# Obvious best race/class combos.



## Tony Vargas (Jun 11, 2008)

Some are really obvious - Dragonborn Inspiring Warlord, for instance - others almost against type (Likeable gregarious half-elves have ideal stat bonuses to be lovecraftean Sky Warlocks).

Dragonborn - Inspiring Warlord - STR primary, CHA secondary
Dwarf - ?
Eladrin - Wand Wizard - INT primary, DEX for Wand of Accuracy
Elves - Archer Ranger - DEX primary, WIS secondary
Halflings - Artful Dodger Rogue - DEX primary, CHA secondary
Half-Elf - Sky Warlock - CON & CHA primary
Human - +2 Primary, whatever that might be
Tieflilng - ? 

Of course, there are some 'middle of the road' options, not as forced as the Sky Warlock, but still interesting.  The Dragonborn Paladin can crib powers from both flavors of pally and the Tiefling Warlord can make good use of both INT- and CHA-based exploits.  And just boosting secondaries like the latter could be good for the Dwarven Staff Wizard who has CON for his staff power and WIS for spells like Cloud of Daggers & Thunderwave, etc... and his expanded spellbook feat.

What am I missing?


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## Satori (Jun 12, 2008)

You also have to consider other facets like Racial Feats and Powers.

i.e. The Infernal Tiefling Warlock may not get a bonus to Con, but he has a Racial Feat that gives him +1 to Hit/Dmg with Fire/Fear powers (which are staples of the Infernal Pact).


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## Contrail (Jun 12, 2008)

Elves get Dex & Wis, not Dex & Cha.  Which makes them great Archery Rangers (Dex primary, Wis secondary).

- Contrail


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## Plane Sailing (Jun 12, 2008)

Tiefling makes good Fey warlock (strangely; you would have expected them to be good infernal ones, no?)


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## The Grackle (Jun 12, 2008)

Dwarf Fighter.  Dwarven Resiliance is golden.  Stat bonuses aren't everything.


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## Scholar & Brutalman (Jun 12, 2008)

Human: any class that has three at-will powers you want. - Wizard, Rogue. If WotC releases more at-wills in upcoming splatbooks then humans will become even better.

Tieflings and Half-Elves: while reading the comments above I had the thought that they should swap stat bonuses. Tieflings seem better IMO with Con and Cha, HE with Int and Cha.


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## Kaodi (Jun 12, 2008)

Maybe it is not the best, but I actually kind of think that an Elven Fighter is a pretty good option. Your prime stat suffers a little, but you get bonuses to two secondary stats which also happen to boost your weaker defenses, you get an encounter power that lets you roll again (which may be really helpful when you have a daily to unleash that is not reliable), and you have a speed of 6 in heavy armour (7 if you specialize in scale).


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## half-dragon dragon (Jun 12, 2008)

I didn't realize it before until the other day, but as has been said before and elsewhere, Dragonborn really have an affinity stat-wise to a lot of the classes. 

Major one include:
Inspiring warlord (as mentioned)
Melee cleric, with strength as primary and cha as support (at least I think I remember clerics using cha)
Rogue, surprisingly but still effective since they get a bonus to both of the rogue's secondary stats
Paladin, for both primary stats

Minor ones:
Fighter, Ranger, and Warlock mostly due to having a bonus to these classes' primary attributes 

Really, the only class that the Drabonborn stats don't benefit is the wizard and even that isn't entirely true due to the cha bonus making it easier to grab Spell Focus. Although, I have to say after looking at it, any race that has a str bonus will have a stat affinity for most of the classes in the PHB.


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## Eldorian (Jun 12, 2008)

half-dragon dragon said:
			
		

> Although, I have to say after looking at it, any race that has a str bonus will have a stat affinity for most of the classes in the PHB.




5 out of 8 always or can use STR as a primary stat, so yes.

