Preferred races for classes

[Craigrx1]

Please don't flame this post, but what I am curious about is what race best fits with certain classes, such as I know that Warforged and artificier fit nicely together. More specifically I am looking for the class that best fits with the Wood Elf. From what I can tell Ranger is the best but if there are others please let me know. I am also curious about best fits for the other classes. I know that any race can take any class but I am looking for BEST FITS

[FlavoredSoul]

Not a very detailed question, what do you mean by "fits best"

Mechanically/powergaming? in that case the best race for every class is about 80% of the time Aasimar, 10% dragon-born, 10% other.

Lore/RP/cosmetic wise? whatever you like best.


As for wood elf specifically; Ranger, Druid, and Barbarian are all good options to go with the "nature theme" Potentially a Barbarian/Animal druid multiclass, but they'll work fine with pretty much anything but Artificer.

[dogsoldier]

Well you can do successful builds with any class/race combo. There are some that standout as good fits though.

Human is great for any class that is feat starved, or needs the extra skill points: Paladin, Bard, or multiclass trapper with 2-skill pt class as primary.

Halfling is good for dex-based Rogues, and Rangers, esp if ranged (bonus on IPS hitting more mobs in the same shots)

[FuzzyDuck81]

For anything with high or even moderate wisdom, Aasimar. The healing hands ability is just great - shintao monk in particular with their high healing amp can heal themselves in full nigh-instantly from pretty much anything that doesn't kill them outright & I've also had a lot of fun with an Aasimar barbarian for much the same reason.

Gnome/deep gnome is great for rogues, artificers & wizards - that colour spray SLA is really nice for crowd control - wizards will get the highest DCs, but artificers will get a decent amount too & while it won't typically hit as high for a rogue, it can be reliable enough & the blindness from it boosts your sneak attacks. I've also had success with a frenzied berserker gnome wielding their racially-compatible weapons, since they can get the multiplier boost from FB & the threat range boost from their racial tree, plus the whole "tiny, but fierce!" thing is a lot of fun.

Warforged/bladeforged naturally fits well for artificers & very well for wizards too due to the self healing capability - I'm particularly looking forward to making a wf/bf (not decided which) eldritch knight when U41 goes live. They work well for sorcerers too for the same reason, though WF (not BF) suffer the charisma penalty which will lower your DCs a little. I've also found they make good monks due to the natural immunities & the monk's high healing amp offsets the healing penalty pretty nicely, meaning that while they may not be optimal stat-wise, they can make your play a lot smoother by simply being able to ignore a number of potential threats like level drain, some poisons etc.

[C-Dog]

Too many variables for a simple "A fits X" list.

If your particular build is feat-starved, then you almost have to go w/ Human, done. Otoh, if you have feat slots to spare, then non-human options open up.

Similarly, many caster builds can go either Human for an extra casting Feat, or non-Human for +2 to the casting stat (usually Int or Cha), which translates into +1 DC and a few more Spell Points.


if(!) you're a new Free/Premium player and don't have 32 point builds yet, Drow is solid for a lot of builds that cry for several high stats, a poor-man's "32 point build" if you will. For example, a Ranged/Int build wants both high starting Int and 19 Dex by Level 12 (or so) to meet Improved Precise Shot requirement, something hard to do w/ a 28 point Human build. It's also the only free race to have an Int or a Cha boost - and it has both!

Drow:

Sorcerer
Wizard
Bard
Mechanic or Artificer (esp w/ Harper tree)
Paladin (w/ or w/o multi'ing to Trapper)
Tempest (Dex-based)
etc.

[droid327]

You're asking the wrong question. Its not the best race for each class, its the best race for each build. Even within a single class, there's going to be different builds that play to different strengths, and will be best suited by different races. Plus you have a whole slew of multi-class builds that dont fit neatly into a single class...even the "dominant" class in a build isnt always the one that defines the playstyle the most. And some builds arent even really defined by a class at all - VKF builds, for example.

And then you have to also ask if people are working with Racial AP or not. Most builds dont spend any points in racial trees because class trees are usually far more powerful - with a few exceptions, mostly the newer races like Aasimar. But if you're not going to spend any AP on your race, then all it really matters for is your starting stat template, and then just choose a race that starts with a bonus to your primary stat. If you have 11 RAP, then that opens up other options that might change the calculus.

The only exceptions to that, really (ignoring Iconics), are Human (bonus feat), Warforged (Repair healing for Wiz/Sorc/Arti builds) and Aasimar (Self heals on Wis builds). Elf (Racial AA) and Dwarf (D.axe prof for S&B/THF builds) also, but those two builds are pretty weak, so you dont see them used much for that. That's why you see so many builds featuring Human, because the extra feat is a pretty big bonus compared to everything else.

[droid327]

Warforged/bladeforged naturally fits well for artificers & very well for wizards too due to the self healing capability - I'm particularly looking forward to making a wf/bf (not decided which) eldritch knight when U41 goes live.

