D&D 5E Are you using 3d6 apply as rolled and if so can you share your experience?

[Blue]

THIS! We use the same. 4d6 in order, but I do make one concession for someone to make a better build or go for a concept they had in mind. You can make 1 swap.

Back in AD&D 2nd we did something similar. But instead of one swap, you rolled three sets in order and then picked the set that best fit the character you wanted to play. So it was still in order and very organic, but it gave you more choices to be a specific class that could fit the party, and avoided really bad rolls.

 

[Retreater]

I rolled a character with this method for a one-shot OSR game using Labyrinth Lord about two months ago. Even though this was the default method for us "back in the day" (2nd ed AD&D), it was one of the worst roleplaying experiences I've had in recent memory. I'm not exactly a power gamer, but the character came out exactly average, and as a result was pretty boring. No bonuses, no penalties. Generic human fighter. Bland and terrible.
We also rolled HP for 1st level. I got 2 hp. So my character was worse than any kobold he was likely to fight in the dungeon - with the exception that he got better armor. In this case he should've just bought armor for someone else to go quest in his name.
If you're going to be playing a game like D&D, your characters should get to feel heroic. A group using this method would result in my walking away from the table.

 

[iserith]

I rolled a character with this method for a one-shot OSR game using Labyrinth Lord about two months ago. Even though this was the default method for us "back in the day" (2nd ed AD&D), it was one of the worst roleplaying experiences I've had in recent memory. I'm not exactly a power gamer, but the character came out exactly average, and as a result was pretty boring. No bonuses, no penalties. Generic human fighter. Bland and terrible.

Similarly, I played in a couple of sessions of Lamentations of the Flame Princess about a year or so ago and it's also billed as one of these OSR style games. I rolled a dead-average character who I named Mean Median. He was one of four or five characters that I lost in that one game alone. That game system is kind of brutal.

But I bet in D&D 5e he would have survived and I think I would have liked to have played him. It was a concept I wouldn't have come up with in the 27 point buy methods. That he was so average was part of his charm.

 

[David Howery]

But let us assume that is not a problem for your players or you then there is the second: If dice fall stupid you end up with 4 wizards or any other stupidly unbalanced party. That for me would be the real showstopper and though I would be absolutely open for a low power game this point would make me say no.

this is a real possibility and problem... along with the notorious 'unplayable character' generation that is all too possible. If you're going to insist on the '3d6 6 times' thing, at least let them plug the numbers into whichever stat they want so you can get a good balanced party...

 

[Ancalagon]

It works great with the GLOG

One PC ha 10, 10, 12, 10, 10, 8. Perfectly playable character.

edit: in other words, it really depends on the system. with the GLOG, it works great because low stat characters can do quite well. Player skill matters more than your stats.

 

[Ancalagon]

I recently decided to roll up a character for Basic D&D using 3d6 in order. I ended up with a Dwarf. My strength was a 14, but I had a dexterity penalty and an intelligence so low that I was illiterate. It might have been fun to actually play this character, but the thing about fielding such an…interesting PC, was whether or not the rest of the group would be on-board with it. Because in my experience, there’s always someone that shows up with that 18 and no stats under 12 that they “rolled.”

Always roll stats on the table. Always.

 

[Larnievc]

I'm kind of expecting no responses! However, as it is my intention to use this method for my next campaign, which will likely run two years, I am interested in listening to any experiences you may have.

Not since Basic D&D. I’m not keen on inflated stats buts playing a dire roll character is normally not fun.

 

[Wiseblood]

I rolled a character with this method for a one-shot OSR game using Labyrinth Lord about two months ago. Even though this was the default method for us "back in the day" (2nd ed AD&D), it was one of the worst roleplaying experiences I've had in recent memory. I'm not exactly a power gamer, but the character came out exactly average, and as a result was pretty boring. No bonuses, no penalties. Generic human fighter. Bland and terrible.
We also rolled HP for 1st level. I got 2 hp. So my character was worse than any kobold he was likely to fight in the dungeon - with the exception that he got better armor. In this case he should've just bought armor for someone else to go quest in his name.
If you're going to be playing a game like D&D, your characters should get to feel heroic. A group using this method would result in my walking away from the table.

“ If you’re going to be playing a game like D&D your characters should get to feel heroic.”

That is enlightening! Once upon a time I played with some friends and one of my actions led to a comment like “we don’t do that, we’re heroes.” I don’t play heroes I play adventurers. More Indiana Jones than Captain America.

 

[Yardiff]

Heroic doesn't necessarily mean super hero. Indy was heroic in his actions and attitude.

 

[BigBadDM]

I think there are 'better' solutions out there than 3d6 assign in order. It really makes characters jagged and not in a good way. I personally like this compromise.

Roll 4d6 (drop the 1), assign to an ability. You can't change once you assign it to an ability.
Repeat 5 more times.

This gives characters still some good scores, probably even a 12 or 14 in their preferred stat. it might make a stat you weren't expecting to be good. it doesn't gimp your character and still gives you role-playing flavor you are looking for.

3d6 roll-once and in order is just asking for trouble. Even in the 'old days' characters just kept rerolling 'characters' 100 times or so till that got a spread they wanted. The 3d6 roll once and ONLY one time is a myth.

It's also not coincidence that the first score you roll (Str) used to have a percentile chance to the 18.