Do I want to die?

[billd91]

On the other hand, having really high stats in an uber campaign shouldn't significantly affect your enjoyment of the game or increase the similarity of characters. So you tend to make more skill DCs, so you tend to make the opposition fall quicker, so you have more skill points to spend... so what? If you can't make a character that's fun to play or reasonably unique in that environment, I doubt you can make one that's fun to play in a more stat-strict environment.
Everyone is saying that you don't need to have an 18 to be a hero. That may be true, but you don't need to have moderate stats to have a fun and interesting character either. The bonuses you get are just mechanics. You can make a character with any set of stats interesting by working out a good concept and developing it well.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

I don't see how high stats can be such a burden. Really, we barely recognize stats during the game. If you make your character interesting, whether he has a +4 or +0 modifier is inconsequential. There is just so much more to a good game that stats.

 

[D+1]

I have decided to design my OWN rolling system for my new character. The system is 3d6, 1's included, top to bottom, no swapsies. Only racial bonuses/negatives apply. The DM was happy with this.

Of course the DM is happy with this. He'd probably be positively ecstatic if the other players would follow your lead.

I have ended up with an elven ranger with s/d/c/i/w/c of 11/9/12/12/8/12.

My question is, what type of disease am I suffering from?

It's called Roleplaying. There is no cure. Once you contract it forever will it consume your destiny - as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice...

4d6, no 1's, minimum 2x16's or else you can re-reroll the whole set. When you get a 'take' (sometimes 15 sets later) you auto-raise your lowest stat in that set to an 18.

And when was the last permanent death in the campaign? When was the last TPK or even near-disaster? I'm willing to bet on the liklihood that there is no commensurate rise in challenge to the overwhelming stats. MINIMUM of two 16's and an 18? Ew. Even thinking about it is like... sitting down and eating a bowl of maximum-sugar frosting. Or maybe even just drinking glass after glass of sugar water.

Is this a craph stat-rolling method? Am I being too harsh in poo-pooing it? Am I 'character-suicicidal?

No problem with your reaction at all. IMO it's pretty craptastic.

c) accept that I am over bionic characters and have moved to some transcendent level of 'the struggle is the victory' type RPing, to my betterment.
d) given good cause to have my characters bronzed for posterity 'cause they're all gonna die.

Those two definitely. The problem is likely to be that playing comparatively pathetic characters is good for the soul - but once the soul is clean you just feel like a doormat unless people start to join you.

 

[Darkness]

The current roll-up method I have available to me, for all the other PC's in the party as well, is: 4d6, no 1's, minimum 2x16's or else you can re-reroll the whole set. When you get a 'take' (sometimes 15 sets later) you auto-raise your lowest stat in that set to an 18.

Is this a craph stat-rolling method? Am I being too harsh in poo-pooing it? Am I 'character-suicicidal?

Yes, it's not a good system. Also, having to roll up to 15 sets until you have your stats is a joke.

Really, why roll at all if it can take forever and is rigged so it can only lead to uber stats? Using point-buy would be much simpler and faster. You can even keep the stats this high if you really want - just hand out a lot of points (like, 70).

 

[IronWolf]

You have probably come to realize that a character can come to life a little more if he has some shortcomings to go with his higher skills and abilities. I find playing an "uber" character makes it more difficult for me to play, they feel too superhero-ish for me. Sure my character is supposed to be a hero, but a low score here or there helps me give some additional depth to him as opposed to all his scores being great. Of course not everyone feels the same as I do.

 

[Stone Angel]

Naah nothing wrong with you. If your groups stats were a pre req. for adventuring the world would have been thrown into darkness a long time ago.


The Seraph of Earth and Stone

 

[Kalanyr]

Eh, I fail to see the high stat hatred (I frequently run high stat games and I can usually manage to threaten the party), but the 15 rerolls thing would be bleah. In such a case a high point buy is probably better. However I certainly wouldn't complain if a player decided not to use all the stat points, if thats the style they/you like more power to you.

 

[reanjr]

3d6 in order is the only non-munchkin method to generate a character


Str
Int
Wis
Con
Dex
Cha

I'm inclined to agree with you there, but I do prefer assign as you see fit to in order. That way, you get to play the character you want. I suppose you could play a wizard with an Int of 9, but you'd be mighty ineffective.

 

[reanjr]

I don't see how high stats can be such a burden. Really, we barely recognize stats during the game. If you make your character interesting, whether he has a +4 or +0 modifier is inconsequential. There is just so much more to a good game that stats.

Then why are elves considered so graceful and attentive with tiny little +2 bonuses.

Why are halflings considered thrown weapon masters with only a +1.

IMO, a player should (and should be able to) look at their stats to get an idea of how to roleplay them. And vice versa, but that would never happen with any group I've ever seen. A player puts ranks in hide because he wants to be able to hide, not because his character has been doing a lot of sneaking around lately and has probably gotten better at it.

 

[Maldur]

This might be a silly Idea, but why not use the normal method as detailed in the PH?