D&D 5E Assumptions about character creation

[Don Durito]

To me when I was a player or a DM in editions that had stricter rules on PC creation the fun was taking what you got, making a pc and having fun with it. Same with parties I was DMing for, roll with your rolls.

Perhaps. But I don't really see the point in unless you are taking all the rolls in order.

Otherwise, most of the time, what you end up with higher or lower numbers than the point buy baseline but not significantly different.

 

[Don Durito]

Any good optimizer has a plan in place for how to handle low rolls and high rolls in a roll-only environment. The calculations aren't THAT hard.

I was thinking more about internet build guides and all their baked in assumptions.

 

[Fenris-77]

I think the white room aspect of internet D&D talk has maybe influenced how we talk about 'expected' stats. Optimization, and discussions about optimization, have really changed how some people think about what's good and bad when it comes to stats.

I run games for the characters I have at the table. There's no need for them to meet a certain criteria as far as stats go. In some ways, I think the game is actually more fun with 'lesser' characters.

 

[Hriston]

I think the baseline assumption is that with rolling, you'll likely have a 16 to put in your prime ability or that you'll put your 15 from standard array together with a racial ASI (+1) into your prime ability, so I think a +3 modifier is assumed for most beginning PCs, but it isn't super critical or anything.

 

[Don Durito]

But what does it mean for a +3 modifier to be assumed?

I just rolled up a character and got 16, 12, 18, 17, 14, 18.

Does this break the game? If not why is it possible? And if it's not a big problem then why is a 14 in a stat instead of a 16 somehow outside the maths of the game? Why are we assuming the game is designed for a specific number rather than say anything from +2 to +5. Surely, it would be better practice to design with a range in mind rather than a specific number. In any case is +3 is assumed it should probably be assumed only to the extent that something has to be the middle point of the range. It seems to me they key point here is not that your on that number, but that you're not too far from it.

Also if you're rolling dice in order you may end up with a Dwarf with 13 Strength and 20 Con. This is a perfectly viable Fighter (probably a very good Barbarian - you'll have good HP, good AC and you can afford to Reckless attack an awful lot, which means you won't miss often.).

I think people focus too much on what's easily visibly and quantifiable.

 

[TwoSix]

I was thinking more about internet build guides and all their baked in assumptions.

Meh. Guides are useful as a holding ground for useful ideas, but they should really just be a starting point. 5e is very different from 3e and its derivatives and 4e in terms of complexity.

 

[Don Durito]

This. The modern game is based around supporting the individual player's concept and letting them play their vision in the game, not around rolling a randomized character and seeing how they grow. More Critical Role, less roguelike.

This isn't a value judgment, both ways of playing have their fun; I'm simply stating where the meta of the game has moved towards.

I was under the impression that the Critical Role group roll their ability scores. Is that wrong?

 

[Maxperson]

I never allow people to pick scores. They have to roll...period.

We roll in my games as well, and when I play I insist on rolling. Having to use an array or point buy is a deal breaker for me.

 

[Maxperson]

They balance around a +2 or +3 bonus in the prime attribute. However, the game does not break if you have anything between a +1 and +5 in it.

I think it's probably +2. I doubt they assume a 12, and the edition is too easy for them to be assuming a 16.

 

[Maxperson]

I've heard that too, but it's complete nonsense. They absolutely do expect magic items. There's even a chart somewhere, in DMG I think, that shows how many they expect PCs to have got by tier.

That's a recommendation, not an expectation. The game expects no items and is balanced around no items. Each item you give out makes the game that much easier. Magic items are just fun, so they recommend giving them out.