I like how you say "take advantage of my stats".
Your stats are horrible.
I havent played a bard yet, but id suggest putting the highest stat in Charisma. Then the next one into Dexterity? Pick a race with more ability bonuses, is about all I can recommend.
If I was in your situation, Id flesh out a Dwarven Fighter
Str 14
Dex 12
Con 11 (becomes 13)
Int 10
Wis 10 (becomes 12)
Cha 10 (becomes 8)
Aim for full plate.
I would recommend a dwarf cleric w/ stats as followed:
Str 11
Dex 10
Con 12+2=14
Int 10
Wis 14+2=16
Cha 10-2=8
You ought to cast buff spells and summon spells. You can trust your armor and a shield to raise your AC, and your Con should help your HP so you can sit up front w/ the melee characters and take up some room when needed. A dwarven war axe will give you a little damage. Sadly you won't get to channel many times a day, but not much you can do about that unless you can accept having less HP. :(
You could also use a halfling bard. High stats in Charisma and Dex. You could buff and use a sling or something.
Personally I think the cleric would give you a few more options (which I like) but either should work.
And, seriously, you're GM should let you reroll these stats. :P
I'd probably go with a human wizard (or witch) with
str 10
dex 12
con 10
int 14+2
wis 10
cha 10
I think the character's theme should be that he was born with little natural talent so any success he has is the result of his own hard work.
Also, ultimately Pathfinder is a game and games are supposed to be fun. Talk to your GM again about a reroll or better yet have him post of this thread so we can see what's in it for him to have one player with 18,18,16 stats and another with 14,12,11.
edit: Ninja'd by Rory. Also, forgot that one of the stats is an 11 instead of a 10.
I suggest druid. 14 in wisdom for spellcasting, 12 in constitution for survivability - you could increase these by being a dwarf. You can summon and cast buffing spells, and your animal companion's stats won't be held back by your low rolls.
You have a 8 pt buy character. The guy with the 18, and two 18s and a 16 is 44 pt buy on 3 stats alone. This will be real problem for the GM. Worst case for you is you die and roll a new character.
I'd go the summoner, yout stats don't matter much and all you need is 16 CHR which is easily obtained with 14 stat and race tha boost Chr. A Gnome summoner could be fun it boosts you Chr and Con and you lose strength. The favored class bonus can go on you Edilon for +1 hp. Basically you play the edilon.
Str 10(8), Dex 12, Con 11(13), Int 10, Wis 10, Chr 14(16).
I agree with the summoner route for a character with crummy stats. The synthesist especially, and this is probably one of the few cases where i wouldnt have a problem with a synthesist (normally it allows for a significant amount of min-maxing but here, you have such crummy stats it seems perfectly reasonable to me to try to bypass them). A normally summoner would also be good as you could take a small race that gets a charisma bonus (small for the better ac) and just cast buff spells as with the summoner and fight with the eidolon.
Another option is to play a druid. If you focus on a druids buffs and the animal companion your own stats wont be as important similar to the summoner. Really any buff focused caster would do, though honestly a 16 (14 with a +2 racial) isnt terrible, so you could even play an offensively focused chaster, i just dont think you could create an effective martial character with that stat line or any of the caster/martial mixed classes that usually need multiple ability scores too.
I'd go with a support caster with an animal companion/mount to do some fighting for you. For instance a cleric with the Animal domain, Nature oracle with Bonded Mount revelation, sorcerer with sylvan bloodline, etc. Focus on buffing spells, so your DCs don't matter, and let the animal do the fighting, so you use his stats instead of yours.
You may also want to consider the synthesist summoner archetype. There have been many complaints on these boards about how these characters are unbalanced because they let you dump strength and dexterity. A character who rolled low stats is a natural for that class/archetype.
My first summoner (and third PF character ever) was/is a gnome synthesist who dual classed into it in order to provide the party with tank. I think it's easier and simpler than the normal summoner, EXCEPT managing two different sets of stats on the same character. But that just takes some due diligence, and is fun enough if you take to it.
