D&D 5E Feats and Weapons

[Sword of Spirit]

Well then this DM is house ruling how to roll for stats. vis a vis:

PHB pg 13 Determining Ability Scores,
'You generate your character's six ability scores randomly. Roll four 6-sided dice and record the total of the highest three dice on a piece o f scratch paper. Do this five more times, so that you have six numbers. If you want to save time or don’t like the idea of randomly determining ability scores, you can use the following scores instead: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.​

The above is the given method as per RAW, i.e., canon, Point Buy is an optional variant which the DM may also allow. in either case a DM who opts for the Point Buy system , should still allow players to roll or use the suggested array instead.

It's unfortunate that any DM would micromanage this point, or that other players would interfere with how a person is to roll up.

I completely disagree. This is one of the core things that the AL mandates be used exclusively, and there are good reasons for it. Random stat generation sets a completely different tone for the characters, and potentially the game. Maybe that's what you are going for, but maybe it's not what the rest of the group wants. Maybe you haven't decided and you'll just let people choose what they do and then go from there.

As a personal anecdote, when I ran Lost Mine of Phandelver, I allowed each player to roll stats and then decide to either keep them or use point buy. That guaranteed no one got shafted, but allowed for those interesting variations you can get from random rolls. Unfortunately for me as the poor DM, the players rolled really well, and I had 6 players in the group. This made the adventure too easy. Not wanting to jump through hoops to make your campaign more difficult is pretty good reason in my book to require point buy (and limit the number of players).

 

[Shiroiken]

Well then this DM is house ruling how to roll for stats. vis a vis:

PHB pg 13 Determining Ability Scores,
'You generate your character's six ability scores randomly. Roll four 6-sided dice and record the total of the highest three dice on a piece o f scratch paper. Do this five more times, so that you have six numbers. If you want to save time or don’t like the idea of randomly determining ability scores, you can use the following scores instead: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.​

The above is the given method as per RAW, i.e., canon, Point Buy is an optional variant which the DM may also allow. in either case a DM who opts for the Point Buy system , should still allow players to roll or use the suggested array instead.

It's unfortunate that any DM would micromanage this point, or that other players would interfere with how a person is to roll up.

DMG pg 4
"The D&D rules help you and the other players have a good time, but the rules aren't in charge. You're the DM, and you are in charge of the game."

5E has moved away from the concept of RAW. The Rules, Sage Advice, and the Errata are only suggestions. The closest is RAI (rules as intended), which is just what the designers were thinking. There is no "canon" in 5E, as it has returned to its OD&D roots. In fact, they planned (but never delivered) a way for everyone to share their own optional rules, because 5E is MEANT to be modified by individual DMs.

TBH, I'm curious why you consider this micromanagement. This is no different than saying "no clerics" or "only humans." It's simply the parameters the DM has set for the game.

 

[Radaceus]

DMG pg 4
"The D&D rules help you and the other players have a good time, but the rules aren't in charge. You're the DM, and you are in charge of the game."

5E has moved away from the concept of RAW. The Rules, Sage Advice, and the Errata are only suggestions. The closest is RAI (rules as intended), which is just what the designers were thinking. There is no "canon" in 5E, as it has returned to its OD&D roots. In fact, they planned (but never delivered) a way for everyone to share their own optional rules, because 5E is MEANT to be modified by individual DMs.

TBH, I'm curious why you consider this micromanagement. This is no different than saying "no clerics" or "only humans." It's simply the parameters the DM has set for the game.

It's a house rule, thus micromanagement. the same with your examples, of 'no clerics' or 'only humans', and yes it is within the DM's rights.

I dont disagree with any of the points about random stats. But as soon as you start stepping away from the RAW, you are house ruling, albeit via optional and variants. Not that there is anything wrong with that,

Personally, I allow any of the three options for roll up. And if a player randomly rolls unplayable stats, I intervene by the giving them the array.

I have, we have, as players and DMs of over 30 years never had an issue with rolling up characters and playing them. Point buy and stat array are a new concept to us, and we actually prefer to roll the 4d6. An extra + on someones stats has never been a game changer for us.

So yes, to each their own

 

[Radaceus]

I completely disagree. This is one of the core things that the AL mandates be used exclusively, and there are good reasons for it. Random stat generation sets a completely different tone for the characters, and potentially the game. Maybe that's what you are going for, but maybe it's not what the rest of the group wants. Maybe you haven't decided and you'll just let people choose what they do and then go from there.

As a personal anecdote, when I ran Lost Mine of Phandelver, I allowed each player to roll stats and then decide to either keep them or use point buy. That guaranteed no one got shafted, but allowed for those interesting variations you can get from random rolls. Unfortunately for me as the poor DM, the players rolled really well, and I had 6 players in the group. This made the adventure too easy. Not wanting to jump through hoops to make your campaign more difficult is pretty good reason in my book to require point buy (and limit the number of players).

I dont play AL, never have. Looked into it and have sat and watched on occasion. I doubt I could ever get into playing with randoms on that level, but I am fortunate enough to have played with the same people since the 80s, with a few new additions and even a few second generations. But I digress, I do see how AL and any open or tournament style play must require a set parameter to stats, especially with revolving DMs.