3d10 xp, for realism

[Arbiter of Wyrms]

Stuff

*Applause!* Good stuff!

Edit: Post 1d400!

 

[Darkness]

Your'e probably right. The thing is, with point buy, I create bland characters . It's hard for me not to powergame. Even when that little voice says (put that 12 in str for your wizard, leave the 8 in wisdom) I just cant.

Hehe. I have the opposite problem. When rolling, it's hard for me not to encourage my players to roll until they have incredible stats.

Since that kinda takes away the point of rolling in the first place, switching to a high point-buy results in less work and more player control.
(Of course, if your main interest in rolling is playing a random character rather than getting great power, YMMV. But you can come up with a way to randomly distribute your point-buy allowance as well if you really want to.)

 

[Odhanan]

Just use more points. I for one do exactly that.

Besides, random scores can limit the players in their choices too - sometimes even if their concept is relatively reasonable.

Granted. Hence the 30 points buy, instead of 25.

The point of rolling stats I think is to just learn to play with what you're getting. To have some form of surprise at character creation. It's a great way to experiment different types of characters than those you'd be willing (or used) to play.

 

[Darkness]

Randomly determining your class (and/or race, etc.) does that better, though. Also, you can even randomly distribute your point-buy points if that's what you want.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Your'e probably right. The thing is, with point buy, I create bland characters . It's hard for me not to powergame.

Min-maxed doesn't necessarily mean bland. And the character's personality isn't determined solely on ability scores, anyway. So putting the ability scores to good use doesn't mean that the character is munchkinized and one-dimensional.

Actually, what works for me right now is the old 0 edition system. Roll 3d6 six times*. Werever they land, that's what you have. Make the character. This actually is working for me because I have so many different archetypes I want to play that I usually can find one that works

* Actually we use 4d6 drop the lowest. Arange in any order. Then roll a d6 to rotate the scores:

initial
16 14 15 12 7 9

roll a 3 to rotate

final
7 9 15 16 14 15

(hey a tubby wizard with a heart of gold )

As long as you don't have a certain concept in mind, that's nice. But imagine you want to play a wizard/cleric (mystic theurge) and end up with 16 14 15 7 9 12. You couldn't cast wizard spells, couldn't cast cleric spells.
I wouldn't like that system, especially when I want to play a certain character, or a role in the party needs to be filled.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

It's a great way to experiment different types of characters than those you'd be willing (or used) to play.

I simply can't play a character I'm not willing to play. And though I can play a wide variety of characters, I've found out that my characters cannot have bad scores in Int, and Cha, average at the very least, and one of it should be a good one (or both at least slightly above average).

 

[Odhanan]

I simply can't play a character I'm not willing to play.

I understand this.

Some players get bored, want to challenge themselves and/or just want some randomness in character creation, though. And why not, if that's what they want ?

Game-wise, there is no single great top-notch creation process. Each option has some validity or flaw. Each of us will prefer one or the other method for some reason or another, and that's perfectly fine that way, don't you think ?

Randomly determining your class (and/or race, etc.) does that better, though.

Interesting. One of the things that always seemed out of place in Stormbringer for me was the random class and origins. That's the kind of stuff I don't like. I never made my Stormbringer players roll for these. I like to have some sort of choice, and so I let the choice to the player.
This is not exactly the same thing as rolling abilities in D&D : Dice give numbers, and the player brainstorms about what s/he could do with them. That doesn't mean the dice should replace the entire decision process.

 

[Darkness]

Interesting. One of the things that always seemed out of place in Stormbringer for me was the random class and origins. That's the kind of stuff I don't like. I never made my Stormbringer players roll for these. I like to have some sort of choice, and so I let the choice to the player.

I don't like it either, but if someone wants the dice to decide their career, more power to them. Stormbringer's were also very random power-wise. You could be a Melnibonéan sorcerer or some kind of beggar.

 

[Odhanan]

Stormbringer's were also very random power-wise. You could be a Melnibonéan sorcerer or some kind of beggar.

Yep, absolutely. The game balance wasn't great. But he##, I had great rides with this game ! Moorcock's Young Kingdoms have some kind of dark primitive, shrilling flavour to them !

 

[Darkness]

Ah, I'll never forget my first Stormbringer character, a Pan Tangian noble sorcerer. (I.e., about the second-strongest thing after a Melnibonéan.)

I quite like the Young Kingdoms myself. Pretty cool setting...