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

[Vaalingrade]

But for the game; it isn't required. No modifiers are for that matter but I do hope that, without going into exagerated hyperbole, D&D remains mostly a menu to order from rather than an open buffet.

I don't just want the buffet, I'm building one.

My deal is that while a class should be a package, it should be a direction for what you're good at, not a mold you are forced to fill. Fighters are good with weapons, rogues are skill monkeys, etc, but they shouldn't be 'niche protected' out of doing other stuff if they want to.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I do, however, object to the "a true role player doesn't care about stats" and the "use point buy if you only care about combat" that always seems to come up. I wouldn't want to play in a group where my PC had far better ability scores than everyone else any more than I want to play with ability scores significantly below.

Here, here!

This is a ridiculous attitude, that if followed to its natural conclusion, determines that D&D is one of the very few RPGs "not about combat", because the vast majority of other RPGs don't use rolled stats, and indeed tend to use some type of point buy! Obviously to the meanest intellect this should be a totally perverse conclusion, so we can say anyone who says that sort of thing is fundamentally full of nonsense in a very extreme way.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

We roll 4d6 and drop the lowest...at the start of the campaign; in front of me when I'm the DM. Then as the campaign carries on and a player decides to or needs to make a new PC I LMAO when they show up with 19, 17, 16, 16, 15, 15 and tell me honestly thats what they rolled. Bulls**t.

To be fair I once saw a player legit roll (with 4d6DtL) 18, 18, 18, 17, 17, 16 (not in that order). Thankfully the player was the wisest player/DM I know (my brother) and he suggested we just make that PC into an NPC.

Imagine how annoyed you'd be if you legit-rolled incredible stats "off screen" as it were, and then you knew no-one would ever believe you lol. I definitely suggest if you use rolling, it should be done in front of the DM for precisely that reason.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Point buy or standard array.

If a DM insisted on rolling, at this point I don't think I'd stick around for more than a one-shot with them. Unless they are really amazing in like every other way.

I generally agree though I think there are rolling methods which work out okay. Specifically the "everyone rolls an array, then anyone can use any array" combines the fun of rolling with actually being fair, and also means if everyone rolls terrible the players can probably convince the DM to let them re-roll the whole lot

 

[Minigiant]

We do all three FOR EACH PC.

Point buy 9 points
Roll 4d6d1 for 2 scores
Take a 13 and a 11

 

[Ruin Explorer]

We do all three FOR EACH PC.

Point buy 9 points
Roll 4d6d1 for 2 scores
Take a 13 and a 11

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

 

[JiffyPopTart]

But those are also the most "boring" ways.

We use 3d6 drop lowest +4.

It's as boring as picking a class or a skill instead of rolling one randomly.

 

[R_J_K75]

To be fair I once saw a player legit roll (with 4d6DtL) 18, 18, 18, 17, 17, 16 (not in that order). Thankfully the player was the wisest player/DM I know (my brother) and he suggested we just make that PC into an NPC.

Imagine how annoyed you'd be if you legit-rolled incredible stats "off screen" as it were, and then you knew no-one would ever believe you lol. I definitely suggest if you use rolling, it should be done in front of the DM for precisely that reason.

I don't doubt that it happens extremely rarely, I've seen it, It just seems to happen all too often when a player rolls up a character alone then brings them to the table. Its not worth arguing over and I just laugh it off.

Last campaign I ran I made them roll 3d6 in order and one player ended up with really good stats. Actually they all ended up with decent stats except for a few duds.

 

[DND_Reborn]

We roll 4d6, drop lowest OR point-buy, each player decides for themselves which they prefer.

However, we also have a few other rolling options, one of them is 3d10, take middle, plus 7, for a range of 8-15, avg. 12.5.

 

[Maxperson]

Point buy or standard array.

If a DM insisted on rolling, at this point I don't think I'd stick around for more than a one-shot with them. Unless they are really amazing in like every other way.

The reverse is true with me. Outside of online play, not rolling is a deal breaker.