This wasn't my specific build, but @level 1, 3 Evolution points + Feat (extra evolution) + Mage Armor spell might get you 3 natural attacks (1d4 1d4 1d8), 19 AC, and 18 str. And Summoners can cast in light armor.
Taking the biped base form lets you retain your spell casting, and use weapons as you would normally. But by placing the claw evolution on the legs instead of the arms, and then spending 1 evo point for slam (on your arms), you get 3 attacks as a full round action (which is the max you're allowed at first level). You could spend one more evolution point on +2 natural armor (giving you +4 total at first level). Casting mage armor on yourself would then boost your AC to 19. I think these are relatively simple alterations than anyone can manage. I've typically equipped my guy with a cheap long spear to get some range on the battle field, but then quickly drop that to wail on enemies who are close. Note that it's not effective to perform natural attacks while carrying a weapon.
If you spent a feat on extra evolution, you'd have two evolution points left after spending what I suggested above. You could use those to boost your Eidolon's strength from 16 to 18. This is, again, a relatively straight forward change that could compliment a melee character.
Alternately, I really enjoyed spending the one extra evolution point on Climb(Ex), which was personally fun for me and my character concept. The potentially excess power of synthesists means you can waste some of it just having fun.
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I have never once given advice that included "If the GM/player did that I would never play with them" but I would seriously feel that way if I were in your position, since the other player has much better ability scores than you. In the old days when I rolled too, I was the guy who always ended up with mediocre scores. Maybe offer to use the same set of rolls the other player came up with?
I think your DM is really asking for trouble by letting such a huge stat-discrepancy slide (one of the many reasons why I always use point buy), but that's his business.
If you're stuck with those stats, I would DEFINITELY go with a summoner. Maybe a synthesist, maybe not, summoners are the least stat-dependent class in the game anyways. You could get by with a zero pt. point buy (7,12,14,7,7,14+2) and just buff your eidolon (or summoned creatures, whatever).
With the ability scores you listed, as a synthesist summoner, I would go with 10,10,10,11,12,14 and let your eidolon's physical ability scores overwrite your own. With a biped base-form eidolon, you suddenly have effectively a 23 pt. point-buy, which is nothing to sneeze at.
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Alternatively, play a rogue, and rush around flanking enemies. You'll probably get killed, and then you can reroll with better stats.
I have done a "roll, and if you are blow the value of a x point buy, you can spend enough points to make up the difference". Or, if you are a certain amount below the average point buy of the party, you get to move up to the average of the lowest two ...
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If you are going to play a bard as a support character, good for you. It is difficult for many players to play that role in the party. Many players want the "spotlight". With your highest stat being 14, but your lowest being average, your stats are more reminiscent of a slightly above-average NPC. Still, that's definitely "hero" material. Your stats aren't so poor as to make the character unplayable. They just aren't as great as your buddy's. And who said all PC's are created equal? No one, that's who. Your lower stats could be the role-playing reason you are a support role character. The gods didn't favor you as well as your buddy in the party. Let him hog the spotlight with his plethora of 16's and 18's.
To really answer your question, Charisma is the prime attribute of bards. I would highly suggest you put it there. As to the placement of your other stats, that depends on the style of bard you intend on playing. Mainly ranged or melee? Mobile or heavier armored? Is this a heavy role-play or more heavy combat style campaign? I would award stats based on that.
Btw, congrats on deciding to play Pathfinder. I've played D&D every week for 28 years. Gary Gygax probably rolled over in his grave when 4e hit the printing press. No offense to anyone out there that enjoys 4e. I've read it. That isn't the D&D I grew up playing.
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If the rolls of all players were valid and rolled in front of the DM, then I see no need to cry foul. If this particular group plays more for roleplaying, and not so much for min/maxed monster killers, a character can be created that the player can enjoy.
