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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11695 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:03:21
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Poll Question:
I think I've noticed a trend in my area, and I'm wondering if its happening everywhere else. With programs like e-tools about, I'm wondering if people have started going towards point buy systems for generating PC ability scores.... or do you still let them roll the die and watch them? If you do use point buy systems, do you use a non-standard point buy system? If you do the rolling the dice system, do you do anything more than "roll 3d6"?
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:25:46
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| normally 4d6 ... but my new campaign i let my players use 5d6 ... in which they failed badly in rolling any good in :p |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
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Jorkens
Great Reader
Norway
2950 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:29:16
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| Normally 4d6, drop lowest and assign as wanted. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:39:25
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The last few times I gamed (way back in the days of 2E), my DM had a slightly more generous method for generating scores: 4d6, drop the lowest and reroll any one die that rolled a one (though not if you rolled more than one one), and do this eight times. Most people would drop the lowest two scores, but I once went with one of the lower ones because it better suited the concept.
His other method was 4d6, drop the lowest and reroll the first one, done 6 times -- but do it twice, generating two sets of scores. You picked the set of scores that worked best for you (the whole set, not mix and match).
Even though I've not played in years, I still have my character dice separated in their own individual bag. I was stuck waiting at the game store one day; my friend Gino was driving that day, and it's nearly impossible to drag him out of a store he likes. While waiting on him to finally get done wandering the isles (as if they had restocked since his previous three passes!  ), I randomly picked out two matching pairs of d6s and started rolling. They were consistently rolling great ability scores, so I bought them on the spot. They don't seem to work for anyone but me, but nine times out of ten, they give me some really good scores. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:41:42
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I could live with 4d6 drop lowests, rolled in order. It provides a more diverse range of abilities and character class selection can make for very interesting results.
Oh discard non playable characters (over all stat total too low to be considered viaable) , reroll. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:50:43
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| I've always used the "Roll 3d6 12 times, pick the six highest and assign" from 2e, but I've changed it a bit. I've discovered, over the years, that I enjoy making difficult games, and I feel a little guilty doing this if my players have low scores. So now I let them reroll all ones. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Bluenose
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 17:52:57
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Normally it's 4d6 and drop one for me, but I've used other methods too. For play-by-post games I don't see any practical way not to use point buy unless you have absolute trust in your players. For one-off characters in a short game I also go with point buy. My groups new year day game always involves everyone DMing a quick game when it's best to have characters prepared beforehand, so that usually uses point buy characters.
When I use point buy it's with either 25 or 28 points, depending on how "important" the game feels. If there's a chance the characters will be around more than once, I'll probably go with 28.
I remember the first time I rolled a character back in 1979 the DM told us to roll 3d6 twice for each attribute and take the better score.  Then he killed half of us in the first session because our characters were too powerful.  |
These, in the day when heaven was falling,
The hour when earth's foundations fled,
Followed their mercenary calling
And took their wages and are dead.
Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
What God abandoned, these defended,
And saved the sum of things for pay. |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 18:18:29
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Getting dice rolls online are posible.
There are (or used to be) sites that offered DM dice. What is required is selecting what dice to roll and have results emailed to both DM and player.
Also some chat rooms offer dice rollers, that the DM could watch the player roll. These days it tends to require becoming a regesitered user of the chat site.
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"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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warlockco
Master of Realmslore
USA
1695 Posts |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 08 Sep 2006 : 20:25:11
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I have tried all those methods in the past...and use none in that pole now..
