilt with whip and war hammer. Just for reckless fun.

[Mikal]

Probably an unarmored barbarian. I’d play it as a weapon master type that the kensei should have been.

[Willie the Duck]

Swords Bard -- It seems like a class just screaming out for fun feats like mobile, inspiring leadership, tavern brawler, etc., but also really needs war caster (or a great con save) and high Dex/Con/Cha. Strength-based Valor Bard too -- neat concept, too much MAD along with wanting to have feats.

[jmartkdr]

Light armor fighter with a greatsword.

I mostly just like the visual, but not having to deal with armor nonsense while still getting to use a big-hitting weapon would be nice.

[cutlery]

Light armor fighter with a greatsword.

I mostly just like the visual, but not having to deal with armor nonsense while still getting to use a big-hitting weapon would be nice.

(psst: Barbarian)

[noob]

(psst: Barbarian)

But then you have to go to barbarian school where you learn how to wrestle bears or something.

[Lyracian]

I would build some sort of Mink as they need high stats to work.
That Paladin Monk sounds good; otherwise a shadow monk/Arcane Trickster

[jmartkdr]

(psst: Barbarian)

But then I need the whole rage flavor, and can't get maneuvers, and don't get as many feats...

[Littlemike137]

I would definitely go for either a kensei monk, with perhaps a slight dip into bard to pick up some buffing spells, or alternatively a swords bard with a small dip into monk for unarmored defense so that I don’t need to deal with the hassle of armor. Basically, full anime build, steel wind strike to teleport around and hit everyone at once, no armor, and ludicrously fast with the mobile feat and extra movement from the monk levels.

[Kane0]

I’m the forever DM.

But hypothetically, I’d play a strongman bard.

[Kurt Kurageous]

Stats dont matter?

I'd go the other way with it and play a 40 year old accountant having a midlife crisis who decides to become an adventurer. No stats above a +1

I am also meh at the OP concept. Stats matter. No one is best at everything.

I've actually offered parties that want to have/roll/cheese their stats they can have an 18 + racemods in everything BUT the monsters will ALWAYS have the maximum hit points. Nobody's taken me up on it.

OTOH getting a party of more or less commoners with limited proficiency (two weapons, light armor, limited to divine casters) with a +1 in their critical stat could be a lot of fun with low expectations on survival. To make it work, I would likely end up being much more generous with magic items. Like AD&D generous, where characters were made by the magic items they found!

[noob]

I am also meh at the OP concept. Stats matter. No one is best at everything.

I've actually offered parties that want to have/roll/cheese their stats they can have an 18 + racemods in everything BUT the monsters will ALWAYS have the maximum hit points. Nobody's taken me up on it.

OTOH getting a party of more or less commoners with limited proficiency (two weapons, light armor, limited to divine casters) with a +1 in their critical stat could be a lot of fun with low expectations on survival. To make it work, I would likely end up being much more generous with magic items. Like AD&D generous, where characters were made by the magic items they found!

Is ad&d the reason why people will do everything to take horrific revenge on any that steals their boots (while not caring about the person who killed all their family and half of the party 4 times with thianium weapons to keep them dead forever)?

[micahaphone]

A hill dwarf draconic sorcerer with high con. +2 hp/level is almost the same as going from a d6 to a d10 HD, and being a beefy fool on the frontline is one of my favorite things to be. Probably wouldn't have high dex (can't have every stat high, that's no fun!) so the free mage armor wouldn't actually be too useful but it would be fun

[cutlery]

I am also meh at the OP concept. Stats matter. No one is best at everything.

In a party of five, no one would be.

[Edea]

I'd be sorely tempted to play a Cleric (Life) 1/Wizard (War Magic) 19.

It's not a bad idea even with normal point buy, much less now that I don't have to worry about maxing out my Str, Dex, Con or Wis. Would probably start off as a Variant Human with War Caster, though I'm not sure what I'd spend the other feats on.

[Kemev]

Strength-based rogue with Grappler and Tavern Brawler. Break a bottle over someone's head, tackle 'em, then shank 'em with the broken bottle.

[CTurbo]

Strength-based rogue with Grappler and Tavern Brawler. Break a bottle over someone's head, tackle 'em, then shank 'em with the broken bottle.


Strength based Lore Bard with Tavern Brawler. Break your <insert instrument here> over someone's head, tackle 'em, then hold them down shouting Vicious Mockeries at them in their face and use Cutting Words when they try to escape. :)

[Kemev]

Strength based Lore Bard with Tavern Brawler. Break your <insert instrument here> over someone's head, tackle 'em, then hold them down shouting Vicious Mockeries at them in their face and use Cutting Words when they try to escape. :)

Lol, I've been trying to plan out a pala-bard that's basically Quickdraw McGraw/El-Kabong... smite someone with a lute...

[Lord Raziere]

the same things I'm already considering and making: hobgoblin oath of treachery paladin, tiefling favored soul sorcerer flavored as an infernal bloodline, and shadar-kai hexblade. also some kind of bugbear. maybe some class refluffed as psionics of some kind, as long as the character functions enough to be competent, stats don't really matter to me.

[Gignere]

I would play a strength based bladesinger, maybe a wizadin (Paladin/bladesinger) or Paladin / war wizard. You’ll have crazy insane AC with BS and essentially never ever miss a save with the WW.