With that particular set of stats, I would probably put the highest score into Dex, add a racial bonus to it, and make an archer, probably fighter, or one of the fighter archetypes. The main reason for this, is that your prime ability, is going to be used for two of the most important stats: AC and BAB. With a fighter, you can get the most amount of feats, and be very competent, even with low scores in other abilities. Eventually, the character will have access to magical equipment that will bring the other abilities up to more "normal" levels.
Another reason I do not see this character as pointless, is that there are no negative scores. I am sure I am not the only "old-timer" that have played characters with worse stats than this in 1st Ed AD&D. Sometimes the dice are not on your side. Embrace the challenge. Next time, it may be you with the multiple 18's, and your buddy with the low rolls. If you set the good example now, he will have no reason to cry when it is his turn.
Here, here Dakota Strider!!!
I'd probably go with an aasimar cleric, if given the choice.
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Id highly suggest going 1 level of Oracle with the Black-Blooded archetype with the Lore Mystery to get the Sidestep Secret Revelation. The revelation will allow u to use ur Cha instead of ur Dex for AC and Reflex saves. Then take 2 levels of Antipaladin for its Unholy Resilience. Unholy Resilience adds ur Cha to all of ur saves. 2 levels of monk will then be appropriate so u can add ur Wis to AC and give u Evasion to better avoid Ref save attacks. After all of that Bard would probably be best for its lovely buff spells and abilities.
Stats would 11, 10, 10, 10, 12, 14. If going Human/Half-Elf the +2 racial should go in Cha.
Honestly I would look at a bard. You can do a little bit of everything. Havign low stats will require you to out think a problem veruses relying on your stats.
Smart play ALWAYS beats smart builds.
Play smart use silent image and be clever.
That is my issue with rolling of for stats. It allows by chance players to have unblanaced characters.
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I'd probably go with an aasimar cleric, if given the choice.
That would be my suggestion, too. Aasimar get +2 Wis, +2 Cha, no ability penalty, and a few other neat abilities (including energy resistance). You can get Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 13 (qualifying you for selective channeling if you want it) and go the support caster route as others above have said.
It's a pretty poor stat array, especially compared to the rest of the group, and under those situations many GMs would allow a re-roll or otherwise boost your stats. However, it is possible to pull off and it sounds like you've got the right attitude for it. Best of luck.
human support wizzard with dual talented trait
getting +2 to 2 abilety scores
INT 14 +2 16
DEX 11 +2 13(putting your lvl 4 point in it)
CON 12
STR 10
WIS 10
CHA 10
looks like OK stats for a wizard getting a headband of INT ASAP :-)
and believe me you realy wil stil outshine all your budies with awsome stats :-)
oh and if you just play wreckless you can rerolll when you die!! ;)
Honesty I dont think the gm is some kind of monster for letting stats like that stand. Is it some how ok to mitigate the risk of rolling poor stats but not cut the reward when someone turns up 3 18s? If you want one you should be ok the other. I have had a gm who would adjust rolled stats if they were too high or too low, and at that point it just seems more rational to do point buy. If you are going to roll roll, if you want fairness, use pointbuy or stat arrays.
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There are ways to mitigate bad rolling without going to straight point buy. The original method was straight 3d6, rolled in order, which was brutal. Eventually, more generous methods began to prevail:
- xd6 take top 3
- roll x stats, take best 6 and allocate them however
- roll x sets of stats taking the best
and combinations of these
These still allow some luck in character creation with varying levels of generosity. However, The GM always has the option to relent when a player straight up rolls a dumpster fire of a character because his dice seem to have all 1s.
I have rolled scores like these and been forced to play them.
Whatever you make, I suggest doing what I did, ie play very fast and loose with your character. By which, I mean be reckless, have fun doing things you might not normally do. Don't be disruptive to the game (which, from your very reasonable tone I doubt you would be), but play this character all out.
Why? Well, for two reasons.
