When it comes to character creation you have a lot choice. If you take into account the current number of races (35) and classes (22) presented in character builder you can create over 770 different possible combinations. If you throw the Hybrid class into the mix the number continues to grow exponentially. And as more classes and races are introduced, the number of variations continues to increase. So if there are currently 770 different possible race/class combinations, why do we keep seeing the same ones over and over again?
I’ll tell you why and I can do it with only two words: power gaming. When making a new character, most gamers want their PC to be the absolute best he can possibly be. For most of us (me included) being the best is synonymous with being the most powerful. The problem is that the most obvious builds quickly become overplayed.
Before you make your next character, take a look at our skill matrix by race. Along the bottom it clearly shows which races receive bonuses in which ability scores. Regardless of whether you choose your PC’s race or class first, the decision-making process ends up being pretty much the same.
Beginning with race
You really want to play an Eladrin. You know that if you do, you’ll receive a +2 bonus to Dex and Int. Armed with this knowledge you review all the classes and find the ones that gain the most benefit from having a high Dex or Int or both.
The Wizard and Avenger classes both use Dex and Int. So from a power gaming perspective if you’re planning on playing an Eladrin, playing an Avenger or Wizard will give you the greatest advantage when it comes to determining your initial ability scores.
But what about a class like Paladin? It doesn’t rely on Dex or Int. Eladrin Paladin’s have no inherent bonus to the scores they most rely on (Cha and Str). Having a +2 racial bonus to Dex and Int is no real help. So does this mean that there no Eladrin Paladins? I’ll admit I’ve never played with one at my table.
Beginning with class
You really want to play a Barbarian. You know that this class relies on Str, Con and to a lesser extent Cha. You start looking at all the races and find that the Goliath and the Warforged both get a +2 racial bonus to Str and Con. The Dragonborn gets a +2 racial bonus to Str and Cha, so this is also in the mix. Playing any of these three races will give your Barbarian high ability scores in the stats he’ll use most often.
But what about a race like Elf? They get a +2 racial bonus to Dex and Wis. Neither of these abilities really helps a Barbarian, but I’m sure that there are still some Elf Barbarians. Again, this is not a build I’ve seen and it’s not one I expect to see any time soon.
Little variation
Even though there are currently 770 different race/class combinations, we tend to focus on the builds that provide the most in-game benefit. We usually dismiss race/class combos that don’t maximize racial ability bonuses with key abilities of the class. The result is that we see the same race/class combos over and over again.
I’m the first to admit that of the 10 or more PCs I’ve played, I’ve tried to maximize the race/class combo in the exact way I’ve described above. The Dragonborn Warlord, Half-Elf Paladin, Drow Sorcerer, Half-Orc Ranger and Goliath Warden were all created to give me the best scores in the most relevant abilities for my class. I was the best in class (most powerful).
I’ll admit that I got bored quickly, especially when playing LFR games at GenCon and my FLGS. I constantly bumped into other players with nearly identical characters.
Every time someone described their Sorcerer his race was inevitably Drow, Gnome or Tiefling. Just once I want someone to tell me bout their Half-Orc Sorcerer. Now that sounds like an interesting character.
Try something new
Creating a PC shouldn’t always come down to crunching the numbers. Embrace the role-playing. Think of how a Half-Orc Sorcerer would be seen in-game. It’s an oddity that very few players seem likely to try. So not only would your character be unique in your campaign, chances are you’d never come across that particular race/class combo at any other game table. And it’s this spirit of adventure that I’m asking all of us to embrace as we make characters in the future.
I’m going to lead by example as I create a new character for my brand new long-term campaign this week. I’ve always wanted to try the Warlock class, but I’m not interested in playing a Gnome, Half-Elf or Tiefling like every other Warlock I’ve ever seen. So I’ve chose to play an Eladrin, another race I’ve always wanted to play. His starting Cha may only be a 16, but the rest of his scores are quite well rounded. I’ve created a clever take on this PC and I’m really looking forward to playing against type for the first time since 4e came out. With 770 variations to choose from, I encourage all of you to give it a try.
Have you played against type in 4e D&D? If so tell us about your most creative build.
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1 2 3 4 Next »I've got a character I'll be starting soon who both is and isn't against type - He's a Sun Elf(AKA Eladrin) Cleric of Corellon Larethian for a FR game. The concept is perfectly ordinary and normal. Elven subrace that tends to be devout, cleric of head god of racial pantheon. But 4e makes this against type, as Eladrin make terrible clerics by default. So in order to have my stereotype character, I have to go against typical race/class combos.
Kind of an odd feeling when you have something that fluff-wise is perfectly normal but crunch-wise is meh.
