D&D 5E Point buy or Dice?

[Ridley's Cohort]

I certainly hope it works out to be a decent solution. My take on a solution to the issue of excessive stat dumping and optimization, in contrast to 4e's solution, is to increase the number of attributes PCs depend on, not decrease or concentrate them. I think that WotC is still over-emphasizing Con, Dex, and Wis saves and that's blunting the change. But I plan on using Cha instead of Wis in a number of circumstances.

There is a lot room for innovations along the lines you suggest, although I suspect it would probably be too fiddly for most people. For example, I think there is a strong flavor argument that all spell DCs should be based on Charisma, even if your "primary spellcasting stat" is something else.

 

[reelo]

Was just thinking: How would 1d8+7 sound for stat generation? This would be random, but with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 15. One could make it so the player assigns the roll to a stat before it is made and only gets to swap one pair after all 6 stats are assigned. What do you think?

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Was just thinking: How would 1d8+7 sound for stat generation? This would be random, but with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 15. One could make it so the player assigns the roll to a stat before it is made and only gets to swap one pair after all 6 stats are assigned. What do you think?

With probabilities so flat, there is a high likelihood of outliers and large variances between PCs.

Let me ask you, do you see any potential downsides to PCs with 15, 14, 14, 13, 10, 9 and 13, 12, 12, 10, 9, 8 playing in the same party?

 

[aramis erak]

I've used 4d6 drop lowest (8 times, choose the highest 6) since I started, and still use it today.

Nowadays, though, I give players the option of either using the standard distribution or risking higher/lower scores by rolling. Almost always they go with rolling.

My home players, when given the option for standard array, point buy, or rolled on 4d6k3 arrange as desired, all opted for either array or point buy.

Why? Because it meant they could craft their PC's.

Given the choice between rolled or fixed HP, they chose fixed.

My AL table, only one guy was lamenting unrolled stats. And he's not playing anymore. (And his "array" worked out to 15/15/14/13/12/10... so his departure was not unwelcome.)

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

With probabilities so flat, there is a high likelihood of outliers and large variances between PCs.

Let me ask you, do you see any potential downsides to PCs with 15, 14, 14, 13, 10, 9 and 13, 12, 12, 10, 9, 8 playing in the same party?

Plenty of times we PC with vastly differing stat totals and plenty of fun is still had by all. And we aren't amateur actor types, more hacky and slashy. But it all works out. A current cleric in the party has a high of 13 and a stat bonus total of +2. Player didn't mind.

 

[keterys]

I've used 4d6 drop lowest (8 times, choose the highest 6) since I started, and still use it today.

Nowadays, though, I give players the option of either using the standard distribution or risking higher/lower scores by rolling. Almost always they go with rolling.

Do you use the standard distribution for that roll method, or the array from the book? Because that rolling method is extraordinarily favorable. Being able to swap out your two lowest means the primary downside of rolling (that you still end up with a 5 or whatever that screws up your character concept) is almost non-existent, and the average is much much better than the standard array.

 

[Blue]

Back in AD&D 2nd played with one DM that you rolled up three sets of stats (4d6 drop the lowest) but IN ORDER. Keep whichever set you want. Ended up with a bard with an 18 CON (remember, back then for non-fighters you got no extra HP benefit over a 16 CON). You know, he ended being the bard that could drink anyone under the table and that became one of his personality traits. He was also a clothes horse and people didn't expect that from this well-dressed fop.

Hardcore baby.

 

[Pvt. Winslow]

He was also a clothes horse and people didn't expect that from this well-dressed fop.

I'm not entirely sure what a clothes horse is, and I'm almost afraid to ask, haha

 

[Lanefan]

Roll roll roll the dice, gently down the board...

Lan-"there is no other way"-efan

 

[Blue]

I'm not entirely sure what a clothes horse is, and I'm almost afraid to ask, haha

It's an older saying. Basically it's someone who's overly concerned with fashion and wearing fashionable clothes.