D&D 5E How does your group determine ability scores?

[Mannahnin]

That's wild. Do you get a lot of complaints when the subsequent rolls go south? I've seen players get really salty when it comes to hit points...

Nope. They might whine a little, but they functionally get to roll one level with advantage and a later level with disadvantage, so it's fair.

Except that the extra HP at the lower level represent a larger proportion of the whole, so are more important for survivability. So on average it's still to the player's advantage, even if it feels a little painful when (if, as this is assuming they survive long enough to level) the bargain comes due.

 

[Musing Mage]

Mine are higher level if they are solo BBEGs, for example. In my 1-20 campaign, the BBEG was a Wizard 18/ Warlock 2, but with a couple epic boons to represent that he was "above" level 20. Against a party of 6 level 20 PCs, it made for a heck of a fight!

Now, if any player went to level 20, playing a Wizard 18/ Warlock 2, and continued to adventure, earning some epic boons, they could have made the exact same PC as I made for the villain.

In pretty much any edition of D&D (at least the ones I've played regularly) I feel it's enemy parties comprised of PC classes that can be the most dangerous.

 

[DND_Reborn]

In pretty much any edition of D&D (at least the ones I've played regularly) I feel it's enemy parties comprised of PC classes that can be the most dangerous.

Oh yeah! No doubt! If I have more than a solo enemy NPC that I want a near-even fight, then I keep levels relatively even as well.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Enjoy the mathing.

I did. It didn't take long LOL.

So far (out of 4 campaigns) it has made characters that are strong in their main and secondary without being too strong who also have some weaknesses.

FWIW, your average array IF YOU USE THE HIGHEST AVAILABLE ROLLS is: 18, 16, 14, 12, 9, 7. Of course, you can pick and choose the numbers to get a better balance, such as 14, 14, 13, 13, 11, 11 would be about the most balanced with some better scores. You could also do an even more "balanced" 13, 13, 13, 13, 12, 12. So, compared to the balanced 13, 13, 13, 12, 12, 12 of point-buy, you are only 1 point higher (a 13 instead of a 12).

Regardless, you average score ends up being 12.667, so definitely better than the average of 4d6, drop lowest (12.24) or standard array (12). Your typical point-buy ranges from 12.25 to 12.5 IME.

I like the over all concept, and scores will be only slightly better on average, so maybe I'll add this to our list and try it with our next game.

 

[Faolyn]

My table insists on rolling. I use point buy when making characters for fun.

 

[Ancalagon]

I will, once again, bring up the redrick roller Redrick Roller

 

[Deset Gled]

In my current group, we have the option of either taking point buy, or rolling 4d6-d6. The minor catch is that if you choose to roll, you must take the result (no going back to point buy if you don't like the roll). I think just about every character has chosen to roll so far.

An important detail that I find is often glossed over is order and building characters as a group. We roll first, and then build characters as a team. This gives you a chance to change things around if someones original concept doesn't match up well with their rolls. For example, I once had an idea for a character based on a rogue that didn't require any super high stats, but required overall good stats (few in any negative mods). Instead, I rolled and ended up with one or two great stats but also a few really bad ones. Talking it through with the group and DM, I threw out the rogue idea and changed to a warlock.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

An important detail that I find is often glossed over is order and building characters as a group. We roll first, and then build characters as a team.

we sort of do this (minus the rolling) we throw concepts at each other and give each other ideas... but we normally start before session0 on group texts.

 

[DataDwarf]

Roll 2d6 to generate a base number. First, add 6 to the base number to get your first ability score. Second, subtract the base number from 19 to get your second ability score. Repeat this process two more times, until you have 6 ability scores. This will create a balanced, but random result.

Example: Rolling the base numbers of 2, 6, and 10, would produce ability scores of 8, 17, 12, 13, 16, and 9

 

[Minigiant]

I dunno if that's worst or best of all worlds lol, but that is definitely a thing you can do.

You don't want to know how we generate Luck and Sanity scores