I suspect anytime you have racial bonuses, people will look to exploit it (we are playing a game, after all!) Trying something different for the sake of being different requires an adventurous player, a supportive group, and a DM willing to avoid powergaming against the party. (Show me the minions!) In my homebrew rules I did away with racial bonuses. We have one halfling, and one elf among ten players. All the rest were human. Why? Is it because there was no advantage to playing another race? Maybe Gygax was on to something with the level caps for non-humans (a rule I always ignored.)
I have a Half-Orc Sorcerer that I've played in LFR. Graurg is a Chaos Sorcerer. He like is when things don't go well. When someone describes a plan that sounds like it could end badly, he's gung ho for it.
"You mean we have to get our non-sneaky fighter past the guards into an area that isn't mapped, to get something for a guy who can't pay us? Sounds great!"
My second favorite character I've created in the CB is my Goliath Bard Solati. He lived in the mountains and would frequently come down to the city and hang out at a dwarven tavern with the dwarves and share stories, songs and stout. They called him Uncle Solati. I haven't played him in LFR yet though. Looking forward to it though.
Other options I've built and want to play: Tiefling Paladin named Ideal, and a Dwarf Ranger named Arthur.
I eliminate one half of this dilemma by always playing humans. I supposed some perceive this as a limit on imagination, but I've always rather have an extra skill or feat than a bonus to an ability score that might come along later as a magic item bonus.
I've played most classes, unless they have a religious or "grunt fighter" bent. I think this is mainly prejudice due to the limited roles these characters had in earlier editions of the game.
My two cents...
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I play a Dragonborn Warlock. Has the CHA bonus but just seemed like something different.
I submit that there's another consideration: racial powers. When I pick my race and class, I look at the racial power and how it blends with the class. I ended up taking a human for my sorcerer because the extra at-will and feats made a better sorcerer. If I were building a fighter, I'd take a dwarf, not for ability bonuses but for the second-wind-as-a-minor-action power.
i am currently playing a Dborn shaman MC druid. according to the numbers this really isn't an advantageous build, but i'm having lots of fun. i play as with a native/aboriginal flair and some hippie talk now and then. one of the most fun aspects is that he comes from a community that is undercivilized compared to the other characters of the party and we roleplay that up quite a bit. after a particularly nasty fight with plenty of bloody mess all over, i set up camp and used my best skills to hide the camp while the rest of the party went to bathe from the heavy fighting. i had even been hit by two kobold stink pots during the fighting, but didn't think about cleaning up afterwards. another interesting example was that i saw hobgoblins in town and immediately wild shaped and charged, the fighter grabbed me and restrained me from charging. later i shared a smoke pipe with him and admitted that my reckless behavior could have gotten us into a lot of trouble.
I've played a Half-Orc Sorcerer in Dark Ages of Camelot, which, while it isn't true D&D, is close enough that I got lot's of stares when playing that character.
@Nai_Calus
This is very much the point I'm trying to make. There are going to be some race/class combos that make a lot of sense (like the one you've described) that aren't great when it comes to number crunching. The result is a lot less PC Clerics from races without a +2 Wis bonus.
@Anarkeith
If I'm playing in a one-off game (like a dungeon delve, for example) I'm always going to exploit every advantage I can get. But when it comes to a long-term game where you have time and opportunity to develop the PC, I'd like to see more players try something different.
Eliminating the racial bonuses is a good way to level the playing field. Until 4e I always played Human characters.
@Mike
It sounds like you've had a lot of fun and a lot of success playing against type. A Goliath Bard sounds like a great build. Thanks for sharing.
@deadorcs
I suppose the Human advantages you've described are just another way of power gaming. But I think it opens up a lot more options. As someone who likes playing Humans I have to agree with your approach to this issue.
@Ragnarok
I'll bet that playing a Dragonborn Warlock has given you some great role-playing experiences. Glad to hear you tried something different.
@James Geluso
I agree that sometimes the racial power can make all the difference when choosing race/class combo. However, I think for most gamers it's a secondary consideration after ability bonuses. Part of the reason I'm looking forward to playing the Eladrin Warlock is because of the Fey Step racial ability. I suppose these abilities are what you make of them. If you can think of an interesting way to use a racial power with a particular class then go for it, even if the numbers aren't in your favour.
@DanTracker
This is exactly what I'm taking about. Try something that's “against the numbers” and you're likely to have a lot of fun with it. Great examples.
@SteveA
Just think of how mundane your character would have been if instead of Half-Orc he was as Human as the next guy.
Nice article, I am going to demand my players read it too... always powerbuilding in my games... I have played a Goliath Wizard, sadly not for long, he was like a tribal counselor in all kinds of magical stuff and studied magic for 4 years before coming back to the mountains he lived when the adventure started... it was reeeally tough to have good results with the dices but it was really really fun to play him... it is always more unique when you play against type even if you have a normal combo but have a different interpretation to that character