I hope stat generation is addressed

[Treebore]

I have always hated the arbitrary way in which stats are generated. I hate point buys, I hate 3d6. I think the new rule should be players decide their stats, with DM approval.

If the player wants all 18's, let them. If the player wants a hodge podge, let them. High stats are easy enough to offset (higher monster HP's and AC's), so just let the players truly create the character they want. They are allowed to do this via feat selection and skill selection, so why not at the most fundamental part of building their character?

So if a player wants to play a "Conan" type they should, even with their stats.

Why should DM's be allowed to force players to have characters with stats the player doesn't like? The DM has plenty of control as it is. So why not give the player total control of their characters stats?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Whilst I can certainly sympathise with your position (no doubt some heads will explode as a result), I think stats are currently done in quite a "mutual" way in most D&D games.

Many people use point-buy - I sincerely hope this is the default in 4E, albeit with something more like 32+ points as compared to the 28-points or less model (also, I hope they find a way to not make us have to look up stats on a chart), and honestly, I think it's close enough to letting people "choose their own stats", and rarely irks anyone.

Random methods could be mentioned in the DMG as "alternative" methods of stat generation, as could your suggested method.

 

[Aloïsius]

Because all 18 is completely unrealistic.

Think about it : if 10 is the average, then even hollywood heroes are probably only 32 point buy.
Could you imagine Einstein with the muscle of Schwarzeneger, the charisma of Marylin Monroe, the wisdom of the Dalai Lama and the agility of a gymnastic olympic ? That's just silly.

 

[Wormwood]

Could you imagine Einstein with the muscle of Schwarzeneger, the charisma of Marylin Monroe, the wisdom of the Dalai Lama and the agility of a gymnastic olympic ? That's just silly.

Doc Savage would like a word with you.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Doc Savage would like a word with you.

Too true. Him and Batman. Possibly also Spiderman. Aloisius might also find it worth considering that D&D isn't "the real world", and there's no reason it's heroes should be constrained to such.

Aside from superheroes, there are certainly plenty of fantasy characters either in, or close to, the six eighteens range. Hell, Alias from the FR has six seventeens precisely, and she's actually non-offensive by FR standards! Most of the "best-selling" fantasy novels of the last decade or so have characters who are outrageously good at everything.

Of course the problem is that they are thus the focus of the book, and four people with equally ludicrous abilities might get a little dull... Which is why with D&D they try to encourage players to specialize. If the classes are strong enough, though, that shouldn't really matter...

 

[Treebore]

Too true. Him and Batman. Possibly also Spiderman. Aloisius might also find it worth considering that D&D isn't "the real world", and there's no reason it's heroes should be constrained to such.

Aside from superheroes, there are certainly plenty of fantasy characters either in, or close to, the six eighteens range. Hell, Alias from the FR has six seventeens precisely, and she's actually non-offensive by FR standards! Most of the "best-selling" fantasy novels of the last decade or so have characters who are outrageously good at everything.

Of course the problem is that they are thus the focus of the book, and four people with equally ludicrous abilities might get a little dull... Which is why with D&D they try to encourage players to specialize. If the classes are strong enough, though, that shouldn't really matter...

Nope. They don't get dull. All the players are happy too.

As it is, "give your PC whatever stats you want" is only one of the options I give them. I also offer 4d6, re-roll all 1's and 2's, so the lowest stat possible is a 9 and tends to give 15's and 16's as the "normal range". Definitely see at least one 18 most of the time. Watched one player roll a character with 4 18's one time.

Actually, with all the choices I offer, this method is the one the players choose most often. Still somewhat random, but add in they are allowed to roll up and choose from three sets of stats, they are always happy with what they play with. In fact, in 14 years of offering these methods only one player ever gave themselves their stats, and all 18's. That character was dead by 4th level. In 2E.

So given the choice, players haven't chosen all 18's, except that one time, and it was done just to see what it would be like.

So I think it is time for the rules to give control of the PC's to the player, finally including stats.

 

[Szatany]

I've chose that players should decide because I like point-buy. I don't want random generation (4d6 and all that).

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Poll doesn't have enough choices.

Stat rolling is a ridiculously easy house rule. *yawn*

 

[w_earle_wheeler]

I like the way it's done now. A standard ability score generation mechanic is presented in the PHB, and several optional ones are presented in the DMG.

Personally, I would like a 'potential' option. That is, if you roll high, you are closer to the top of your potential; if you roll low, you have more improvement to go. Characters with lower scores get more ability score points to spend as they level up. The cap of each "style" level (for 4e, this would be 10, 20, and 30) would have a max improvement cap.

Doc Savage would like a word with you.

Hehe.

 

[Howndawg]

When I play, I like control over my stats, and when I'm DM, I let the players have a degree of control. That's why I like point buy.

Frankly, I think characters with uber high stats are boring. Its fun playing characters with flaws. Its also fun if characters have different high stats and low stats. If the fighter has a 16 CHA it makes the bard's 18 CHA less special. Point buys allow a character to pick his own strengths and weaknesses.

Also as a player, I HATE playing under DM's who say roll stats in order, keep what you get, you can't rearrange them. There are classes I like to play, and classes I don't. It steals the fun from the game if I can't play what I want.

Howndawg