Rules Balanced Ability Rolling

[77IM]

Some people like to roll ability scores because they appreciate the challenge of building a character on a random set of scores. The drawback to random rolling is that characters can wind up with wildly different power levels. This subsystem attempts to fix that. (There are also people who like rolling ability scores because they just want higher scores. This system is not for them. I suggest they check out one of the many "8d6, drop the lowest 5; twice for each score"-type systems.)

This system is called "balanced" because any two players using it will get the same modifiers. However, it produces PCs slightly stronger than the PHB point-buy methods. This is theoretically balanced by the lack of flexibility (you are stuck with the scores you got). If this bothers you, have players roll fewer dice in step 3.

dA: The Ability Die
When the rules say to roll "1dA," roll a d6 and consult the table below.
Result = Ability
1 = Strength
2 = Constitution
3 = Dexterity
4 = Intelligence
5 = Wisdom
6 = Charisma

The System
1. All ability scores start at 10.
2. Roll 1dA and subtract 2 from that ability score.
3. Roll 10dA and add 2 to each ability score. This can't raise an ability score above 18 -- if you get a result for an ability that is already 18, reroll.
4. Decide what race you would like to be. Apply racial modifiers.

Example
I am using the dice roller at Dungeons & Dragons Dice Roller
1. All abilities start at 10.
2. I roll a 1d6 and get a 4 = Intelligence, so Int drops to 8.
3. I roll 10d6 and get 4 = Int, 2 = Con, 4 = Int, 5 = Wis, 4 = Int, 1 = Str, 3 = Dex, 5 = Wis, 5 = Wis, 6 = Cha. This gives me Str 12, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 12.
4. Since Wisdom is my high score, I'm thinking of some sort of divine class. With a decent Int and other abilities relatively balanced, deva invoker seems like an obvious choice. But I don't really like invokers, and I've been wanting to try an elf avenger, and these scores seem like they should work for that. So I apply elf racial bonuses, for a final result of Str 12, Con 12, Dex 14, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 12.

(Optional) Ability Swap
If you want to give players more control over their scores, you can allow a player to swap two scores (for example, switch Str and Con). If you allow free swapping, the player can create almost any character they want; the actual scores rolled on the 1dA don't matter because you can swap them. Alternatively, maybe you allow only one swap, or say that each swap costs a point (from an ability of your choice) or something. Note that the ability scores produced by this system are higher than those produced by the PHB point-buy systems; this is balanced by the lack of flexibility. So if you allow free (or easy) swapping you may wish to reduce the number of dice rolled in step 3 to 9dA or 8dA.

Personally, I feel that allowing ability swapping kind of defeats the purpose of having your abilities randomly assigned. I think a better alternative, is that if a player is really unsatisfied with his final scores, let him roll a second set, or even a third, and pick the one that appeals most. If the player is still unsatisfied, maybe random-rolling isn't for them.


-- 77IM

[77IM]

If you roll 10dA and increase the scores by 2 each time, you get a very normally distributed ability score array. If you prefer a bit more randomness, try this set of alternate steps:

3a. Roll 2dA and increase both scores by 4.
3b. Roll 2dA and increase both scores by 3.
3c. Roll 2dA and increase both scores by 2.
3d. Roll 2dA and increase both scores by 1.
3e. If any score is above 18, roll 1dA and shift the excess points to the resulting score, setting the original score down to 18. Repeat this step until no scores are above 18.

Example
(This uses the same rolls as the original example.)
2. I roll a 1d6 and get a 4 = Intelligence, so Int drops to 8. Str 10, Con 10, Dex 10, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 10.
3a. I roll 2d6 and get 4 = Int, 2 = Con. Str 10, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10.
3b. I roll 2d6 and get 4 = Int, 5 = Wis. Str 10, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 10.
3c. I roll 2d6 and get 4 = Int, 1 = Str. Str 12, Con 14, Dex 10, Int 17, Wis 13, Cha 10.
3d. I roll 2d6 and get 3 = Dex, 5 = Wis. Str 12, Con 14, Dex 11, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 10.
3e. No score is over 18, so I don't need to roll to shift points around.
4. With that much Int, I'm either a wizard or a swordmage. With Con and Wis, a staff wizard is sounding really good. I think I'll try a tiefling pyromaniac: Str 12, Con 14, Dex 11, Int 19, Wis 14, Cha 12.

This system is more complicated than the simple "10dA, +2 to each," but I think it produces more varied and "natural looking" ability score arrays.

-- 77IM

[77IM]

(These all use the alternative method.)

9d6 = 5 (Wis -2), 3 (Dex +4), 6 (Cha +4), 4 (Int +3), 2 (Con +3), 3 (Dex +2), 2 (Con +2), 2 (Con +1), 3 (Dex +1)
Str 10, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 14
Looks like an unusually healthy rogue (I think archer ranger is ruled out by the crappy Wis). Some might see it as a weakness of the system that this produces such "unoptimized" arrays but that's kind of the point. Few players would willingly put that much Con on a rogue so this gives the group an "excuse" to play a quirky character.

9d6 = 1 (Str -2), 2 (Con +4), 3 (Dex +4), 6 (Cha +3), 1 (Str +3), 6 (Cha +2), 3 (Dex +2), 3 (Dex +1), 4 (Int +1)
Str 11, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 15
Huh, it wound up remarkably similar to the previous one. (I'm taking these rolls as they come...) This guy is a better-balanced rogue, or with the right race, he could pull off archer-ranger, MAD-warlock or slightly-sub-optimized chaos sorcerer.

9d6 = 6 (Cha -2), 2 (Con +4), 4 (Int +4), 5 (Wis +3), 2 (Con +3), 2 (Con +2), 4 (Int +2), 2 (Con +1), 1 (Str +1)
Str 11, Con 20, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 8. Since Con can't be 20, we shift those points somewhere else. (Con -2), 1d6 = 5 (Wis +2)
Str 11, Con 18, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 8
Now that's an interesting array. With that much Con and Int it just shouts hell-lock, which is ironic since his Cha is 8 -- clearly not going for the MAD build! As an alternative, this would make a great staff-wizard or swordmage on a race that gives +2 Int.

9d6 = 3 (Dex -2), 6 (Cha +4), 2 (Con +4), 1 (Str +3), 2 (Con +3), 4 (Int +2), 4 (Int +2), 3 (Dex +1), 5 (Wis +1)
Str 13, Con 17, Dex 9, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 14
Again with the warlocks -- only this time he could try for a MAD build. This could also be used as the basis for a wizard or bard or something (if you don't mind having a secondary stat start higher than a primary stat!).

OK one more, and let's hope not to get another Con or Dex build...
9d6 = 1 (Str -2), 2 (Con +4), 5 (Wis +4), 5 (Wis +3), 2 (Con +3), 2 (Con +2), 2 (Con +2), 6 (Cha +1), 1 (Str +1)
Str 9, Con 21, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 11. Argh, more Con! It's over 18 so we shift the excess points: (Con -3) 1d6 = 6 (Cha +3)
Str 9, Con 18, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 14
Well, the whole point of random rolling is that you don't get any control over it. This is again a high-Con build, but this time, due to the low Int, it's actually not very attractive for a warlock. But with that Wis, and the right racial bonuses, it could make a pretty good invoker or shaman or druid, or even a good laser cleric.


-- 77IM

[fissionessence]

I really like this method. Good job working it up.

My favorite 'balanced random' method has been using poker cards: Shuffle the 4-9 of two suits into a stack (this should be 12 cards). Draw them two at a time and add those two together. You can rearrange them, or decide that they apply in the order they're drawn (ie Strength, then Con, etc.) Since you're playing with same cards, you'll always end up with the same combined bonuses. I heard this somewhere on these boards a while ago, but I forget whose idea it was.

Anyway, now I can't decide which method I like better. In the future, I'll probably allow players to use any method they prefer. (22 point buy; playing cards; dA method; or 4d6, drop the lowest, then reroll 1s.)

~ fissionessence

[77IM]

I'm glad you like it! I doubt that I came up with this on my own, since it seems like such a simple idea that I've probably seen it somewhere before and forgotten where. Also, a google search shows that you can actually by dAs: 16mm Custom Plus Stats Die (1)

It occurs to me now that, for the alternate method, the tension might be greater if you roll in increasing order: 9dA = -2, +1, +1, +2, +2, +3, +3, +4, +4. Or, you could roll in a saddle pattern: 9dA = +4, +3, +2, +1, -2, +1, +2, +3, +4. This way the very last roll can still have a huge impact (since it is a +4 roll). In the order I suggest above, the last few rolls are kind of boring because they are only +1.

That method with the cards is interesting. Scores should cluster a little more around 13, and it guarantees that you will get at most one 8 and at most one 18. But you could achieve more widely distributed scores by building a deck of 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 9. Or maybe 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9.

-- 77IM