D&D 5E Balancing Rolled Stats with ASIs

[Oofta]

Rolled stat imply luck.
Ok, you can help people to catch up, but what to do with rolls like
18, 18, 16, 15, 13, 11
vs
12, 11, 11, 10, 9, 7
just figure out how your proposal will react with such rolls.

I've seen similar things happen, except the second person was even worse. I don't see the point of having one person being significantly less capable because of 1 sequence of bad rolls. Especially when the person who rolled poorly asked before rolling if they could just use variant of point buy (this was pre point buy).

If I go into a game I want to play

not

 

[Flamestrike]

The nice thing about this is that even if you start with an adventurer with lower stats, it's easier for you to catch up. But 5e does not allow this

It can do.

Have a house rule that for every +1 allocated to an ASI, if the score is 14 or lower, it instead counts as +2.

 

[Krachek]

If there is such a large discrepancy, it would certainly take time to catch up, but it's better than nothing. The key might be to maybe allow some flexibility at roll time so that the discrepancies are not so large ?

Indeed, and some table have certainly seen worst case than this one.
Math and probability are hard, if you let roll six time for stat, one of these days someone, somewhere gonna roll six 18. Or six 3! So a system that want more leveled ability score need to aim directly at rolled stat with some additional rules.

 

[Lyxen]

It can do.

Have a house rule that for every +1 allocated to an ASI, if the score is 14 or lower, it instead counts as +2.

I thought about something like it, but it seemed to simple.

 

[Krachek]

I got a suggestion for less random ability score.
You use point buy to place initial score.
Then you let roll 4d6 drop lowest x time to try to improve the best or two best score, or the best and the worst score.
It won’t create monster, it won’t won’t create scrap character.

a more formal method
Use standard array or use point buy, and assign initial score to your abilities.
you can roll 4d6 drop lowest to improve your ability.

choose:

roll 6 time, if you make a roll better than 15, use it replace a single ability with an initial score of 15. At best you upgrade a 15 into a 18.
Or
roll once for each ability, if the roll beat the initial score, increase it by one. At best you increase all your ability by one.
Or
If you don’t like to roll, you can pick a racial feat for free.

 

[Weiley31]

Nah I rather have rolled stats and then add that sweet, juicy, Tasha's Floating +2/+1 onto my already broken rolled stats. when the rolls are hella good.

Also the same: rolled stats with Tasha's Floating +2/+1 to whatever got rolled up.

 

[Flamestrike]

The only 'pro' to rolled stats is it avoids cookie cutter PCs (weak and smart wizards, cleric with crap dexes, rogues dumping strength) etc.

Of course, seeing as you get to assign the stats anyway in most 'roll for stats' tables, means you get cookie cutter PCs most times anyway.

The rest of it is all cons. Wildly unbalanced PCs, always at least one unhappy player (who rolled poorly) if not more, takes more time, and is just generally totally unecessary.

 

[Horwath]

The only 'pro' to rolled stats is it avoids cookie cutter PCs (weak and smart wizards, cleric with crap dexes, rogues dumping strength) etc.

Of course, seeing as you get to assign the stats anyway in most 'roll for stats' tables, means you get cookie cutter PCs most times anyway.

The rest of it is all cons. Wildly unbalanced PCs, always at least one unhappy player (who rolled poorly) if not more, takes more time, and is just generally totally unecessary.

cookie cutter builds exist as there is no need for 2 or maybe 3 abilities for every character.

If we add min STR score for EVERY armor AND weapon, we would see much less STR 8 rogues/wizards/warlocks...etc...
Or if both STR and CON add to HP.

Maybe steal and modify saves idea from 4E.

FORT save: STR+CON
REF save: DEX+INT
WILL save: WIS+CHA

number of attuneable items: CON+CHA, min 1, max 5(or whatever number seems balanced)

AC: dex+int, with EVERY armor having max dex+int bonus, starting with +1(full-plate) to +X(what ever is needed for padded/spider silk/mithril or what not)

melee+thrown attacks: str+dex, str for damage normally, dex for damage on finesse.

range attacks: dex+int, dex for damage

spell attacks/DCs:
artificer: con+int
barbarian: con+wis
bard: int+cha
cleric: wis+cha
druid: int+wis
fighter: con+int
monk: dex+wis
paladin: wis+cha
ranger: int+wis
rogue: int+cha
sorcerer: con+cha
warlock: int+cha
wizard: int+wis

spells from race, feats, items: 2 scores from int, wis or cha

initiative: dex+int+wis

 

[Krachek]

I made a cleric once, and took point buy 15,15,15,8,8,8 and have crap dex, charisma and int.
it was a cool character.
on top of that I even take proficiency in persuasion!

 

[Flamestrike]

cookie cutter builds exist as there is no need for 2 or maybe 3 abilities for every character.

If we add min STR score for EVERY armor AND weapon, we would see much less STR 8 rogues/wizards/warlocks...etc...

I doubt it.
A better way to go is simply enforce Encumbrance for Strength.

Or if both STR and CON add to HP.

Maybe steal and modify saves idea from 4E.

FORT save: STR+CON
REF save: DEX+INT
WILL save: WIS+CHA

Or use the averages (round up).

Finesse/ Ranged weapons are (Str+Dex+Dex)/3
Normal/Thrown weapons are (Str+Str+Dex)/3
Spell attacks use (Spellcasting stat+Spellcasting stat+Dex)/3
FORT saves: (STR+CON+CON)/3
REF saves: (DEX+DEX+INT)/3
WILL saves: (WIS+WIS+CHA)/3

And similar for skills.

That way dumping stats has a price (without being totally crippling), and PCs are more rounded overall.