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

[Guest 6801328]

Without disturbing any of the dice!

I'll bring popcorn...

It's a good visual, isn't it?

 

[5ekyu]

It's a good visual, isn't it?

Like Geek Twister, only clothed.

 

[Guest 6801328]

Like Geek Twister, only clothed.

Ok...unclothed geek twister is definitely NOT a good visual.

 

[DND_Reborn]

5d6 drop lowest and highest...

I've thought of trying this before, but the distribution curve is so close to 3d6 it really isn't much of a change IMO.

We use point buy, but if someone wants to roll it is d6 + d4 + 6 for a range of 8 to 16, which is close in range to your 3d4+4.

 

[clearstream]

I've thought of trying this before, but the distribution curve is so close to 3d6 it really isn't much of a change IMO.

We use point buy, but if someone wants to roll it is d6 + d4 + 6 for a range of 8 to 16, which is close in range to your 3d4+4.

I'd like the range to run as negative as positive, modifier-wise. So perhaps 2d6+3 works.

Cards are also a great idea. Thank you to those that suggested it. Does anyone know of an online tool for simulating bespoke decks?

 

[DND_Reborn]

Considering it sounds like you want them to roll in order and will have a medium range of ability scores (5 to 15) then I would also suggest you allow each player to roll 3 sets of stats and choose which of the three they want to use.

This way, if one or two sets are not that great, the third most likely has something good about it. Also if they have a concept in mind, hopefully one of the three sets will match it well enough.

Since they are experienced players, they will hopefully be okay with playing "ordinary people who do extraordinary things" because that is certainly the direction you are heading.

 

[clearstream]

Make a deck of 12 cards:
two 4's
two 5's
two 6's
three 7's
two 8's
one 9

You can remove the relative swinginess but get the same average by using “averaging dice” which are marked 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, or use the “averaging method” that Gygax gives for “general characters” in the 1E DMG, which is to roll 3d6 and count 1’s as 3’s, and 6’s as 4’s. This will produce an average result of 10.5 and a range of 6 to 15.

Given your goals, I think you should consider a card-based method. It retains some of the random feel of dice, while putting a pretty tight constraint on the overall goodness of the set of stats

The deck method:
Take eighteen cards from a poker deck, ace through six, that sum to whatever you want each character's ability scores to sum to. (I recommend something in the 70-75 range.) Shuffle these cards and deal them into six piles of three. Sum each pile. You now have a random sequence of six numbers between 3 and 18 that is guaranteed to have a specific sum. Pretty handy for a DM.

I use cards instead dices to randomly generate stats of the PCs.

Considering it sounds like you want them to roll in order and will have a medium range of ability scores (5 to 15) then I would also suggest you allow each player to roll 3 sets of stats and choose which of the three they want to use.

So a bit of spreadsheet-fu later, and I'm very much liking an 18-card deck drawing 3-cards per ability, allocate in order strictly as drawn. The range I like is close to that for points-buy (I'm using 6-15). I've found a slightly swingy mix feels very playable.

So the deck is - 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5. Once you generate a decent number of arrays, think about what class you would likely choose for each and pick race accordingly, and then reflect upon prospects for ASIs, it gives surprisingly malleable and feel-good outcomes.

A very warm thank you to those who suggested it, or fleshed out how it might operate.

 

[DND_Reborn]

So a bit of spreadsheet-fu later, and I'm very much liking an 18-card deck drawing 3-cards per ability, allocate in order strictly as drawn. The range I like is close to that for points-buy (I'm using 6-15). I've found a slightly swingy mix feels very playable.

So the deck is - 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5. Once you generate a decent number of arrays, think about what class you would likely choose for each and pick race accordingly, and then reflect upon prospects for ASIs, it gives surprisingly malleable and feel-good outcomes.

A very warm thank you to those who suggested it, or fleshed out how it might operate.

Cool! Can you give us a sample? Are the draw's made with replacement?

 

[clearstream]

Cool! Can you give us a sample? Are the draw's made with replacement?

As a deck, draws are made without replacement. The two examples attached are from a number of identical sheets, so that I experimented with... about 100 characters. The top row of characters uses the light-blue range, the middle row uses the mid-blue range, and the bottom row uses the dark-blue range. The Excel sheet uses a plug-in that shuffles contents of a range.

I was surprised to see a 15 (on the Forest Gnome Wizard) as a hypergeometric distribution made that look like a 1-2% chance. I've probably made some errors... the fidelity is good-enough for my purposes! One thing I felt particularly satisfied with is that with luck and focus a character could work towards a 20 stat... but they would have to make trade-offs to get it and I think it would feel genuinely exceptional. I also much prefer where the base range (6-15) falls against MM creatures (e.g. Giant strength scores!)

 

[DND_Reborn]

As a deck, draws are made without replacement. The two examples attached are from a number of identical sheets, so that I experimented with... about 100 characters. The top row of characters uses the light-blue range, the middle row uses the mid-blue range, and the bottom row uses the dark-blue range. The Excel sheet uses a plug-in that shuffles contents of a range.

I was surprised to see a 15 (on the Forest Gnome Wizard) as a hypergeometric distribution made that look like a 1-2% chance. I've probably made some errors... the fidelity is good-enough for my purposes! One thing I felt particularly satisfied with is that with luck and focus a character could work towards a 20 stat... but they would have to make trade-offs to get it and I think it would feel genuinely exceptional. I also much prefer where the base range (6-15) falls against MM creatures (e.g. Giant strength scores!)

Interesting. I'll write up a spreadsheet/macro to generate sets and see how they pan out. I'll attach it later and if you want to try it you can.