Benbaxter, this will be very helpful for newer players, great job and thank you.
I'd also add a little bit on the dump stats.
There are two stats that can be kinda 'cheated out' of the formula. The first one is DEX, as you've already mentioned, which can be left at 8 if you are using heavy armor. The second one is, surprisingly, CON, which can be left at 12. You can then fix your HP with a Tough feat at level 4, which would equal having 16 CON in terms of your health. This means Achieving the same from the get go would mean spending 7(!) more ability points in the character creation screen. This is great economy, the only drawback being your CON saving throws staying the same.
Another trick you can do to make your character more interesting is dump both DEX and STR on a martial class, leave both at 8. Seemingly a terrible idea, but hear me out. If you want to focus on the dialogue as a martial class and still be good at combat, there is a way. Just pump your WIS and take 'Shillelagh' spell from the 'Druid Initiate' feat. That way you can translate your WIS to your attack rolls and damage, but you would be restricted to a particular set of weapons. I had a great time with my skill monkey ranger with this approach throughout the EA.
Thanks for bringing those up!
One thing you always have to consider when thinking about about dumping ability score is Saves. On of my favorite character in TT was a Paladin with dumped dex and int, but fireballs were his nemesis and he almost got 2 shot by an intellect devourer.
In BG3 you are getting shoved a couple times every fight, having both both a low dex and str is going to turn you into the school geek who repeatedly gets tossed into garbage cans. If you are only wearing light or no armor you can get away with a dumped Str, but carry weight is important in this game, so be careful when planning out what armor and weapons you plan on using. I would try to keep at least one twelve between the two.
Counterintuitively, support casters need Con more than high DPR melee classes. Keeping your concentration skills up and running can be tough when fighting lots of little guys all plinking away at you. Warcaster can handle the difference, but that is a third of your ASIs so I would only pick it if you plan on using its other abilities.
I also love making skill monkies! Unless I know a build needs all their ASIs, I will almost always start as a rogue, ranger, or bard. My first build at this point is going to be whichever race ends up with the most skills (it better be Half-elf) Light Cleric 1, Ranger 1, Lore Bard 10 (depending on how multiclassing skill selection goes.
