So... minmaxing. Hot topic, some hate it, some love it. But here's something I have very rarely seen people do.
Everyone's usually trying to build the best character. Best build, best stats, ect. But.
How about the WORST character?
How would you go about building the worst character possible? Is it a monk with 3 wis and 3 dex, giving them an AC of 0? Or in a gestalt game, a barbarian/bladesinger wizard with stats so bad that their AC goes to -2 during bladesong?
I'd love to see the most terrible character possible. Something so incredibly bad it's comical, regardless of setting or rulesets.
I would just play a dragonborn beastmaster ranger and dump STR, DEX, and WIS. Then take only combat spells that require attacks/saves, no buff, healing, or utility. And finally, no beast companion.
At this point, you don't even have to try to play the character bad.
Min in min-maxing is not about choosing to minimize or maximize effectiveness, it is about minimizing cons while maximizing pros. That is why it is min-maxing, not max-maxing. And without some rules, this just turns into an exercise of "roll 6 3s and pick whatever for everything else." I think you have to assume either standard array or point buy spending all the points.
My idea is an orc wizard dumping int and con: combine the only race with a negative stat adjustment with your dump stat in your class's most important ability score. If you do this you can prepare 1 spell at 1st level and don't gain another until 3rd. Again, you have to be careful on spell selection because there are plenty that don't depend on casting stat.
Min in min-maxing is not about choosing to minimize or maximize effectiveness, it is about minimizing cons while maximizing pros. That is why it is min-maxing, not max-maxing. And without some rules, this just turns into an exercise of "roll 6 3s and pick whatever for everything else." I think you have to assume either standard array or point buy spending all the points.
Ironically, I think everyone except the OP was already doing this.
I would think a Half-Orc Bard, that dumped his CHR and DEX would be pretty lame. Then give him a outlander background, so he doesn't get noble, performance or anything else that "fits." Make sure he sticks with College of Lore so he can't become an effective fighter through College of Swords or Valor. Choose the lamest spells. You're pretty well set there.
As for Min-Max, I always took it to mean, use the minimum resources to achieve the maximum result, not minimize your weakness. But either way you define it, the result is about the same.
But why Min-Max a character? RP is the bomb!! Build a character for the best RP.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
If you actually want an interesting discussion, assume that for minimizing effectiveness you only have control over building/leveling the character, not playing. The character should be assumed to be played to optimal effect for the build. Also, it should be required that you use point buy (for consistency between builds) and that you spend all points. Otherwise you could just have characters running around with 8s in everything, running ahead of the party, and poking anything they come across.
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So... minmaxing. Hot topic, some hate it, some love it. But here's something I have very rarely seen people do.
Everyone's usually trying to build the best character. Best build, best stats, ect. But.
How about the WORST character?
How would you go about building the worst character possible? Is it a monk with 3 wis and 3 dex, giving them an AC of 0? Or in a gestalt game, a barbarian/bladesinger wizard with stats so bad that their AC goes to -2 during bladesong?
I'd love to see the most terrible character possible. Something so incredibly bad it's comical, regardless of setting or rulesets.
I would have a character that had a 13 in every stat.
Then I would multiclass into every class at least once.
Have them never use a weapon that did more than d4 of damage per roll.
I would just play a dragonborn beastmaster ranger and dump STR, DEX, and WIS. Then take only combat spells that require attacks/saves, no buff, healing, or utility. And finally, no beast companion.
At this point, you don't even have to try to play the character bad.
Min in min-maxing is not about choosing to minimize or maximize effectiveness, it is about minimizing cons while maximizing pros. That is why it is min-maxing, not max-maxing. And without some rules, this just turns into an exercise of "roll 6 3s and pick whatever for everything else." I think you have to assume either standard array or point buy spending all the points.
My idea is an orc wizard dumping int and con: combine the only race with a negative stat adjustment with your dump stat in your class's most important ability score. If you do this you can prepare 1 spell at 1st level and don't gain another until 3rd. Again, you have to be careful on spell selection because there are plenty that don't depend on casting stat.
To be worthless NOT ONLY IN BATTLE. But everywhere else as well...
I present you a standard array Kobold Barbarian Acoltye. That dumped STR and Con and Wis. as it’s lowest stats.
proficient I survival, athletics, insight, religion. And that’s it for skill proficiencies.
its a kobold. So sunlight sensitivity.
and the pack tactics does nothing unless you are not in sunlight.
try and out worthless that. Using standard array. For not just combat alone. But out of combat utility.
Blank
Ironically, I think everyone except the OP was already doing this.
I would think a Half-Orc Bard, that dumped his CHR and DEX would be pretty lame. Then give him a outlander background, so he doesn't get noble, performance or anything else that "fits." Make sure he sticks with College of Lore so he can't become an effective fighter through College of Swords or Valor. Choose the lamest spells. You're pretty well set there.
As for Min-Max, I always took it to mean, use the minimum resources to achieve the maximum result, not minimize your weakness. But either way you define it, the result is about the same.
But why Min-Max a character? RP is the bomb!! Build a character for the best RP.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
It's fun also to do 3d6 in order and make a character from that. For even more fun, try picking your race and class before rolling.
The OP does not care about the specific definition of the words and just wants terribad characters
If you actually want an interesting discussion, assume that for minimizing effectiveness you only have control over building/leveling the character, not playing. The character should be assumed to be played to optimal effect for the build. Also, it should be required that you use point buy (for consistency between builds) and that you spend all points. Otherwise you could just have characters running around with 8s in everything, running ahead of the party, and poking anything they come across.