D&D 5E Different Methods for Rolling Ability Scores (8-15 range)

  • Start with a 12 as your number in each attribute.
  • For each attribute, Roll a d6 and 3d12.
  • Discard all 1s and 2s and 3s.
  • For 4 to 6, Subtract 1 from your number.
  • For 7 to 12, above, add 1 to your number.
The d6 has a 50% chance to be nothing, and a 50% chance to reduce (net reduction: 66%). For each d12, there is a 25% chance of nothing, a 25% chance of reduction, and 50% chance of increase.

Chance of a 15? ~6%
Chance of a 14? ~16%
Chance of a 13? ~23%
Chance of a 12? ~24% (12 or greater? ~69%)
Chance of an 11? ~17%
Chance of a 10? ~10%
Chance of a 9? ~3%
Chance of an 8? ~1%.
It is convoluted enough I love it, but fails in the "simple" part honestly.

It probably just isn't feasible...
 

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Here's another method:

Roll two d8.
If the rolls are within 2 of each other, use the lower roll. (e.g. 1 and 3, 5 and 6, 4 and 4, etc., use lower (bold) roll)
If the rolls are 3 or more apart, use the higher roll. (e.g. 2 and 7, 4 and 1, 3 and 6, etc., use higher (bold) roll)
Add 7.

Range 8 - 15,
Average 12.22
Non-linear
No table
Is it simple enough?
 

One method I was rather surprisingly taken with was a deck of cards. I forget the actual distribution, but you deal out the whole deck into six piles, one for each ability. It ends up with different ability scores, but still balanced between characters.
 

One method I was rather surprisingly taken with was a deck of cards. I forget the actual distribution, but you deal out the whole deck into six piles, one for each ability. It ends up with different ability scores, but still balanced between characters.
Hmm... I remember something about people using decks before. If you recall more let me know!
 




Wonder what the probability is in using a VTT to roll 1d15, reroll 1-7.
It would be linear, since results of 1-7 never count you can basically ignore them. That leaves only 8-15, each with the same probability since it is a single die roll, and thus linear. The probability would be 0.125 for each result.

It is really the same as d8 + 7 if I am understanding your concept correctly.
 


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