Options that are good but not really noticed as much:  Tiefling Paladin (Cha bonus and good racial power for a defender).  Dwarven Warlock (Con bonus and good racial for a warlock).   Elven Cleric (Wis bonus and good racial for buff spells that do little on a miss).  Some of these are better when you think of a good multiclass, such as Elven Cleric with Ranger multiclass, or Tiefling Fey pact Warlock with Wizard multiclass.  I think the best multiclasses are going to be those which pick up a class from a different role, but with the same power source.  Hmm.  I haven't tried to do a ranger warlord yet.  Currently, it seems to me that most character benefit from at least a little multiclassing.


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## Nifft (Jun 12, 2008)

My answer from a related thread...

Tieflings cover all roles quite well: Controller (Wizard), Leader (Warlord), Defender (Paladin) and Striker (Fey Warlock).

Elves cover every role tolerably well: Leader (Cleric), Striker (Rogue, Ranger), Controller (Wizard with Orb focus), Defender (Fighter), though these last two are only decent thanks to the elf re-roll ability.

Humans cover three roles well: Controller (Wizard), Striker (Warlock), and Leader (Warlord). Humans can do Defender (Fighter) tolerably well, but it's not their forte.

Dragonborn do well in three roles: Leader (Str Cleric, Cha Warlord), Defender (Fighter, Paladin), and Striker (Warlock).

Dwarves would make an interesting party: Controller (Orb Wizard) heavy on Wisdom, Defender (Fighter, Paladin), Leader (most excellent Cleric), and Striker (Warlock). I wonder if a Dwarf Ranger (TWF) would be awesome.

Halflings are Strikers (Warlock, Rogue, Ranger) and maybe Defenders (Paladin).

Half-Elves only cover Striker (Warlock) and Defender (Paladin), though a case could be made for Leader (Warlord).

Eladrin would be interesting Warlords, and they're obviously good as Controllers (Wand Wizard) and decent as Strikers (Rogue). Dwarf Weapon Training works to make Dwarf a decent Fighter choice, and I wonder if Eladrin Soldier could do the same work for Eladrin Warlords.

- - -

So in summation: Tieflings rule!

Cheers, -- N

PS: I'd originally said Elves made tolerable Paladins, but I think I had meant to write Fighters, who add their Wisdom to OAs, and who seem to have more Reliable daily powers. Also, of course, Elves would want to wear Scale armor and not Plate, so again the Fighter is up ahead.


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## Scholar & Brutalman (Jun 12, 2008)

Why aren''t humans viable as paladins?


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## Cryptos (Jun 12, 2008)

I'm actually finding that the characters I'm making seem to turn out stronger when I pick a race that increases secondary stats, and just pay for the primary stat all-out.

In the standard point buy, it seems like 2 secondaries at +2 for race are about equally effective, say if you put a 12 into each for 2 points  for a total of 14, as choosing a race with your primary stat's bonus and then having to build the secondaries up to 14.

This adds more flexibility to "optimal" combinations beyond what you're going for above.  Dragonborns, for instance:  Dragonborn clerics (pump Wisdom and ride the racial bonuses to secondary stats strength and charisma) and rogues (pump DEX and ride the racial bonuses for STR and CHA.)

I've yet to come across a truly horrible race/class combination though, to the point where you couldn't have a decent time playing it.  I made a truly sick Eladrin TWF Ranger (with Rogue multifeat) - high damage and mobility, and the best skill monkey I've managed yet - and I converted a Dwarven pyromaniac wizard from 3e and it seems he's more effective in this edition.  Maybe there's a really bad combination out there that I haven't tried yet, I don't know.  It doesn't seem like it.


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## Nifft (Jun 12, 2008)

Scholar & Brutalman said:
			
		

> Why aren''t humans viable as paladins?



 What's your 3rd At-Will?

Cheers, -- N


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## Benly (Jun 12, 2008)

That human ability isn't applicable to paladins, but the human feats are quite good for defenders.

That said, they're better fighters than paladins since they can apply more of their strengths. Humans aren't _bad_ paladins, they're just better at being fighters.


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## TarionzCousin (Jun 12, 2008)

Benly said:
			
		

> That human ability isn't applicable to paladins, but the human feats are quite good for defenders.
> 
> That said, they're better fighters than paladins since they can apply more of their strengths. Humans aren't _bad_ paladins, they're just better at being fighters.



Can we call them _wrongbad_ paladins?


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