What Race with rolled stats?

[Master O'Laughs]

I finally got access to my character sheet in roll20 and was allowed to roll for Attributes. I got 15, 15, 15, 13, 11, 9.

I was leaning towards Vuman or Custom Lineage to start with a feat (most likely Fey touched and pick gift of alacrity). But with all those odd numbers, is standard human the "best" choice?

Class: Artificer (Battlesmith)

This would either end with me having the following arrays:
-----Vuman>Custom>Human
STR - 09 >>> 09 >>> 10
DEX - 14 >>> 15 >>> 14
CON - 16 >>> 15 >>> 16
INT - 16 >>> 18 >>> 16
WIS - 15 >>> 13 >>> 16
CHA - 11 >>> 11 >>> 12

[OldTrees1]

Do you want the "best" stats or the "good enough" stats?

You rolled 3 15s which would be 27 points in point buy. You had a further 13/11/9 (9 points). You could make do with a species that gave 0 ASIs.

You could pick a species that gives +1/+1/+1 to each of your 15s. Standard Human also gives you a +1 to your other 3 stats (nominally +4 point buy but they are the 3 stats you care the least about). The other species would give you racial features.


With stats this good, I would pick the species that is most interesting to you for flavor reasons.

[Psyren]

I would personally do Standard Human just for the novelty of making it feel useful.

If it helps - Artificer doesn't need many feats, just hit 20 Int and you're set to do whatever.

[nickl_2000]

I would take Standard Human because it would be fun to actually use it, and it's pretty nice.

That being said, you get 2 +1s from VHuman and an additional +1 from Fey Touched. You really don't need the get to even on those other 3 stats, if Fey Touched sounds like fun.

[RogueJK]

This is one of the (few) situations in which Standard Human is a potentially a good choice.

However, rounding off STR and CHA doesn't matter much for you. The extra +1 to WIS is slightly more useful, but still not all that necessary right off the bat.

14 DEX/16 CON/16+ INT is really all you need.


Therefore, I'd actually go Half Elf with 17 INT/16 CON/15 WIS/14 DEX. This sets you up nicely for Fey Touched (18 INT) at Level 4, followed by 20 INT at 8 and then something like Skill Expert/Chef/Resilient WIS (16 WIS) at 12 (or vice-versa at 8 and 12). Go with Variant High Half Elf to get another cantrip, which is quite handy on an Artificer whose cantrips are limited. Furthermore, a Battle Smith in particular is basically required to take the Mending cantrip anyway in order to repair/heal their Steel Defender, which only leaves them with 1 other class cantrip pick until Level 10(!), so that 3rd racial cantrip is even better.

[solidork]

Your choice of race is more than just a collection of stats. Do you have a particular concept for what kind of custom lineage you'd be? For example, my Fey Touched Custom Lineage Bard is a Half Satyr.

Does the idea of roleplaying as any particular race interest you? You rolled well enough that any race would work well.

On a purely mechanical level, starting out with some odd stats is nice, it makes picking up half feats later more valuable.

[Master O'Laughs]

Your choice of race is more than just a collection of stats. Do you have a particular concept for what kind of custom lineage you'd be? For example, my Fey Touched Custom Lineage Bard is a Half Satyr.

Does the idea of roleplaying as any particular race interest you? You rolled well enough that any race would work well.

On a purely mechanical level, starting out with some odd stats is nice, it makes picking up half feats later more valuable.

I think I have been viewing race more for the mechanical benefit. Since I am unfamiliar with Spelljammer, I have struggled to tie myself to a "homeworld" to view the character from. So currently working as if form Ravnica, but wondering if Kaladesh would be easier to affix in my mind.

It is a good thing to consider though because I do like to reign in my desire to optimize when I can.