D&D 5E How do you avoid overshadowing while applying ability scores as rolled?

[clearstream]

This follows up my earlier thread. For my next campaign I want my players (who have high system mastery) to allocate their scores as rolled. I also want a lower range than in the PHB i.e. nearer 3d6 than 4d6k3.

People pointed out the undesirable possibility of overshadowing. Where a player with less lucky rolls is in the shadow of another's very lucky rolls.

How do you mitigate or avoid that?

[EDIT] I like the redrick roller mentioned in my previous thread, and want to consider also 3d4+4, or bounding rules like "must nett positive" or "must sum to 60" as others suggested.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Easy. I use point buy.

 

[Azzy]

Point-buy is the most common option to avoid that.

 

[clearstream]

Point-buy is the most common option to avoid that.

The issue there is that players then get to allocate stats, which is exactly what I want to avoid.

Someone suggested choosing the array at random... that could be a good option.

 

[Doug McCrae]

If you don't like one PC being overshadowed by another then random attribute generation seems an odd choice. It's almost always coupled with a blasé approach to PC balance.

Old school play typically mitigates the effects thru:
1) Multiple PCs per player.
2) Lots of hirelings and henchmen.
3) Frequent PC death.

A non-old school approach would be to target bennies, such as magic items, at the low stat PCs.

 

[S'mon]

People pointed out the undesirable possibility of overshadowing. Where a player with less lucky rolls is in the shadow of another's very lucky rolls.

How do you mitigate or avoid that?

I give everyone a free '15' to put wherever they want. In 5e D&D that means they can be sure of getting a +3 bonus in their prime attribute, same as with standard array & point buy, while very few people are going to roll a +4 or +5 starting attribute, especially if you use 3d6 rather than best 3 of 4d6.

IME the game depends not on everyone being the same overall, but on everyone having a similar bonus in their most-rolled stat - STR barbarians, DEX rogues, WIS clerics, INT wizards, CHA warlocks et al.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I give everyone a free '15' to put wherever they want.

It's not the poor rolls that break things though, it's the good ones. One character with a couple of 17s or 18s is Superman amongst a bunch of Jimmy Olsen's.

And it's amazing how often some players manage to roll a string of 17s and 18s when not observed, I blame Schrödinger's cat.

 

[S'mon]

It's not the poor rolls that break things though, it's the good ones. One character with a couple of 17s or 18s is Superman amongst a bunch of Jimmy Olsen's.

And it's amazing how often some players manage to roll a string of 17s and 18s when not observed, I blame Schrödinger's cat.

I do use the cunning GM tactic of observing all rolls! Or if player prefers, I'll roll for them away from the table, & send them their rolls.

I don't find that "one character with a couple of 17s or 18s is Superman amongst a bunch of Jimmy Olsen's" - that happens with roll-then-assign, I've never seen it with roll-in-order.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

That's the other thing: not all ability scores are equal. Roll badly for constitution, and you get a free red shirt. Roll well for Intelligence and the careers adviser has only one option open for you, but roll well in Charisma and you have lots of options.

 

[Yaarel]

People pointed out the undesirable possibility of overshadowing. Where a player with less lucky rolls is in the shadow of another's very lucky rolls.

How do you mitigate or avoid that?

The best way to get both randomness and balance is:

Decide an array that you find acceptable.

For example, you might be happy with:

• 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

Then roll randomly to determine which ability each number goes in:

• d6 to assign 14, d5 to assign 13, d4 to assign 12, d3 to assign 11, d2 to assign 10