How bad is an 8 in an ability score?

[Utrecht]

80% of 3d6 rolls are in the 9-12 range? That doesn't seem right.

You are right - I was the one that suggested that the standard deviation was about 2 - when actuality it is closer to 3 (about 2.9)

Further, the percentage of people how represent the 8-12 range = 60% of the overall population - or 125 rolls out of 216 possible

This means that 20% of the population is "worse" off in that stat than those with an 8 - and by the converse, 20% are better than those with a 12.

Thus, I feel that my original comments of an 8 are slightly overstated - but as was mentioned by Al, they are the ones filling the service level jobs - they get by quite well in society, but it is no picnick either.

 

[Ratenef]

And lets not forget that Forgotten Realms uses (optionally) the idea of 5d6 drop the two lowest.

For you math guru's out there, what is the average of this style or rolling and therefore how bad is an 8 in the Forgotten Realms.

c-yah

 

[Qlippoth]

4d6 drop lowest generates a mean of 11.5 vice the 10.5 for 3d6, so certainly that's part of it.

Actually, the mean for the "4d6, drop lowest" method is about 12.2446.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I find that applying real-world levels of ability to game statistic numbers is often inaccurate and kind of ridiculous. To answer the original question:

"An 8 is slightly worse than a 9 and slightly better than a 7."

I kind of agree, at least for certain stats. All the mental stats are really hard to define. Int, I frequently see language skills as some mystic sign of INT, but I know a lot of people with absurd intelligence who suck at language, how about logical reasoning, or math skills.

Wsidom and charisma are a similar jumble of descriptions.

about the best you can do is use terms like smart, dumb, slow, frickin brilliant, but really its easier to compare it to the stats already in the game, a good deal smarter than your character.

 

[megamania]

Str 18 - Mighty
Dex 8 - a little Clumsy
Con 12 - Sturdy
Int 10 - Average
Wis 6 - Melrose Place
Cha 14 - Forceful Personality

"Melrose Place" LOL


But yes, 8 is just were you are not quite average. No biggie.

 

[Ratenef]

After many many hours infront of an excel spreadsheet (entering all the combinations of 5d6 and then subtracting the two lowest)
I have answered my own question.

3d6 method -- 10.5 avg.

4d6 drop the lowest method -- 12.26 avg.

5d6 drop the lowest two method -- 13.43 avg.

Which makes the average character in FR have almost 3 points higher per stat!!!!!

Wow, guess thats what you need to deal with high magic.

If anyone wants my spreadsheet of this, send me an email ratenef@hotmail.com and I'll send it to yah.

Thanks,

 

[LazarusLong42]

As someone noted above, for pure 3d6 the mean is 10.5 and the SD is 2.965 or so. So, percentiles for each score:

[color=silver]3	0.57
4	1.42
5	3.18
6	6.45
7	11.89
8	19.96
9	30.65
10	43.30
11	56.70
12	69.35
13	80.04
14	88.11
15	93.55
16	96.82
17	98.58
18	99.43[/color]

Make of them what you will

 

[Endur]

8's are fine

I think 8's are fine. For instance, most people who aren't physically active are going to have a strength of 8 or less. A strength of 8 means you can lift up to 160 lbs. and stagger around with it.

That sounds fine for somebody who isn't physically active.

Str 6 means you can lift up to 120 lbs and stagger around with it.

Str 4 means you can lift up to 80 lbs and stagger around with it.

Str 3 means you can lift up to 60 lbs and stagger around with it.

Granted, str 3 is weak. But even someone who is str 3 is going to be able to function in society.

Given that fact, I think that someone who has a 3 in any stat is going to be functional, albeit disadvantaged.