I really, really, really wanted the EK overhaul to make WF Wiz/Sorc weapon-based builds work...it really, really looks like it won't, though. The devs just arent willing to give EK enough.

You wont have the BAB for higher tier weapon feats on a pure EK. But you cant really splash a martial class because Spellsword damage is so heavily back-loaded into the last two cores. You'll still have to spec for three spellpowers and lores (Repair, Force, and your chosen element), though even then it doesnt really leave you a good secondary option against element-immunes. Repair healing still suffers in Epic, where things like Cocoon are assumed, itemization support for Repair spellpower/RAmp is lacking compared to Positive, and group healing is all going to be Positive based. And the EK T5s kinda suck because, weirdly, you have weapon crit bonuses even though you dont have CHA/INT-to-dmg in the tree and therefore you'll do really weak base physical damage (plus you wont have room to itemize for Deadly, Seeker, etc.) and so weapon crits are kinda pointless.

They were so afraid of EK being too powerful as a multiclass that they made it impossible to synergize it with anything, and thus it looks entirely underpowered next to existing builds that do synergize between classes.

The only thing I can see it being useful for is maybe a WF pure Wiz Harper repeater EK, just for getting the Heroic or Racial PL. Plink-plink-plink with big elemental damage for free sustained single-target DPS, spam your AOEs to clear trash, repair healing works for 1-20. Boring but adequate - that's the motto of the new EK.

[FuzzyDuck81]

You wont have the BAB for higher tier weapon feats on a pure EK. But you cant really splash a martial class because Spellsword damage is so heavily back-loaded into the last two cores. You'll still have to spec for three spellpowers and lores (Repair, Force, and your chosen element), though even then it doesnt really leave you a good secondary option against element-immunes. Repair healing still suffers in Epic, where things like Cocoon are assumed, itemization support for Repair spellpower/RAmp is lacking compared to Positive, and group healing is all going to be Positive based. And the EK T5s kinda suck because, weirdly, you have weapon crit bonuses even though you dont have CHA/INT-to-dmg in the tree and therefore you'll do really weak base physical damage (plus you wont have room to itemize for Deadly, Seeker, etc.) and so weapon crits are kinda pointless.

The only thing I can see it being useful for is maybe a WF pure Wiz Harper repeater EK, just for getting the Heroic or Racial PL. Plink-plink-plink with big elemental damage for free sustained single-target DPS, spam your AOEs to clear trash, repair healing works for 1-20. Boring but adequate - that's the motto of the new EK.

I'm not one to go for min/maxing, I play builds that I enjoy. I already have a couple of mybrid melee/caster builds that are a lot of fun & pretty versatile even if they're not the most optimal out there (current favourite is an elemental form druid T5 season's herald with T4 falconry), the trick is to remember to use both casting & fighting, not rely too much on one over the other, so I figure I can make this work easily enough. It's not too hard to fit in the harper int-to-damage thing, what I'm still wrangling with is whether or not to try fitting throat dagger in there too, or maybe fan of knives from vistani, or whether a couple of archmage/pale master bits might be more useful.

[Kriogen]

I check stats, atributes. Racial stat bonus vs what is build/class main stat.

Example: Dwarf, +2 CON, but -2 CHA. Not my 1st choice for Sorcerer, but good fit for durable tank build.

[Enoach]

There are synergies with races for builds.

Some of those synergies are with attributes, some of those with enhancements and some with weapon proficiencies.

So the question is best asked - Which race(s) synergize with the build that I'm building.

[Hipparan]

Please don't flame this post, but what I am curious about is what race best fits with certain classes, such as I know that Warforged and artificier fit nicely together. More specifically I am looking for the class that best fits with the Wood Elf. From what I can tell Ranger is the best but if there are others please let me know. I am also curious about best fits for the other classes. I know that any race can take any class but I am looking for BEST FITS

It's difficult to say exactly what class fits best with certain races. For example a lot of people think Aasimar is best on a Cleric or FvS, but I personally think Aasimar is best on a Barbarian. As for Wood Elf, Ranger is good, but with Oath of the Wild and Arcanum, I think it works better for Druids. The Dex helps the case for Ranger, but there's just so many ways to build a character it's hard to tell.

[Craigrx1]

When I said best fit, I meant one that will maximize the benefits of a particular class. In other words I don't want to step into a dungeon and die every 5 feet

[Enoach]

When I said best fit, I meant one that will maximize the benefits of a particular class. In other words I don't want to step into a dungeon and die every 5 feet

Oh, then you want to be a halfling - That is the master race. If you open up a WF you will find a halfling inside :P

[LightBear]

When I said best fit, I meant one that will maximize the benefits of a particular class. In other words I don't want to step into a dungeon and die every 5 feet

That has nothing to do with race/class combinations but all with ac/prr/mrr/dodge/consealment/evasion/etc.

