D&D 5E (2014) Are you using 3d6 apply as rolled and if so can you share your experience?

[David Howery]

along with the chances of having either a really great set of stats or a really bad set, there is the chance of getting some high stats along with some really low ones. I always remember the fighter I rolled up who had 3 18s, 2 4s, and 1 3. He was big, healthy, and fast, but not much smarter than his horse and ugly enough to make orcs blanch....

 

[Samloyal23]

Using an easier rolling system is tantamount to cheating. If your scores are low, learn to play better, don't hesitate to run and hide until you increase in power. Trust the dice and make the most of whatever numbers you get.

 

[Charlaquin]

I love the inspiration behind getting the stats in order. I also like the balance of point buy.

That's why I think @redrick's idea is wonderful

Redrick Roller

Oh, wow, I like this a lot! It does miss out on that roguelike element of 3d6 in order, where getting a really bad set becomes an exercise in “how long can I keep this character alive?” But on the flip side, no risk of hard feelings due to massive power disparities between characters.

 

[clearstream]

Thank you! I really appreciate the good faith in which thoughts and experiences have been shared. Foremost I think now that I am comfortable with allocate as rolled. People have feelings in both directions, and it feels to me overall workable.

One of my motivations is to scale player ability modifiers back against foes in official material. From experience, and given players with high system mastery, I have a good picture of how that will play out across tiers. This is helped, not hindered, by the smooth scaling of modifiers in 5e. In a way just choosing a point on a line.

What is concerning is the possibility for dispiriting overshadowing (one character with much stronger stats than others) mentioned in some posts... which seems almost an inevitability with 3d6. I think a separate thread will be a good way to focus on that.

 

[Coroc]

Not to criticize you, in the end do what you have fun with, but:

You stat you plan your campaign to last about two years, that is a lot of time you have to live with a potentially bad decision then.

There is no problem with a low power level aka roll stats with 3d6, if you adapt the monster and challenge difficulties accordingly.

But there is a big problem with two things:
You force people to eventually play a class they do not want to play or have a character with very un-optimal attributes.
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.

So at least allow the 3d6 to be attached to the attribute the player wants to, so sorted in any order that is my strong advice for you and I am sure your campaign will be fun and challenging then.

 

[S'mon]

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.

"This is blasphemy! This is Madness!"

"This is ...OLD SCHOOL!!!!"

Edit: I would not do this for 3e-5e, because those systems assume that '10' is the average score for a non-adventuring commoner, and competent NPCs average significantly higher. In pre-3e D&D (especially pre-AD&D) the assumption seemed to be more that an 8 or 9 was the average stat for a healthy adult human, and characters rolled on 3d6 were thus usually a bit better than average.

 

[Wiseblood]

For man, it isn't all that fun when the other guy gets to play Ognar the Great, with an 18 and a couple 16s, and you are playing Slugamore the Forgettable, who has a net +0 modifier and none greater than +1. It is hard to get your share of spotlight when your character stats stink by comparison.

Some people won't mind that. But they came up with point buy specifically because sometimes it really is an issue. So be careful about it.

Interesting. There are some assumptions and themes in these arguments (and mine) that appear again and again across many threads.
*stat envy among players
*spotlight time is based on having high stats
*all classes are equal
*multiple players pick the same class or role
*fear of rolling high when someone else rolls low
*fear of rolling low when someone else rolls high
*stats make characters memorable
*I like to play on hard mode
*i had a character once that was bad at his job
*back in my day...
*nothing is said about player skill gap until socially adept players use their mojo then it’s bad (trademark pending)
*I couldn’t play what I wanted because of stat deficiencies
*stats are more important in d&d 3e and newer, so old school chargen is undesireable

The problem is choice.

 

[Coroc]

Interesting. There are some assumptions and themes in these arguments (and mine) that appear again and again across many threads.
*stat envy among players
*spotlight time is based on having high stats
*all classes are equal
*multiple players pick the same class or role
*fear of rolling high when someone else rolls low
*fear of rolling low when someone else rolls high
*stats make characters memorable
*I like to play on hard mode
*i had a character once that was bad at his job
*back in my day...
*nothing is said about player skill gap until socially adept players use their mojo then it’s bad (trademark pending)
*I couldn’t play what I wanted because of stat deficiencies
*stats are more important in d&d 3e and newer, so old school chargen is undesireable

The problem is choice.

Well if you think those assumptions reappearing then what about (pun intended)

• Warforged, Dragonborn, Drow and Tiefling have to be shoehorned into every commercial D&D campaign ever to get official material again. (If my DM does not let me play one he is a jerk)
• Attribute malus are so eighties, (where is my safespace)
• Why can't I play my halfvampire teenage mutant ninja Turtle in your Darksun/Dragonlance campaign?
• You are not a creative DM if you cannot integrate that one into your game.
• Every item in the standard players handbook item list especially weapos and armor have to be available at their given prices. It is especially unfair if that is not the case and my char does not get his predefined starting equipment but some coins, amount based on some rolled dice instead. (This bullet actually occurred to me as DM)

end irony

TBH

Everybody has his preferences, some like the RP aspect, some the mystery and riddle solving aspect, and to some it is the combat part of the game - the famous three pillars. And to cater all three, especially for the combat fans, you got to have a somewhat balanced power distribution, so no one feels like the fifth wheel on a carriage. It is not everybody's idea of contributing in their character just cheering for his mates, because a single lucky hit of a kobold takes them out for sure.

So I do understand people, who insist on some kind of "fairness in preconditions" and see a bit of competition from the sporty side within the game.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Oh, wow, I like this a lot! It does miss out on that roguelike element of 3d6 in order, where getting a really bad set becomes an exercise in “how long can I keep this character alive?” But on the flip side, no risk of hard feelings due to massive power disparities between characters.

I played with it a little bit (my kingdom for some CSS) and one issue I have with it is that you subject yourself to the whims of Fate, but without any chance of a jackpot. In my mind one of the reasons to go with the dice, rather than point buy/standard array, is for the chance...however small...to start with 16's, 17's, and 18's.

 

[Blue]

I have played D&D with 3d6 in order. (And the rule from whatever version about unplayable characters - I think it was nothing higher than a 13 or total modifier bonus of +1 or less.)

In those earlier editions there was no increasing ability scores by level, and thery were a lot less important - you had to get to a higher number to get a modifier, and conversely some modifiers capped earlier based on class. Like if you weren't a fighter-type, CON couldn't grant more than +2 HP per level.

I would not play 5e like that. 5e has a balancing act between ASIs and feats. So the players that rolled better will be doing less math adjusting and more feats, and will just get even better. It's a haves and have-nots situation that will only get worse over play.