D&D General Changing Order of Character Creation, from 1e to 2024

[jmartkdr2]

I can't remember the last time I actually made the decisions in order - usually it's either "roll ability scores then pick stuff based on that" or "pick key concept, pick details based on that" typically making decisions in the order they come to me - which usually means race and class are decided together, and other stuff based on where the book falls open.

 

[Scribe]

Considering how 5e has been since...forever, it makes sense that Class would be first.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Race/Species -> Background -> Class always made the most sense to me because it’s chronological. Start with how you were born, then how you grew up, then what you are now.

And yet, every time I create a character, I choose my Class first

i agree with that order though personally i tend to end up going in the order of Species =>Class =>Background, i like looking at what a species can give me that could potentially provide an alternate way to play a class then use the background to try round out any holes there might be in skills or proficiencies for their theme.

 

[Maxperson]

Realistically, if you're rolling stats, you really need to do that first, since the stats you get are going to inform what class and race you pick. (Even if you can assign rolls to stats, some classes really want multiple high stats, and others are fine with mostly low stats.)

Class yes. Race not so much. At least not in 5e. Stat bonuses mean little in the bounded accuracy era, so race doesn't impact much. Class can be affected a lot if you roll poorly in a stat. That 7 strength will kill you as a fighter. Even as a dex fighter since you won't be able to carry much weight for even light weapons and armor.

 

[TwoSix]

Class yes. Race not so much. At least not in 5e. Stat bonuses mean little in the bounded accuracy era, so race doesn't impact much. Class can be affected a lot if you roll poorly in a stat. That 7 strength will kill you as a fighter. Even as a dex fighter since you won't be able to carry much weight for even light weapons and armor.

I was thinking more about whether your high stat is even or odd, and how that impacts whether or not to be VHuman, Custom Lineage, or something else.

 

[billd91]

Realistically, if you're rolling stats, you really need to do that first, since the stats you get are going to inform what class and race you pick. (Even if you can assign rolls to stats, some classes really want multiple high stats, and others are fine with mostly low stats.)

I may like rolling first to see what kind of resources I have and what they may suggest to me, but I haven't really felt like rolling first has been necessary in D&D for over 20 years.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I liked scores, species, background, class order. Abilities after background is a bit annoying, as you first decide where your bonuses go and then roll.
If you point buy, no problem. Standard array, no problem. But before rolling. Urgh.
But hey. Most people decide what class they want to play nowadays first. So I at least can understand why they chose that order.

 

[jmartkdr2]

I may like rolling first to see what kind of resources I have and what they may suggest to me, but I haven't really felt like rolling first has been necessary in D&D for over 20 years.

If it's roll-and-arrange, then I just want to know if I have really good stats that might allow a weird build, mid stats for regular options, or low stats that make me need to optimize a bit more than usual.

But if I'm dying to play a druid anyways, I can roll after to see how wise I really am.

 

[TwoSix]

I may like rolling first to see what kind of resources I have and what they may suggest to me, but I haven't really felt like rolling first has been necessary in D&D for over 20 years.

I wouldn't say necessary. But if you're doing some sort of rolling system where you roll in order, and you only get an 8 Charisma, you may not want to play that sorcerer concept you have. Or even with the more standard "assign stats" method, if your highest stat is only a 13, maybe skip out on playing that monk.

Or you can just not roll! That's usually what I do for modern D&D.

 

[Maxperson]

I was thinking more about whether your high stat is even or odd, and how that impacts whether or not to be VHuman, Custom Lineage, or something else.

When we first moved to 5e from 3.5e I thought that way. Then I realized how little that +1 actually matters in the bounded system. My last character(since I mostly DM) was an elven bladesinger. I rolled 16 int and 18 dex, so I ended up with 17 int and 20 dex after racials. I didn't change that 17 to an 18 until I was either 8th or 12th level, and that was only accidentally since the feat I wanted happened to come with +1 to int.

I won't pick a race just to turn an odd prime stat into an even one, though if one of the races I want to play also happens to do that I won't complain.