Half-orc/Dwarf -> Barbarian/Paladin
Halfling -> Fighter/Monk
Gnome -> Wizard
Drow -> Sorc, Bard, Warlock
(Wood)Elf -> Ranger,
Draconic -> Sorc, Druid, Warlock
Forged -> Wizard, Cleric

[NemesisAlien]

Oh, then you want to be a halfling - That is the master race. If you open up a WF you will find a halfling inside :P

I thought its a koblod ;)

[Aelonwy]

If this is personal preference, opinion only, then my list looks something like this:

Artificier - Gnome or Warforged
Barbarian - ? I haven't played a barbarian since 2011? Mine was a half orc. My hubby has 3 barbs one is a dwarf, one a dragonborn, one half orc; he enjoys them all.
Bard - Drow or PDK
Cleric - Aasimar or Human
Druid - Nearly everything works. It'd be easier to list those races that have less good synergy uhm... Drow, warforged, uh Bladeforged, yeah I think that's it.
Favored Soul - best same as cleric but lots of decent FvS flavors, including some great Iconics.
Fighter - does anything make a poor fighter? Poor - Halfling and gnome maybe for strength penalty but gnome could go Int based.
Monk - Aasimar probably best but I've seen human, Halfling, Dragonborn, Halforc, dwarf, and even a svirfneblin monk that were pretty awesome. Player skill required for awesomeness I think.
Paladin - Aasimar, Human, Drow, Dragonborn, Dwarf probably in that order
Ranger - I hear wood elf is pretty fantastic for this, my ranger is a halfling. They do lots of damage but I find their survive-ability a bit iffy.
Rogue - Again surviving can be gritty, I like halfling, gnome, elf, drow
Sorcerer - Human, Aasimar, Dragonborn, Drow as a last resort
Warlock - Human, Dragonborn maybe?, Gnome
Wizard - Svirfneblin, Gnome, Drow, Warforged (self-healing)

This is all just my opinion.

[Phoenicis]

Oh, then you want to be a halfling - That is the master race. If you open up a WF you will find a halfling inside :P

*facedesk

[brian14]

When I play pure ranger, or ranger/rogue combination, it is always a Wizard Dilettante half-elf. This adds amazing amount of versatility without spending any levels on a wizard splash.

[FlavoredSoul]

When I said best fit, I meant one that will maximize the benefits of a particular class. In other words I don't want to step into a dungeon and die every 5 feet

That sounds more like a Gear or a build problem, races don't really do much for durability, with the exception of self healing.

More important is to make sure you have the best HP (CON/False Life), PRR/MRR, and avoidance (AC, Dodge,Concealment,incorp) you can, which is almost entirely a gear problem, not a race one.


Bladeforged Paladin, Warforged Sorcerer/Wizard/Artificer, or Aasimar anything are all pretty good for self healing, which helps with tankyness...

[C-Dog]

... In other words I don't want to step into a dungeon and die every 5 feet
That sounds more like a Gear or a build problem...
This. OR just a play-style problem.

Choosing the right race helps, but it's only one part of the puzzle, and not the biggest part. Diff races w/ the same build would give, ballparking, maybe a 5% boost to DPS/durability, which might keep you alive all of 6 feet (rounding up).

So if you are really dying that much (not "every 5 feet", but "way too much"), you need to look elsewhere to solve that. (Maybe start another thread w/ your build, and see what the wolves- er, experts have to say about it?)

[Captain_Wizbang]

If this is personal preference, opinion only, then my list looks something like this:

Artificier - Gnome or Warforged
Barbarian - ? I haven't played a barbarian since 2011? Mine was a half orc. My hubby has 3 barbs one is a dwarf, one a dragonborn, one half orc; he enjoys them all.
Bard - Drow or PDK
Cleric - Aasimar or Human
Druid - Nearly everything works. It'd be easier to list those races that have less good synergy uhm... Drow, warforged, uh Bladeforged, yeah I think that's it.
Favored Soul - best same as cleric but lots of decent FvS flavors, including some great Iconics.
Fighter - does anything make a poor fighter? Poor - Halfling and gnome maybe for strength penalty but gnome could go Int based.
Monk - Aasimar probably best but I've seen human, Halfling, Dragonborn, Halforc, dwarf, and even a svirfneblin monk that were pretty awesome. Player skill required for awesomeness I think.
Paladin - Aasimar, Human, Drow, Dragonborn, Dwarf probably in that order
Ranger - Aasimar all the way, AND use Falconry
Rogue - Again surviving can be gritty, I like halfling, gnome, elf, drow
Sorcerer - Human, Aasimar, Dragonborn, Drow as a last resort
Warlock - Human, Dragonborn maybe?, Gnome
Wizard - Svirfneblin, Gnome, Drow, Warforged (self-healing)

This is all just my opinion.
Good post

[Captain_Wizbang]

Another thing to look at is wiki. Preferred weapons, + & - ability scores, and depending on race some helpful hints