Shaman Races [4e]

[llamamushroom]

This is just a quick question: is dwarf the only race that gives a bonus to Wisdom and Constitution? I'm planning on playing a 'Bear Shaman' (if I'm not DMing), and, to be honest, I don't think dwarves really fit the idea.

So, can anyone recall any other races that grant wis and const bonuses? PHB, PHBII and MM all say no. Anyone have MMII?

[Mercenary Pen]

I just checked in MM2, and the only other race that fits your criteria is Duergar.

Has to be said, the MM2 only has 3 new races: Duergar, Kenku and Bullywugs.

[Hal]

As far as I can tell, dwarves are the only +Wis/+Con race. I think WotC is trying to limit overlap in regards to racial bonuses.

In any case, I share your sentiments. The first time I read the Shaman section in PHB2, I was baffled as to why they designed a primal class to be so well matched to dwarves. It's a fluff/mechanics discrepancy which boggles the mind.

[tcrudisi]

Str & Con: Goliath, Minotaur, Orc, Warforged
Str & Dex: Half-Orc, Bugbear
Str & Int: Genasi
Str & Cha: Dragonborn
Str & Wis: Longtooth Shifter
Con & Dex: Gnoll, Kobold, Bullywug
Con & Int: Githyanki
Con & Cha: Half-Elf, Hobgoblin
Con & Wis: Dwarf, Duergar
Dex & Int: Eladrin, Shadar-Kai
Dex & Cha: Halfling, Drow, Goblin, Kenku
Dex & Wis: Elf, Razorclaw Shifter, Bladeling, Githzerai
Int & Cha: Tiefling, Gnome, Doppelganger
Int & Wis: Deva
Cha & Wis: .....

Yeah, as of right now, "ranged" clerics and prescient bards have no race to call their own. I was really hoping WotC would fix this with MM2, but no luck. However, all the other 2 stat combos are covered.

[Artanis]

Keep in mind that stats are not the end-all, be-all of what a race can do. Stats are, in fact, only one small part of a race's capabilities. Humans' versatility, Eladrins' mobility, Elves' Elven Accuracy power, Dwarves' nigh-indestructability...all of these would still be there even if you removed every racial stat bonus in the game.

[KillianHawkeye]

Play whatever race fits your character concept the best. Having a +4 instead of a +3 isn't that big a deal.

[Mando Knight]

So, it's Dwarf or eeevil Dwarf for Shamans? That's... amusing.

[ghost_warlock]

I just checked in MM2, and the only other race that fits your criteria is Duergar.

Has to be said, the MM2 only has 3 new races: Duergar, Kenku and Bullywugs.

Is it just me, or do bullywugs suck really, really hard as a PC race?

[Satyr]

What's wrong with tribal, barbarian dwarves who live in the wilderness and paint their skin blue with woad?

[kc0bbq]

What's wrong with tribal, barbarian dwarves who live in the wilderness and paint their skin blue with woad?

Processing woad smells pretty vile, so they'd have to be way out in the wilderness.

[Ninetail]

You don't need the absolute maximum bonuses to your stats to be viable as a character. It's not like 3e, where a small boost early on could have a compounded effect later. That extra +1 just isn't as important in 4e.

If a dwarf doesn't fit your character concept, don't play a dwarf. You still have the following options that get a bonus to either Wisdom or Constitution:

Deva, Elf, Half-elf, Human, Goliath, Shifter (either variety)

...And that's just from the two PHBs. Many of these races bring things to the table that are easily worth the "missing" +1 bonus, such as the elf's accuracy and wild step and the human's bonus feat and skill. In fact, this -- one good ability bonus plus a couple of useful traits -- is the "norm" around which 4e assumptions are designed. Otherwise, humans wouldn't be considered a good choice for anything.

Even a race without any "good" modifiers will still work. Half-orc shaman? Sure, why not? You will see a difference in power, at this point, but far from a crippling one. You may need a little extra optimization in other aspects in order to compensate, but as long as you can wrangle a primary attribute of at least 16 -- and you definitely can, no matter your race -- you're viable.

[llamamushroom]

Thanks, guys, that was really helpful. I'll figure something out.

And the reason I wanted both bonuses? One of my friends (_Zoot_) is going to be a goblin sorcerer - he's very happy with his choice (goblin-loving freak. Ever since Spiderwick Chronicles... )