1) You're in a no-lose situation once you've accepted those stats. By playing a very reckless PC, you either a) die very quickly (the probable outcome), or b) survive for at least a while. If a), you get a new character sooner rather than later, before you're all invested in ol' Gimpy the one-eyed archer, and before the others go up levels (sounds like your DM would be the "punish the new character by making them start 2 levels lower" type). If b) you all of a sudden have a totally awesome PC that's done all this reckless stuff and survived through the sheer grace of the gods! What a great story that'll be!
Which leads into...
2) You're character is going to be no good mechanically - at best, barely competent at something. This means you need to get some serious enjoyment out of their personality and the ongoing story you create. You're not going to experience much of the "I'm a total badass!" feeling that most characters can give, you're going to have to go for "This character's story is really cool". And one of the best ways to experience that is to create cool story for your PC by being out there and doing stuff against the odds.
Anyway, that's what I did. And my version of ol' Gimpy the one-eyed archer never died - he ended up with some pretty awesome anecdotes before he retired to the old one-eyed archer home.
Good times with crap ability scores!
I will co-sign everyone by saying saying summoner, except, i would go master summoner.
a master summoner with a 16 starting charisma, is still broken.
if you donn't want to be broken, the synthesist summoner is excellent
as is the plain summoner.
You can also be an asimaer cleric
and be an excellent bufffer and chaneller
a halfling rogue will also work well with those stats, go the weapon finesse route.
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Those stats don't look that bad at all. At least you won't have any crippling weaknesses from having rolled a bunch of 4's and 5's. Back in the day I'd have killed for a stat-line like that. ;)
Pretty much everyone has good suggestions. You've got a 14 for a casting stat that could become a 16 with a racial bonus, you've got at least another +1 to toss into something.
Really just Paladin or Monk probably wouldn't be the best choice given how they enjoy having higher stats a bit more then other classes.
play a butcher dwarf barbarian that go around fighting with 2 dwarven waraxes bare chested. Probably you'll die a painfull death quite soon but at least you'll have a freakload of fun in the meantime.
Go with an aasimar nature oracle gaining an animal companion at 1st level. You will be the weakest character with the highest leveled horse!
Seriously look at this thread for a great idea!
John smith and his totaly awsome horse
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If you play a halfling, and traits are allowed in your campaign, you could take the Helpful trait. In melee, you can use the Aid Another action to give your ally +4 to hit or AC - and you need to hit a mere AC 10 to do it.
Dwarven druid
14, 12, 11, 10, 10, 10
Str 11
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 16
Cha 8
Your stats suck? Guess what, your killer Dinosaur or kitty has awesome stats.
DON'T play a summoner. It's an awesome class and from the perspective of pure mechanics it's perfect. But it's ALSO one of (if not the) most complicated class to play in Pathfinder. NOT appropriate for someone new to the system.
If you're willing to venture into magic, I'd suggest either the summoning focused wizard or an evangelist cleric who buffs and summons. Both of those are going to be challenging enough, because you're going to have to learn the magic system AND all the varied uses of summoned creatures at the same time. It's a lot to take in.
If front line types are your preference, I'd go with the fighter archer suggestion. You can be very effective while not having great stats. My biggest concern with that is that archer builds can get repetitive in actual play, and fighters who don't pump int have a lot of trouble contributing outside of battle. For that, I'd recommend that you make a crazy memorable personality and just role play it to the hilt.
One point with a summon focused build- you get lots of front line action by playing through your summons, and you can be reckless with them because you WANT them to get hit. A hit against a summons is one that's NOT going to a party member. Summons are also great for practicing group tactics.
Synthesist summoner all the way why have lousy stats when you can replace them with good stats instead, switch out the 14 into charisma so you will have full spell-casting by the later levels and your set.
+1.
Put the 14 into Charisma and the 12 into Constitution. Play a Gnome, so that those become 16/14.
If you want to get really crazy, take a level dip into Paladin (not to start with, though). Two levels will boost your saving throws forever, give you weapon proficiencies (if you want to play something with arms that uses weapons, which is recommended if you want to be able to cast spells), and a few good skills, like diplomacy. And the ability to heal yourself as a swift action.
It shouldn't be too complicated.