Have These Basic Questions been answered yet?

[Lanefan]

But hit points are granted as the result of earning XP. If those are random, why aren't all the other XP-related gains random as well?

The only hit points that don't come from XP are those that you start with at first level... which, ironically enough, are non-random.

I forgot that aspect of 3e; but I run 1e, so they're all random.

I'd like to randomize - to some extent - as much as I can. The only class group that's not at least somewhat randomized by level in my game is Thief. Everyone's randomized on hit points, and casters will be somewhat randomized on spell ability.

What can I say...I'm chaotic!

Lanefan

 

[Campbell]

Before I quit running 3e my character generation guidelines were as follows

• 28 Point Buy
• Max Wealth (if starting at first)
• HD beyond first grant 1/2 Max + 1 - It's slightly above average, but retains hit point difference between HD types.

I'm not really one for randomness in character generation, and I prefer to stick relatively close to established baselines.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I'd settle for point-buy abilities and non-random HP only in core just to stop the bitching of the folken who can't seem to realize that other people like to play the game differently, but aside from that I think that presenting all methods as equal is the best way to go. They're both valid playstyles, people! Live and let live, eh?

 

[perchy]

I'm hoping that rolling for HP and subpar stat point buy systems are a thing of the past.

so you'd up the base, meaning all the monsters are stated for harder PC's and meaning that for high powered games (such as the ones you play) you'd have to increase the stats AGAIN

think about it

 

[grimslade]

Before I quit running 3e my character generation guidelines were as follows

• 28 Point Buy
• Max Wealth (if starting at first)
• HD beyond first grant 1/2 Max + 1 - It's slightly above average, but retains hit point difference between HD types.

I'm not really one for randomness in character generation, and I prefer to stick relatively close to established baselines.

This is how I ran my home games. Mainly, because it jibed with Living Greyhawk's character creation guidelines and many of my players, well, all but one, played LG. MAD characters, especially monks, seemed a little tight at early levels but once Magic Items started appearing original stats lost primacy.

Fixed HPs were more for time saving than for any particular asthetic. We leveled on the fly with no training so quicker to level up the important stuff and move on to the next encounter.

I would love to see rolling contiinue to be an option for 4E but with buffers to prevent the 15 hp 6th level fighter a la Iron Heroes.

 

[Wormwood]

Before I quit running 3e my character generation guidelines were as follows

• 28 Point Buy
• Max Wealth (if starting at first)
• HD beyond first grant 1/2 Max + 1 - It's slightly above average, but retains hit point difference between HD types.

Looks like my rules as well, except I went for full HP/level.

Needless to say, I never was a fan of the random when it comes to character creation.

 

[Dragonblade]

so you'd up the base, meaning all the monsters are stated for harder PC's and meaning that for high powered games (such as the ones you play) you'd have to increase the stats AGAIN

think about it

I have thought about it and playtested it. I've been tinkering with rules since 1e days. When 3e first came out, I played the game as written and tossed my 2e house rules doc.

Over time, certain aspects of the 3e system left me unsatisfied. I tinkered with the rules and now use my current system. It works pretty well for my group.

When 4e comes out, I'll play the game as written for a few months and see what I like and don't like. If I need to change something later, I will.

 

[Moochava]

I wonder how 4E will handle different classes at different ability spreads. For example, in 3E, monks and paladins benefited even more than other classes from having good stats all around, while wizards could perform okay if all their non-Intelligence stats were mediocre. A 10/10/10/16/10/10 wizard is alright; a 16/10/10/10/10/10 or 10/10/10/10/10/16 paladin is one of Pelor's cruel jokes. I hope in 4E that all classes are dependent on their ability scores to a more equitable degree.

 

[sirwmholder]

...It might be time to find a new DM. I'm pretty good with accepting DM authority, but there are sometimes when you need to draw a line against bad DMing. If a DM tried to pull that in my group there would be a player revolt.

Seriously, when I hear stuff like that, it just reinforces why I think a certain amount of "DM proofing" the game is a VERY good idea.

We do roll for hitpoints however if you get less than half the die value then you instead get half. Paladin rolls a 3 on his d10 instead gets 5... makes for survivability without maxing out every level.

On a side note, I must be one of the luckiest DM's in history. If a player wanted to leave the game due to a bad die roll then I'd say good riddance... the other players would probably ridicule the offender for whinning. It's a game... sometimes things work out... sometimes they don't... either way it's not the DM's fault your dice turned up snake eyes. If you feel you can't game with someone who doesn't allow cheating ("rerolling") then I truly feel that you missing the point of a roleplaying game. The DM is there to make sure everyone follows the same rules... rerolling a bad HP is not in RAW.

William Holder