D&D General How do you like your ASIs?

[Bill Zebub]

"Like my coffee" doesn't seem to be an option, either. What kind of a survey is this?

 

[Maxperson]

"Like my coffee" doesn't seem to be an option, either. What kind of a survey is this?

LOL I was going to say "Medium rare and with spicy BBQ sauce."

 

[Charlaquin]

Its really not, unless you operate under the assumption that the Standard Array isnt a thing.

Increasing the standard array is one of the things I said…

 

[Lanefan]

Ah, I understand. The poll is just meant to reflect starting creation, not advancement. I'm not opposed to discussion of it during advancement though

Where to me the term "ASI" only means what happens during advancement. "Adjustment" is for char-gen. (it's confusing as in recent editions all the adjustments are upward, which also makes them increments)

 

[Maxperson]

Increasing the standard array is one of the things I said…

Then you also have to increase rolling......................................which is done with ASIs.

 

[Charlaquin]

Then you also have to increase rolling......................................

Yes, which was also one of the things I said.

which is done with ASIs.

Exactly, which is why I say it’s basically the same as floating ASIs, just aesthetically different.

 

[Maxperson]

Yes, which was also one of the things I said.

How do you increase rolling without ASIs?

Exactly, which is why I say it’s basically the same as floating ASIs, just aesthetically different.

If they are ASIs, they are not "basically the same thing," they ARE the same thing.

 

[Charlaquin]

How do you increase rolling without ASIs?

You adjust the rolling method to one that produces higher expected results. There are lots of ways one can do this. My preferred method is 4d6 drop lowest 7 times, keep the best 6 scores. Rounding to the nearest whole number, this produces expected results of 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, which gives us our improved array. Which would require 32 points to generate with point buy; 5 more than the standard array, which happens to be the amount of points toit would cost to increase a primary ability by 2 and a secondary ability by 1. So, by using this dice generation method, this array, and 32 point buy, I’ve effectively created a floating +2/+1, integrated directly into the ability score generation methods instead of being an extra step.

 

[Maxperson]

You adjust the rolling method to one that produces higher expected results. There are lots of ways one can do this. My preferred method is 4d6 drop lowest 7 times, keep the best 6 scores. Rounding to the nearest whole number, this produces expected results of 16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, which gives us our improved array. Which would require 32 points to generate with point buy; 5 more than the standard array, which happens to be the amount of points toit would cost to increase a primary ability by 2 and a secondary ability by 1. So, by using this dice generation method, this array, and 32 point buy, I’ve effectively created a floating +2/+1, integrated directly into the ability score generation methods instead of being an extra step.

Your point buy numbers are off slightly. Right now the standard array allows 17, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8 after ASIs are added. To get that with point buy, you have to allow the purchase of a 17, which would be 4 over the 15 cost, and the 15 would be 2 higher than the 14, for 6 points over the current amount, so 33 points. Of course, rolling allows you to start with a 20 with ASIs, which would be 21 points all by itself. By getting rid of ASIs, you are gimping the potential of rolls by quite a bit more than one extra rolled stat accounts for.

 

[Charlaquin]

Your point buy numbers are off slightly. Right now the standard array allows 17, 15, 13, 12, 10, 8 after ASIs are added. To get that with point buy, you have to allow the purchase of a 17, which would be 4 over the 15 cost, and the 15 would be 2 higher than the 14, for 6 points over the current amount, so 33 points.

True, but only if you put the +2 in 15 or the 14 and +1 in the 14 or the 13, which while always possible with floating ASIs, is more dubious with fixed ASIs. I shoot for +2 in a primary score for 4 points and +1 in a secondary score for 1 point, for a total of 5, to better approximate the expected value of fixed ASIs.

Of course, rolling allows you to start with a 20 with ASIs, which would be 21 points all by itself. By getting rid of ASIs, you are gimping the potential of rolls by quite a bit more than one extra rolled stat accounts for.

Indeed, I consider not being able to start with a 20 if you roll a feature of this method as compared to floating ASIs.