I'm building a 26" wheelset for a rigid steel mtb that is use primarily for recreational riding on singletrack, state park and other unpaved public bike trails, fire roads, minimum maintenance, etc. The rider is a Clyde at 235#. I would like opinions about the following components and have questions about spokes/pattern:

- Sun Ringle Rhyno Lite Rims 36H

- Deore XT 780 hubs 36H

I'm deciding which spokes I want to use so here are the questions:

How much difference in weight/strength does using 2.0-1.8-2.0 butted spokes like DT Comp really make compared to something like WheelMaster 14g stainless spokes? Do you think a recreational riding Clyde would notice the difference?

Is there any advantage/disadvantage in 4x pattern compared to 3x?

While I want to build a good wheelset, this build is on a fairly tight budget so I'm looking for a good value : performance ratio for the type of riding described.

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks