D&D 5E A Proper Ability Score Generation Preference Poll

[The Old Crow]

I like to use an array, similar to standard array. It is fast, it puts everyone on an equal footing, but it can get predictable. I think adding several arrays to choose from could help with that. Definitely my prefered method for 5e.

Point buy is okay, but I haven't used it yet. It puts everyone on an equal footing, allows for more variety of stats, but is a bit wonky because ASIs don't cost point buy points, which invites preplanning a build over organic growth, which is not my style of play.

I love roll in order. In AD&D play it has usually been 4d6 drop lowest, sometimes allowing to switch any two stats so players can better choose the class they want. It is fast, interesting, and organic, but potentially uneven. Too uneven in 5e, in my opinion, where skill is tied to high stats and 2 ability points are equal to a feat. So though I love it, I am not using it.

Randomly rolled place where one wants is my least favorite method for any edition of D&D. It just seems to me that the low score will go where it would have gone with an array, and the high score will go where the high score would have with an array, but power levels between different characters could vary greatly. So predictable and uneven. Having played in a 3e campaign with this method, I don't think I would want to use it in 5e at all.

 

[smbakeresq]

Adjust on the fly based on what the party chooses to do once it gets into the field, sure. Adjust on the fly because nobody decided to play a front-liner and they didn't recruit an NPC for the job, no.

Yeah...sad, isn't it?

Two sessions and you've already gone through 1/10 of the levels the game is in theory designed for...

You should be able to adjust right there. In addition you are at the PC creation step, you should chime in if needed with ideas. "I foresee undead in your future" is perfectly fine hint that players should build PCs with that in mind.

If you slowed down early advancement players would die at an even higher rate. Your ability to survive grows faster as you level than the challenge of the monsters. Everything can one shot you at first level. Its actually more realistic depiction of a learning curve, when you start something new you improve rapidly right away and then improvement slows down at plateaus.

 

[Yaarel]

The ‘proper’ method is a 27-point buy that allows the purchase of a 16 score.

 

[ccs]

What we as a group use is individual choice - 4d6-L, standard PB, or Standard Array.

What I prefer is some rolling method. 4d6-L works just fine.

 

[Iry]

...and here. A level or two advancement in just one session? Bleah!

To be fair, I've seen many players and DM's make the comment that Level 1-2 feel like the starter levels, where the classes are not fully baked yet and are basically the (rather lethal) tutorial levels. More than half the groups around here just start things off at Level 3.

Death House can advance you from 1-3 within a reasonable 8 hour session (though I've heard of some people speed running it in less than 3 hours).

 

[Yaarel]

The method I have been leaning toward is a choice from a list of several − diverse and equally good − arrays, with the option of rolling randomly one of the arrays on the list.

The best list so far has arrays that use a point system that allows the purchase of an expensive (statistically calculated) 16 score for some of the arrays to choose from.

I have used a list as small as four arrays to choose from, and as large as 100 arrays to choose from. But all cases worked out well, producing diverse characters, player customization, and balanced party members.

 

[Harzel]

...and here. A level or two advancement in just one session? Bleah!

Hey, they got only 33 days to get to level 20. Got to get off to a fast start.

 

[Harzel]

In the current campaign, I allowed choice of 4d6-L or point buy. The party ended up with substantial differences in high/low/average ability scores, but I have not noticed the disparity having the kind of impact in play that others have reported. Nevertheless, next time I intend to advocate for some method that keeps the PCs stats closer together in terms of overall power, and keeps the overall power level at least in the vicinity of standard array / 27-point buy. However, the final choice will up to the players. (They are all pretty reasonable.)

 

[Ancalagon]

My favored method is, by far, Redrick Roller, with the stats re-ordered as you wish

http://aramis.hostman.us/dnd/RedrickRoller.html

The main properties of this is that it's a 27 point roll, with no score above 15, so it's "balanced". However, there is some randomness because the scores aren't exactly as you wished. So it combines the benefits of both methods, and it can be inspiring for character creation, and avoid "dump stats".

For example, I just rolled 10 13 11 11 15 13

Looking at this, I see a *lot* of odd scores, and a lot of +1 and +0 stats. If I took a standard human, the rolls become 11 14 12 12 16 14, which would be a great stat set for a MAD character - this would make a great paladin or monk for example

Re-rolling I got 10 14 9 12 15 12
Now this array would probably benefit more from another race (ie a +2 and a +1), and would make a solid foundation for a dwarven cleric or fighter, for example.

etc etc

 

[pemerton]

Ideally the DM has one (or more) adventures ready ahead of time, with hooks ready to dangle in the water...and these adventures are what they are, neutral and independent of whatever combination of PCs the players come up with in session 0.

What DM doesn't show up with adventures ready to go and then adjust on the fly? You shouldn't be DM if you don't come prepared.

The last three campaigns I started I didn't have a prepared adventure.

The opening set-up of the 4e Dark Sun game was determined by a player deciding that his PC's "kicker" was that, as he had just defeated his adversary in the arena, the crowd looked away, distracted by news of the death of the tyrant king of Tyr. Events unfolded from there (and other PCs were integrated based on their backstories and kickers).

The opening set-up of the Cortex Heroic Fantasy game was worked out between me and the players, after they'd chosen from the pre-gens and decided they wanted them to be vikings rather than Japanese (I'd designed them to fit either set of tropes).

The opening set up of the Class Traveller game was decided upon by me after the players rolled their PCs, and I rolled a world and then a patron.