Ability Score Sudoku

[Thane of Fife]

Suppose that you have a 6x12 grid. You write the names of the six D&D ability scores across the top, and the names of the D&D classes down the side (we'll use the 12 5e classes here, because they're a decent "core" list and because twelve is conveniently twice six). That is, barbarian, bard, cleric, druid, fighter, monk, paladin, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, warlock, wizard. Now fill out the grid such that in each row, each of the numbers 1 through 6 appears exactly once, and in each column, each of those numbers appears exactly twice. In essence, you are ranking the ability scores in terms of something for each class, with 1 being the "most" and 6 being the "least," and with the added restriction of not being able to triple up in any column.

So, for example, you would need to pick two classes with intelligence as #1, two with it as #2, two at #3, and so forth. In terms of what you're ranking them in order of, that's up to you, but I'd recommend something like mechanical or thematic importance. Or perhaps what you think mechanical or thematic importance should be.

(If you're not interested in modern D&D, you can still play by using fighter, magic-user, cleric, thief, elf, and dwarf as your list of classes).

I'm interested in seeing how people think of the various classes in this format; I've come up with some interesting thoughts when I've toyed about with it using various class lists.

[animorte]

This should be awfully interesting because some abilities apply very solidly to more than two classes easily, most primary. Still might give this a run.

Bard, Warlock, Sorcerer, and Paladin all need Charisma, so that will be interesting. Cleric, Druid, Monk, and Ranger all need Wisdom...





STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA


Bard








Barbarian








Cleric








Druid








Fighter








Monk








Paladin








Ranger








Rogue








Sorcerer








Warlock








Wizard

[ahyangyi]

I'm more curious how would people place Consitution, which should usually be the #3 stat for most classes but now you have to fill #1-#6 each twice.

[Inevitability]

I'm more curious how would people place Consitution, which should usually be the #3 stat for most classes but now you have to fill #1-#6 each twice.

Constitution becomes a question of relative need (are you a frail class that will nevertheless be in melee a lot, like rogue?) and opportunity cost (do you really want to boost other stats, or are you like a cleric or rogue who can afford to make constitution secondary). The first point is a bit tricky because a lot of classes (bard, cleric, ranger, rogue, warlock) have both ranged and melee archetypes available to them, but I'll try and weigh it based on how much they skew one or another way.


Based on that I'd go with:

1 - ranger, rogue
2 - monk, cleric
3 - warlock, bard
4 - barbarian, druid
5 - fighter, wizard
6 - paladin, sorcerer

Druid shoots up if we're using 3.5 mechanics instead of 5e mechanics, warlock and bard go down if we consider a 'typical' member instead of factoring in how those classes go melee pretty often. Sorcerer is below wizard because it gets innate constitution saving throw proficiency and slightly more defensive abilities.

Of course, that's all just relative to each other, and in practice those classes would like to have it 2nd to 3rd, very sometimes maybe 4th.

[Duff]

Constitution becomes a question of relative need (are you a frail class that will nevertheless be in melee a lot, like rogue?) and opportunity cost (do you really want to boost other stats, or are you like a cleric or rogue who can afford to make constitution secondary). The first point is a bit tricky because a lot of classes (bard, cleric, ranger, rogue, warlock) have both ranged and melee archetypes available to them, but I'll try and weigh it based on how much they skew one or another way.


Based on that I'd go with:

1 - ranger, rogue
2 - monk, cleric
3 - warlock, bard
4 - barbarian, druid
5 - fighter, wizard
6 - paladin, sorcerer

Druid shoots up if we're using 3.5 mechanics instead of 5e mechanics, warlock and bard go down if we consider a 'typical' member instead of factoring in how those classes go melee pretty often. Sorcerer is below wizard because it gets innate constitution saving throw proficiency and slightly more defensive abilities.

Of course, that's all just relative to each other, and in practice those classes would like to have it 2nd to 3rd, very sometimes maybe 4th.

I think you've done a good job of filling in the "Down" column.
But as you note, there's quite a few in the bottom half who won't want to rank Con that far below all the other stats

[Thane of Fife]

I guess I'll lead off with my own table. I encourage you to make your own before you peek at mine.





STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA


Bard
4
3
6
1
5
2


Barbarian
1
4
2
6
5
3


Cleric
2
6
4
3
1
5


Druid
6
5
1
3
2
4


Fighter
1
2
4
6
3
5


Monk
3
2
5
4
1
6


Paladin
2
6
3
5
4
1


Ranger
3
1
2
5
4
6


Rogue
5
1
6
2
3
4


Sorcerer
4
5
3
2
6
1


Warlock
5
3
1
4
6
2


Wizard
6
4
5
1
2
3




And some thoughts to go along with that:

I mostly started by assigning all the 1's and 6's, then moved down the line in numbers. There were a few weird casualties of the Sudoku style - wizards being comparatively high charisma, for example, or rogues having pretty atrocious physical ability scores. It also feels a little odd to me having paladins higher charisma than bards, but someone needed to be the other Tier 1 intelligence. Also, I'm mostly a 2e player, and paladins would have higher charisma scores in that edition.

[KorvinStarmast]

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, 1e, Unearthed Arcana. Page 74. Method V (optional) Chargen method.
It does something similar.
For example, for a Cleric you roll 7d6 for STR, 5d6 for INT, 9d6 for WIS, 5d6 for DEX, 8d6 for CON, 6d6 for CHA 3d6 for Comeliness.
Take the best three dice for your score.
This was the kind of power creep most of our tables did not prefer.
Beyond the 4d6kh3, pick which number goes to which stat, we had a few DMs who liked
roll 12d6 pick the best 6 scores, off you go.