Dragonlance Shadow of the Dragon Queen AMA

[pukunui]

When I last ran, one person rolled, and everyone used their numbers, arranged to taste. I guess that kinda like an array.

So you’re not using the default method either then, which is that each player rolls individually.

 

[Micah Sweet]

So you’re not using the default method either then, which is that each player rolls individually.

The group wanted to try point buy, but one player wanted to roll, so we compromised.

 

[pukunui]

The group wanted to try point buy, but one player wanted to roll, so we compromised.

I tried a compromise of a different fashion once, back in the 3.5e days. I don't remember the exact specifics, but I made it so the players would roll 4d6 drop lowest for three of their stats, then subtract the point buy values of those rolled stats from a given point buy value, then use whatever points were left to buy their remaining three stats.

It worked insofar as it gave the players some of the thrill of rolling while also maintaining a level of parity between the PCs, but it was needlessly complicated, so I ditched it for regular point buy instead. For most of 5e, I've just been using the standard array rather than point buy even. So have the other DMs I play with. It's the fastest, easiest, fairest method.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Not in my personal experience, because there's always someone who rolls really well and someone else (usually me) who rolls poorly overall. I never really enjoyed it, which is why I started exclusively using point buy or standard array for my games from 3.5e onwards. They might not be as interesting but they are fair.

this is my experience so 7 out of 10 times we do an array, and 2 out of 10 we do point buy... we rarely roll and the most resent one was such a power gaming joke.

 

[Azzy]

Not in my personal experience, because there's always someone who rolls really well and someone else (usually me) who rolls poorly overall. I never really enjoyed it, which is why I started exclusively using point buy or standard array for my games from 3.5e onwards. They might not be as interesting but they are fair.

Same here.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Rolling for stats is a gamble.

Well, not really, since they simply throw the bad character away* and create a new one until they get one that is good.

*Or, in a truly old school game, kill the character by charging straight into the jaws of the first monster they encounter.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

This is from a later module, certainly. PCs wouldn't be level 7-9 for DL1.

And pregens didn't have colour portraits in DL1.

 

[pukunui]

Well, not really, since they simply throw the bad character away* and create a new one until they get one that is good.

*Or, in a truly old school game, kill the character by charging straight into the jaws of the first monster they encounter.

That’s not how anyone I play with (myself included) has played / been allowed to play when we’ve done rolled stats.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Well, not really, since they simply throw the bad character away* and create a new one until they get one that is good.

*Or, in a truly old school game, kill the character by charging straight into the jaws of the first monster they encounter.

That’s not how anyone I play with (myself included) has played / been allowed to play when we’ve done rolled stats.

even when it isn't cheating (and it often is) and it isn't cheap dumb deaths, it is way to easy to just retire or let a character die to reroll... it's why we mostly stopped doing it.

 

[Velderan]

I think this is a later version.

Raistilin only had 8 HP in the original DL1. (His stats where also buffed from the version of the original campaign where a 3 was rolled for Con)

Guessing that picture is from DL10 Dragons of Dreams since it has Alhana and Waylorn in it. Pretty sure their ability scores were consistant across all of the DL modules though.