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

Yardiff · Nov 15, 2017

Arilyn said:
Please don't criticize my GM. My super high stats didn't stay and either did the low ones. We just ended up picking stats we wanted cause we're all mature and stuff. But that's kind of the point. Why have a rolling system, if you are going to reroll? We now have large table of arrays. Actually two. One set for higher end epic heroes, and one set which more closely matches standard array from phb.

Rolling is problematic because of needing to adjust, reroll, or come up with less extreme system....

Sorry I had thought you meant that the others were being told to play with bad stats. More then a single array is a much better option then one for everyone.
I prefer rolling because it 'insures' characters don't end up with mostly the same ability scores for everyone. As had been said before, rolling for some of us is fun.

Arilyn · Nov 15, 2017

Arilyn said:
Please don't criticize my GM. My super high stats didn't stay and either did the low ones. We just ended up picking stats we wanted cause we're all mature and stuff. But that's kind of the point. Why have a rolling system, if you are going to reroll? We now have large table of arrays. Actually two. One set for higher end epic heroes, and one set which more closely matches standard array from phb.

Rolling is problematic because of needing to adjust, reroll, or come up with less extreme system....

Yardiff said:
Sorry I had thought you meant that the others were being told to play with bad stats. More then a single array is a much better option then one for everyone.
I prefer rolling because it 'insures' characters don't end up with mostly the same ability scores for everyone. As had been said before, rolling for some of us is fun.

No problem. Apology accepted!

Hussar · Nov 15, 2017

Yardiff said:
A ranger with dumped con is against type for most people, just because you don't consider it against type doesn't make it not against type.

Meh. Not really seeing it. I know that the "common wisdom" has it that your third best stat MUST be Con in order to make an "effective" character, but, really, I have no idea why. Not if you're not playing a front line character anyway. How is losing, at most, 40 HP (since it's the third best stat, you're not likely to have more than 14) over 20 levels going to make much of a difference?

I'd much rather dump Con, make sure I've got a decent enough strength to use my Athletics skill and have better stats elsewhere.

Sorry, but, I don't agree that there is a "right" way to make a ranger.

----

/edit - yeah, my bad for missing that bit about multiclassing. Of course, it was cleared up shortly afterward and the point was well made. F4/R16 Str based rogue is hardly a corner case archetype.

Yardiff · Nov 15, 2017

Hussar said:
Meh. Not really seeing it. I know that the "common wisdom" has it that your third best stat MUST be Con in order to make an "effective" character, but, really, I have no idea why. Not if you're not playing a front line character anyway. How is losing, at most, 40 HP (since it's the third best stat, you're not likely to have more than 14) over 20 levels going to make much of a difference?

I'd much rather dump Con, make sure I've got a decent enough strength to use my Athletics skill and have better stats elsewhere.

Sorry, but, I don't agree that there is a "right" way to make a ranger.

I said it was 'against type' not the 'right' way. There is nothing wrong with 'against type' characters.

Oofta · Nov 15, 2017

Yardiff said:
Yes, I prefer the "other" rolling methods.

Shall I repost the quotes from the 1e PHB and DMG?

Sorry ... I don't remember everything ever written.

But then I kind of agree with [MENTION=6816042]Arilyn[/MENTION], if you just keep rolling I don't see the point.

Hussar · Nov 15, 2017

Heh, to be fair, looking at my 5 PC's, 14 Con's are awfully common. So, I can somewhat see the point. Then again, my entire group, barring 1, dump statted Strength. :uhoh:

Which makes an exploration heavy campaign with no casters a LOT of fun.

The last session's encounter with Chuul's in a lake was a blast as the Chuuls kept dragging their grappled opponents into and then under the water.

Yeah, let's see the ranged heavy party deal with that one.

Arilyn · Nov 15, 2017

This argument over Con is getting pretty silly. Lots of people wouldn't dump it. I think that's pretty much common sense. Some people would, however, for very legitimate story reasons. I have made a ranger with an 8 Con and a cleric with an 8.

I think there is an unfortunate tendency for classes to have same stat array, BUT it occurs less often for more story oriented players. I have also noticed that more experienced players are willing to "play against type," which makes sense. You are more willing to experiment when you feel confident.

Hussar · Nov 15, 2017

Oofta said:
Sorry ... I don't remember everything ever written.

But then I kind of agree with [MENTION=6816042]Arilyn[/MENTION], if you just keep rolling I don't see the point.

To be 100% fair to [MENTION=6789021]Yardiff[/MENTION] here, he's absolutely up front about what he wants. Point buy doesn't get him what he wants. Die rolling can (particularly if the group is lenient about rerolls and variant die rolling methods). IOW, Yardiff want's a 32 point buy value character or more. Which means that standard point buy or array just is not going to give him what he wants.

Caliban · Nov 15, 2017

Yardiff said:
No it wasn't a jab at Husser, you had already let him know he was wrong and I have no issue with Husser (or anyone else for that matter), it was correcting an error on your part because you gave bad info.

So the answer to my original question is "because you can't help yourself".

Thank you for clearing that up.

Hussar · Nov 15, 2017

Just a final point about the "I can guess the stats" thing, just to put it to bed.

The claim was, "If you point buy, I can guess your stats."

That got amended to "If you point buy, I can guess your three highest stats".

That got further amended to "If you point buy AND you optimize your character, I can guess your three highest stats".

Well, I suppose that last one is true. Pretty much anyone could do that. There's generally a pretty solid agreement on what constitutes an optimized character, so, guessing the three highest isn't too much of a stretch.

But, the issue I have is the goalposts have shifted from a pretty interesting claim down to "Well, if the stars and moon align just right I can guess your stats".

:erm: