I think it has a greater impact on the game when it is 3d6 in order when creating characters.
Not really. You have the same chance to get exactly the same character in that situation. Each roll is independent. Order doesn't matter.
I think it has a greater impact on the game when it is 3d6 in order when creating characters.
Not really. You have the same chance to get exactly the same character in that situation. Each roll is independent. Order doesn't matter.
Kinda, but in one order, the now classic S,D, C, I, W, Ch, if you rolled a 10, 16, 12, 13, 11, 8 you would probably default to a Thief. In classic or AD&D 1e with S, I, W, D, C, Ch, you would be a Magic-user.
Any other class would be very sub-optimal, almost extremely so.
I just wish we had one or two more that started with vowels so that we could arrange them to spell "Shazam" or something
Your stats will modify your class choice if there is random assignment, sure! But the order of stats on the page doesn't affect the numbers assigned to those stats.
If the order has a standard progression then 2 different sets of order would most certainly affect the number assigned to those stats!
Str 10
Int 16
Wisdom 12
Dex 13
Con 12
Cha 8
Is very different numbers-wise than
Str 10
Dex 16
Con 12
Int 13
Wis12
Cha 8
And then depending on if you are talking about OD&D, BX, or AD&D it would be very different bonuses. Less impactful in OD&D where you can only ever get a +1 for a high ability score vs the bonuses granted in BX and AD&D/OD&D plus supplements. While the numbers are the same, the order of arrangement is very impactful to the game overall.
Your argument is much stronger if it is 3d6 arrange as desired which it seems was the default playing style anyway. Arranged as rolled the option comes down to races as a choice, if your rolls even qualified for a non-human race. The default rule for OD&D and AD&D was that you took them in the order you rolled them, not arrange them as desired and I think that is where your disagreement seems to lie.
Like Fallout adjusted them to spell SPECIAL!
If you have a sheet arranged SIWDCCh and roll randomly and assign in order and another sheet arranged SDCIWCh and do the same, you have exactly the same chance of getting exactly the same stat in each characteristic. The arbitrary order does not present a variation in probability or population distribution for characteristics. Any individual character would be impacted by the random assignment, but the player cannot make and future plans based on which blank sheet they are handed.
Kinda, but in one order, the now classic S,D, C, I, W, Ch, if you rolled a 10, 16, 12, 13, 11, 8 you would probably default to a Thief. In classic or AD&D 1e with S, I, W, D, C, Ch, you would be a Magic-user.