Alternate Ability Score Generation?

A friend of mine is starting a new campaign, and we're trying to figure out a good way to generate ability scores. 4d6 is too random and point-buy favors some classes over others and encourages min-maxing.

We were thinking about some kind of per-class per-ability score variable point-buy, for example, fighters could buy Charisma for fewer points than sorcerers, and vice versa for Strength. That seems like a good idea for single class characters, but is easily broken by multiclass characters.

Another suggestion that seemed good at first was rolling 4d6 as usual, but only keep sets that fit a certain point buy range. That gives randomness without allowing too much variation in power. Problem with that is the extremes - all 13s is 30 points, but pretty much sucks, and 9 9 9 9 16 18 is 30 points and also sucks (usually).

I'd love to know if anyone else has an example of an ability score generation system that they particularly like that gives decent (30-32 point buy) scores.

-The Souljourner

I think that the best system is the mod point buy...

Meaning point buy of modifiers. It doesn't do anything to discourage min/maxxers, but it does treat all classes equally.

Meaning, first set your power level. A 32 point put results in, best case scenario, a total modifier bonus of +10 (all 14's and a 10).

Simply tell the players that they can create a character who's total modifier bonus is +10. I also recommend that you set a min score, say +0 (or 10).

***********

An alternative which is also the same is to give everyone 20 points, start stats at 10 and they can buy up their stats on a point per point basis.

**********

That being said, if you want randomness...
You could start with 10 and roll one d6 for each stat. Average there *should* be 13.5. Then you can have one "bonus" d6 rolled, and you can use the results of that dice to buy up stats on a point per point basis (to allow the possibility of an 18) But as long as you allow randomness you're going to get some awesome characters, and some aweful ones.

We did a high powered campaign with 5d6 dice roll, in 2 sets, discard the 2 lowest, and pick the best set. Stats were heroic, but mostly balanced. My rolls: 18, 16, 16, 14, 12, 10.

High, and mostly similar to everyone else.

I have considered a total value point system too, like, 84 points to assign to all stats or something.

If you don't have too many people, give them a stack of cards with attributes on them . Do like one 18 a pair of 17s a few 16's etc and let the player decide who gets what numbers.

You are worried about miun maxing so this other suggestion might not work but let them pick their abilities scores. If you trust the players to be fair this works well, but since you worry about people min maxing it probably wouldn't work.

What I do in RL games (basically a "randomized" version of the solution Crothian offered):

Roll 4d6 drop lowest a number of times equal to players * 6. So if you have five players, roll 4d6 /drop lowest 30 times. Write each result on a little slip of paper. Get your players together, and distribute the scores to each of them. You can adjust how the ability scores are rolled for more powerful or less powerful campaigns.

Oddly enough I just posted my 'heroic array' in general discussion.

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=128807

Basically let the player assign

16,15,14,13,12,11

as they wish. They can raise the 16 to an 18 by lowering the 11 to a 7. The 7 cannot be placed in Charisma unless it would affect the character (I would let a scarred depressed cleric put a 7 in charisma, but not a scarred depressed fighter - it only really matters to the cleric. Actually if someone really had some low charisma concept they wanted to play, I would let them, but if they are just 'dumping it' - then maybe they don't want the 18 that badly).

Technik

Well, I like methods that use elements of both the control of point buy and the randomization of dice rolling.

Here are a few examples:

Berandor's card method

You have 20 poker cards, distributed as follows:

1x Joker (Doubles highest card)
2x Ace (One)
2x Two
3x Three
4x Four
4x Five
4x Six

Set aside one Ace and one Two. Shuffle the rest and deal six stacks of three cards each openly. Count together the value (Ace counts as one, Joker doubles the highest other card in the same stack) of each. Add the two set-aside cards to any one or two stacks, as long as the total result does not exceed 18. Then distribute the six values among your abilities.

PB with a twist I

Create a character with PB 28.
Then roll 3d6 for each ability and replace the PB value with the rolled result, if it is higher.

PB with a twist II

Create a character with PB 28.
Then roll 1d6 for each ability and raise it by one, if the roll is a 4+.

PB with a twist III

Create a character with PB 25.
Then roll 6d6 and add +1 to Str for every 1 rolled, +1 to Dex for every 2 rolled, and so on.
Any ability points beyond 18 must then be redistributed to other abilities at the player's discretion.

Bye
Thanee

Here are the methods I've used in the past

Dice Division
Roll 8d6 (or 9d6 or even 10d6, depending on the power level desired). All ability scores start at 8, and you may move the dice as desired between scores until all are used. The total of the dice put on a score cannot exceed the 18. Getting an 18 requires a 6 and a 4 or two 5's or a 5 a 4 and a 1, and so on.

18 - Guaranteed
You get an 18. Roll 3d6 4 times and 3d4 once to create the other 5 scores.

Uber - Munchkin
I've been in games where this was used, and it's based off 1st edition's Unearthed Arcana. This method is, IMO, very degenerate. If you like power though, it's hard to go wrong with this.

Prioritize your stats from 1 to 6. For the 1st stat roll 9d6 and keep the best three. For the second roll 8d6, 7d6 for the third, 6d6 for the fourth, 5d6 for the fifth and 4d6 for the "weakest" stat.

Re-roll 2 1's or more.
As per PHB, but 1's are rerolled if there are two or more.

The Lotsa Dice method.
Roll 24d6 (or more or less depending on power level desired, but not less than 18). Divide the dice among scores - no score can be higher than 18. No score can have fewer than 3 dice allocated to it.

d10 method
All stats are 8 + 1d10. This method creates very inconsistent characters.

I also like 4d6-drop-lowest somewhat, only the spread is too high.

In one campaign we've done 4d6-drop-lowest top to bottom in order.
Afterwards you can swap any two ability scores.


Revisiting the "Rerolling" conditions might be worth a try, tho.

Maybe this would work (not tried):

You can re-roll the character, if it meets any of the following requirements:

- PB value of the six ability scores is below 28
- There are two or more negative modifiers among the six ability scores

Bye
Thanee