User:Morlark/Starting build

Dwarves

   Consoler 10, Pacifier 10
   Building Designer 10, Appraiser 10
   Stonecrafter 10 and/or Woodcrafter 10
   Planter 10
3x Peasant				(optionally give these peasants some points in masonry/carpentry)

For the mayor, select a dwarf whose preference includes metals that you suspect will be plentiful in the area. That way when he starts issuing mandates, you'll be able to fulfil them easily. When you embark, turn on mining (and optionally engraving) on this dwarf. By the time he needs to do any real mayoral work, your fortress will be well established, and he'll have plenty of time to do both jobs. Alternatively you can have an immigrant take over the mining work.

The trader/broker dwarf will also be our architect, bookkeeper, manager, (optionally engraver, and woodcutter or miner) and general odd job dwarf. Don't underestimate those points in building designing. Architecture is one of the slower skills to train, but the positive thoughts dwarves get from seeing well designed buildings is very significant. If you are on an aquifer map and have no stone available then you will likely be very much more wood dependant, and it might be better to have a dwarf dedicated to woodcutting. If you take two picks (see below) then you can train your broker in mining (assuming he's not doing woodcutting). With three easy to train legendary skills (bookkeeping, engraving, mining) he will have insane stats.

The craftdwarf will need to be specialised depending on your embark area. If you're in an area with plenty of stone, but little wood, go with stonecrafting. If you're in an area with plentiful wood, but no stone, go with woodcrafting. If you're in an area with soil layers, you may not want to bother digging deeper than you need. In that case you can start by making wood crafts, and later move on to making stone crafts when you've breached the stone layer and wood is getting more scarce.

All the other "essential" skills (masonry, carpentry, and (to a lesser extent) mechanics) tend to be very quick to skill up, so spending points on them is optional. On the other hand, there's no dearth of points to spend, so you may find the skills worth more than the items you'd otherwise be buying.

Gear

1 or 2 picks.
1 axe.					(You can take two if you prefer, but I find I never need more than one.)
1 anvil.
At least 5 of each type of seed.
At least 20 of each type of alcohol.
A random selection of cheap meat/fish.	(I tend to take mostly turtles, since you get bones and shells from them.)

Note: You can actually forgo the picks and axes, and instead take some copper bars, and forge them yourself. This does work out cheaper in points cost.