ability roll cheating

[Zulithe]

Aazenius: 4d6, drop lowest. yes, I let them roll their own stats at home or wherever they choose to do it, but clearly this isn't working for everyone...

RE: point buy. I did bring this up prior to the game starting, but the players do not want to use this method, preffering the chance to get higher stats from random rolls. I don't blame them, but I agree and I won't be allowing stat generation out of my sight unless it is through point buy anymore. Also, they rejected my vote on rather or not to use Eberron's Action Point system (we don't play in Eberron, but i considered adding that mechanic to my game). I could force either of these concepts into my game but I'm trying to be democratic.

haiiro: I will make no excuses for myself, except to say that the pregame on the first night was very hectic and I did not check everyone's sheets as I should have. I had to help two players with their sheets durring the pregame period and it cut into some of my prep time. That roughly two hour period before the game was the first opportunity I had to see everyone's sheets.


Thanks for the stories and advice so far!

 

[wingsandsword]

Reasons like this are why my games are strictly point-buy only.

I don't like random elements of character creation, and even is somehow those rolls were legitimate (doubtful), a few lucky dice rolls shouldn't create a character that is so strong that it utterly overshadows the rest of the characters in the campaign. Randomly rolling for stats may not have been that bad back when PC's were expected to die in droves at every session, so even a good set of stats might only make you last a few more sessions or so, but in a style of play where campaigns easily last a year (or much more), it has much more long-term impact.

Of course, this is also why I don't allow random rolling for Hit Points, you take average, round-up (d4=3, d6=4, d8=5, d10=6, d12=7), I got tired of PC's griping when the huge barbarian rolls a 1 and the wizard rolls a 4, and while some GM's have complex dice-weighting house-rules, or "yours or mine" options or the like for rolling hit dice, I figured a flat, non-negotiable amount of HP (or VP depending on the game) per level instead of a random roll (of course, with Con modifiers and any type/feat/whatever HP bonuses) puts everybody on level footing.

 

[Skrit]

I use point buy now too. It causes less problems with stat creation. It takes a bit more time since players min - max but hey long as the scores add up no one is cheating..

We switched to point buy since too many times arguements came up over they guy/girl that rolled very low (three scores lower then 8). I used to say reroll those scores since their bad, just then one of the other players (won't use names but he "Likes" to have his character the most powerful) would chime in and say "How come he/she gets to re-roll and I had to keep my two scores of 12?".

Sometimes I'll still use random ability scores (4d6 drop lowest) when I can watch the players roll in front of my eyes and when I don't blink. If it's over the internet it's point buy only I wouldn't trust my mother rolling when I couldn't see the rolls with my own eyes.

As for rolling ability scores... Once in my 17yrs of gaming I have rolled a 18/97 str using AD&D 2ed rules.. That was around 12yrs ago too...

 

[solkan_uk]

Points buy wherever, since I can check, or come and roll the dice in front of me.

Though actually I'm more and more edging towards points buy - no choice. I just have one player who objects consistently - saying it's too complicated.

When I allow rolling, my players do tend to get pretty obscene stats, or worthless ones, and the rare time they roll fairly average ones - they look worthless in the face of everyone else anyway.
I mean, looking through the last time I used roll method I think we had a 18, 18, 14, 12, 10, 10, a 17, 16, 16, 15, 12, 9 & a 16, 12, 12, 10, 10, 7.
Now in virtually any other game that last set would be pretty nice, but with all the other higher stats, it don't look good any more.

I now point buy, unless everyone votes otherwise.

 

[Ace]

I just let people set whatever stats they want. IMO if people can simply build a charcter they want to play there is less incentive to munchkin

Even if someone had an uber charcter (and I have had a few with witnessed die rolls) what of it ? I control the whole effin game universe -- no need to sweat the little stuff

 

[Romnipotent]

if they need to cheat to survive then let their souls rest uneasily upon my mettle

 

[Sage]

First off, let them roll in front of you next time.

Second, don't change anything!

You can even out the game by giving the group magic items that are of use to the other players, and when you once in a while drop in an item that's of use to the goliath, make it less powerful than the average.

Anyway, my point is there are other, more subtle ways to balance it out.

 

[SweeneyTodd]

So many people cheat or have cheated on stat rolls, I feel like it's an official rules variant sometimes.

It sounds like a fairly casual game, and the players are having fun, so no biggie. Heck, he probably did it as a friendly joke, since there's no way anybody would believe they were honest rolls, and they resulted in a barbarian with Int 17.

 

[Asmo]

I just let people set whatever stats they want. IMO if people can simply build a charcter they want to play there is less incentive to munchkin

Even if someone had an uber charcter (and I have had a few with witnessed die rolls) what of it ? I control the whole effin game universe -- no need to sweat the little stuff

This is the way I handle it too: they don´t like point-buy and they whine when the dice don´t fall their way, so it´s easier to let them have the stats they want.
As long they get one 18 they´re pretty satisfied.


Asmo

 

[Conaill]

If they prefer something a bit more random than point-buy, here's another option:

Cards!

Grab a deck of cards, and throw out everything except the 1-6 cards. Deal 6 hands of 4 cards, remove the lowest card from each hand, and add.

This method gives almost exactly the same distribution of stats as 4d6-drop-lowest, but the total stat value will be much more balanced.