in my experience (unless you roll just a raw 3d6) you usually get 12-18 for a score...so these days I just roll 2d4+10 for ability scores...which gets you usually a 14, 15 or 16...my campaigns are usually a bit "pulpy" so the high scores are usually needed |
Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Faramicos
Senior Scribe
Denmark
468 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2006 : 14:15:12
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| i let my players roll 4d6, remove lowest and assign. But i run it with a firm hand. I think it is a great part of the game to roll your own character and use the numbers you get. If they arent as high as they could be, that is just another challenge for the game. |
"When dragons make war, worlds can only tremble in the shadow of angry wings" |
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scererar
Master of Realmslore
USA
1618 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2006 : 15:46:48
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| We always play the 4d6 6 x's, drop the lowest die and reroll any 1's |
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Raelan
Acolyte
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2006 : 15:57:04
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These days, I generally use the 4d6-drop-the-lowest method, though I give the players two sets to choose from. In addition (just because I can), I also do the "DM's secret roll", which is a set that I roll up without showing the player, then ask him to choose blindly between the sets he rolled and the set I rolled. I can recall someone who ended up with 6, 8, 9, 11, 15, and 12 to assign as he wished because he took the DM's secret roll. ---> Insert Evil Grin Here <---
Of course, there was also the time when a player picked the DM's secret roll and got two 18's and nothing below a 12. Hey, you can't win 'em all. >:)
There's also an older method that I still use on occasion: the 3d6 power die method. Basically, you roll up 3d6 six times, assigning the resulting numbers to whichever attributes you wish, then you roll 1d6 and can assign the result however you want amongst your attributes. |
"I am convinced that one of these days I will be able to run a regular game that doesn't fall apart due to scheduling conflicts. I am also convinced that, on this day, hell will freeze over." |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 09 Sep 2006 : 17:06:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Raelan
There's also an older method that I still use on occasion: the 3d6 power die method. Basically, you roll up 3d6 six times, assigning the resulting numbers to whichever attributes you wish, then you roll 1d6 and can assign the result however you want amongst your attributes.
I've done this one, too. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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idan_mor
Acolyte
Israel
6 Posts |
Posted - 10 Sep 2006 : 07:46:48
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| I use the 4d6 drop lowest and from there its possible for the players to trade points and assign as wanted. But I think its kinda inviting powergaming... but on the other hand As others more or less wrote here you can make'm pay for that good start. |
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EytanBernstein
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
704 Posts |
Posted - 10 Sep 2006 : 09:21:22
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| The games I've played for the last few years have forgone all of those methods. I like all PCs to start out with the same potential. No rolling of attributes, no rolling of hit points. Everyone gets 1/2 hit die +1. Everyone gets the same number with limitations imposed by the GM. For example, 80 points to distribute between the attributes. No more than one 18. Unlike in 2nd ed., high attributes are significantly less important. There is no difference between an 18 and a 19 in 3/3.5, thus the points system is really flawed. I know lots of people like all of these things and don't hold it against them if they use them. This is just my preferred method. |
http://eytanbernstein.com - the official website of Eytan Bernstein |
Edited by - EytanBernstein on 10 Sep 2006 09:22:27 |
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Xysma
Master of Realmslore
USA
1089 Posts |
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Purple Dragon Knight
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1796 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2006 : 05:14:58
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non-standard point buy -tougher /high power (i.e. 32-pt buy) since February 2001... never looked back ever since! Amen to having all your players start on an equal footing! (hate superstars!  ) |
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Delzounblood
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
578 Posts |
Posted - 11 Sep 2006 : 14:44:58
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I've always used my own method it's similar to the 4d6 drop lowest and asign.
4d6 re-roll any 1's
Drop lowest ( prob 2's or three's )
order as you like.
BUT on occasion I have allowed players to then subtract and add points using the point buy, if they had really bad scores but I never let them start from scratch. You get some really interesting results that way ie Intelligence mxed out to 18 but pitiful str, Con and Dex etc....
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I'm Back! |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2006 : 14:26:29
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| I use point buy system because it makes it fair (all the players are equally powerful as far as attirbutes go, whereas in the past when we roled, one guy always got super lucky while the others had poor luck unbalancing the party)....and I use the higher powered one to reflect that the PCs are (or will be) heroes. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Chosen of Moradin
Master of Realmslore
Brazil
1120 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2006 : 15:13:34
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| I generally use the 4d6, 6 times system. But in forum and mail games, I´m using the point buy system, with 32 points. |
Dwarf, DM, husband, and proud of this! :P
twitter: @yuripeixoto
Facebook: yuri.peixoto |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11695 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2006 : 18:07:40
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Well, so far looks like I'm seeing more point buy than in the past (I also do the 32 point point buy system now). I find even when you spread it out for most gain, you still only have a handful of 14's, 1 16, and probably a pair of 10's. Still a lot more people are still rolling up.
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2006 : 18:12:25
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Well, so far looks like I'm seeing more point buy than in the past (I also do the 32 point point buy system now). I find even when you spread it out for most gain, you still only have a handful of 14's, 1 16, and probably a pair of 10's. Still a lot more people are still rolling up.
Phillip aka Sleyvas
I don't mind having a couple of 8s to have that one 18. A dumb half-orc with 20 strength is kinda fun. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Kalin Agrivar
Senior Scribe
Canada
956 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2006 : 19:13:25
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so, with all these different methods, you all are getting about the same spread of ability score #s?
