D&D General Changing Order of Character Creation, from 1e to 2024

[Quickleaf]

1e: It doesn't seem to particularly give a list (at least that I saw) and doesn't even say how to generate the ability scores. The order the things are discussed in are:

• Character Abilities (Ability Scores)
• Race
• Class
• Alignment
• Hit Points
• Languages
• Money
• Equipment
• Weapons

So, I've got you covered on 1e. The four ability score generation methods are listed in the DMG page 11. This is where "4d6, drop lowest, apply as desired" came from...

And actually, the first appearance of "pick class, then roll stats" was in 1e's Unearthed Arcana (1985) page 74...

 

[Cruentus]

So, I've got you covered on 1e. The four ability score generation methods are listed in the DMG page 11. This is where "4d6, drop lowest, apply as desired" came from...

View attachment 367935

And actually, the first appearance of "pick class, then roll stats" was in 1e's Unearthed Arcana (1985) page 74...

View attachment 367928

It is interesting to me that the Ad&d PHB does not list a character generation system (released June, 1978), but refers you to the four methods in the DMG (released 1979) and says the DM will tell you which method is being used in the game. Was there any guidance actually in the PHB for how to actually generate ability scores?

In thinking about it, older players would likely continue on with 3d6 down the line, like in B/X or an earlier system, but what about new players?

 

[Quickleaf]

It is interesting to me that the Ad&d PHB does not list a character generation system (released June, 1978), but refers you to the four methods in the DMG (released 1979) and says the DM will tell you which method is being used in the game. Was there any guidance actually in the PHB for how to actually generate ability scores?

In thinking about it, older players would likely continue on with 3d6 down the line, like in B/X or an earlier system, but what about new players?

AD&D and B/X are roots from the same tree that happened around the same time (1977+).

AD&D1e had a different philosophy than B/X. I think this paragraph from 1e PHB sums it up well:

 

[Remathilis]

AD&D and B/X are roots from the same tree that happened around the same time (1977+).

AD&D1e had a different philosophy than B/X. I think this paragraph from 1e PHB sums it up well:

View attachment 367966

Amazing when people discuss how AD&D could be played with characters with average ability scores often ignore how Gary himself said they should have two or more 15s to survive.

 

[bedir than]

I try to encourage my players to go through a concept I call narrative character creation, which emulates life path style games using a Q&A format.

Relating to this thread that's;
Abilities
Species
Background
Class

 

[Cadence]

I try to encourage my players to go through a concept I call narrative character creation, which emulates life path style games using a Q&A format.

Relating to this thread that's;
Abilities
Species
Background
Class

I want to say that it just feels odd to me that Species doesn't come before Abilities (although if Species has no impact on any of them, like later 5e vs. earlier editions, I guess it doesn't matter).

 

[SteveC]

I guess I'm a fan of the ABC method from Pathfinder2 (that's Ancestry, Background, and Class). But at the same time, this makes sense. You know the class you want to play, and make other decisions to get you there.

But I prefer the chronological method, I guess.

 

[Lanefan]

The divide comes down to one's preferred char-gen method.

If you're rolling stats (whether in-order or rearranged, doesn't matter) then obviously it'll be

1. Ability scores
2. Everything else, in sequences that will probably change with each new character and what your focus is at the time.

Why? Because while you might have an idea ahead of time as to what you want to play, there's no way of knowing if you can pull it off (or, in earlier editions, whether you've made the pre-req's) until you see what the dice give you to work with.

If you're using point-buy or array it'll more likely be

1a. Class
1b. Species
2. Ability scores
3. Everything else.

If background affects your initial ability scores then it becomes 1c in that list; and the 1x's can be in any order.

 

[Remathilis]

I guess I'm a fan of the ABC method from Pathfinder2 (that's Ancestry, Background, and Class). But at the same time, this makes sense. You know the class you want to play, and make other decisions to get you there.

But I prefer the chronological method, I guess.

I don't think I could ever go through the mindset of "hmmm, I am going to play an elf, and he's going to be a noble... What class should I be? Oh I guess I'll be a barbarian." Class means so much to play style and party composition it makes absolute sense to pick that first.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Back when you rolled stats in order, it didn’t make a lot of sense to choose a class first. Especially given that some classes had hard restrictions on minimum abilities.

If you have a character concept in mind, and you can use point buy or some other method to generate stats that fit your concept, it makes sense to choose class first. Or, at least, not do your stats first.

Sometimes, when I’m waffling on what to play, I just roll stats in order regardless of what the book says you should do first.