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Kalin Xorell El'Agrivar
- High Mage of the Arcane Assembly
- Lore Keeper of the Vault of Ancestors
- 3rd Son of the Lord of the Stand |
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Drakul
Senior Scribe
USA
367 Posts |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2006 : 20:15:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Well, so far looks like I'm seeing more point buy than in the past (I also do the 32 point point buy system now). I find even when you spread it out for most gain, you still only have a handful of 14's, 1 16, and probably a pair of 10's. Still a lot more people are still rolling up.
Phillip aka Sleyvas
I don't mind having a couple of 8s to have that one 18. A dumb half-orc with 20 strength is kinda fun.
That's similar to my minotaur's scores, back in 2E: 19, 11, 17, 11, 9, 9 (post-adjusted for race, obviously). Gods, I had fun playing him. He remains one of my fave characters, and when I finally get to DM, he'll be an NPC (living in Waterdeep, of course). |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 12 Sep 2006 : 20:34:53
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quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
so, with all these different methods, you all are getting about the same spread of ability score #s?
Not realy, 3d6 = average of 9.5, 4d6 (drop lowests) = average of 12.25
Reroll ones, 5d6 (drop loweat two) I have not seen calculations on and do not intend to brute froce them to find the averages.
Point buy itself can not be calculated to an average because of the personal options selected, buying an 18 instead of a 16 as highest effect averages very much.
Could calculate average of 7 sets of rolls the last roll extra points to asign to any of the existing stats. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Zimme
Learned Scribe
Denmark
209 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2006 : 11:17:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Drakul
4d6 drop the lowest.
I second that!! allways have, allways will!! |
Sometimes I feel like Beshaba is sitting on my back, devoting her entire attention to me!
Rannek.
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Bluenose
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
134 Posts |
Posted - 13 Sep 2006 : 12:24:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
quote:
Originally posted by kalin agrivar
so, with all these different methods, you all are getting about the same spread of ability score #s?
Not realy, 3d6 = average of 9.5, 4d6 (drop lowests) = average of 12.25
Reroll ones, 5d6 (drop loweat two) I have not seen calculations on and do not intend to brute froce them to find the averages.
Point buy itself can not be calculated to an average because of the personal options selected, buying an 18 instead of a 16 as highest effect averages very much.
Could calculate average of 7 sets of rolls the last roll extra points to asign to any of the existing stats.
Averages for some of the easier ones.
Straight 3d6 = 10.5
3d6, reroll 1s till you get something better = 12
4d6, drop lowest = 12.24
5d6, drop lowest 2 = 13.43
Point buy it depends on the points and what people use them for. With 32 points you could get an average of 13.33 at the most efficient purchase rate with no stats over 14.
I might have a try on the other methods tonight. I was surprised that 5d6 was more than a point better than 4d6 myself. |
These, in the day when heaven was falling,
The hour when earth's foundations fled,
Followed their mercenary calling
And took their wages and are dead.
Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
What God abandoned, these defended,
And saved the sum of things for pay. |
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 10:35:01
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Very interesting poll! I did not find my dice rolling method - its 5d6, 6 times, drop lowest two dices, assign freely. I voted for the 5d6-option anyway. However, last time I rolled for character stats is ages ago since I am DM for quite some time now and my NPC's don't roll their stats! [Evil grin] And my PCs just won't die or are reluctant to stay dead!
None the less, if I ever start a new campaign and thereby confront myself with this again I will not use that system anymore but take the standard point-buy system. It is more fitting to the stats pßresented in the source books as my system tends to overpower the PCs
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"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
Edited by - Ergdusch on 15 Sep 2006 10:36:59 |
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Reefy
Senior Scribe
United Kingdom
892 Posts |
Posted - 15 Sep 2006 : 12:04:30
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| I used to play with 32 point buy, but then my players wanted to roll instead. So we've been using roll 4d6, drop the lowest score and assign as you like. However, the player may re-roll one single die somewhere along the lines, but they have to stick with the second score even if it's worse. For example, 6, 6, 2, 1 is an ideal opportunity for a re-roll - if the 1 is re-rolled, the minimum score is still 14 even if 1 is rolled again, but there is potential for an 18. |
Life is either daring adventure or nothing. |
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Rolled ability scores or point buy system
