D&D General Math Question re: 3d6 vs. 4d6 drop one

[the Jester]

Point buy.

Well, point buy doesn't use either 3d6 or 4d6, so while it's a fine method of character generation if that's what you're after, it doesn't answer the question or offer anything helpful here. And while point buy will get you perfectly balanced characters every time, allowing for maximum control over your stat array, that is very much not something on offer in my game. In my game, dice, and the randomness they offer, are a large part of the experience.

A huge part of D&D for me is rolling the dice. I will never embrace a "players roll all the dice" system, not because they're bad- they're not- but because I like to roll dice too.

 

[GreyLord]

Not sure on the math, but one of my favorite methods from an older edition was to roll 3d6 12 times and choose the 6 best scores.

It seemed to reasonably give decent enough scores compared to the 4d6 drop the lowest method.

 

[Seramus]

How does 2d6+6 pan out?

 

[Horwath]

How does 2d6+6 pan out?

average is 13. higher than 4d6D1. also remove any chance of very bad rolls.

9d2 drop 2 +1 gives 8-15 range with average of 12.5

 

[le Redoutable]

One way to balance it might be to offer the 3d6 people three of the following (or all 4 if the six abilities are played in order!):
1. free feat.
2.+3/+2/+1 instead of +2/+1.
3. any stat <8 after adjustments can become 10
4. uncommon magic item of choice

That's off the top of my head, but it might make it a real choice between methods then, because it gives things 4d6dL doesn't.

yess!!
( furthermore I would gladly add some stuff relative to equipment ( a stat that , when you'e proficient in, would provide you some tools/items ( a mix of Luck and Appraisal ) )

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

I am, and I think that a player who willingly chose the 3d6 would be the type who would enjoy playing multiple low stats.

Hoo boy. So let's talk about why I'm trying to come up with something- it's to accommodate players who really want those starting ASIs to be floating instead of tied to race. I know that this is controversial and I don't want to side track the thread with a big discussion about it, but in short, I don't like disconnecting ASIs from race. I'm trying to find a path where I can include both a floating +2/+1 and a fixed +2/+1, or several such sets of bonuses, and have it balance with 4d6 drop 1.

I am just now realizing that the players who I want to accommodate are probably the least likely to enjoy playing a pc with multiple low stats. Huh.



Yeah, the bonus is going to be the additional stat bumps and the added ability to customize your starting array that they offer. Now I'm wondering if I need to rethink this entirely.

So, one of the easiest ways to generate stats without causing a math headache is deciding what power you want the PCs before racial and random bonuses.

+3 total bonuses for a weaker campaign
+5 total bonuses for medium
+7 for a stronger campaign
(normally 3-5/6-7/8-9 but since you're still adding bonuses, you have to reduce it slightly. 27 point buy is around +6 or 7)

Then let the players CHOOSE their stats

The rules are as follows. Simply:

• 3 even stats
• 3 odd stats
• No stat higher than 18 (you can drop this if you don't want PCs starting with 20s)
• No stat lower than 5
• Total bonuses must be less or equal to your campaign limit

Not as fun as rolling. But everyone is happy with their stats.

Edit: Just read this

Well, point buy doesn't use either 3d6 or 4d6, so while it's a fine method of character generation if that's what you're after, it doesn't answer the question or offer anything helpful here. And while point buy will get you perfectly balanced characters every time, allowing for maximum control over your stat array, that is very much not something on offer in my game. In my game, dice, and the randomness they offer, are a large part of the experience.

A huge part of D&D for me is rolling the dice. I will never embrace a "players roll all the dice" system, not because they're bad- they're not- but because I like to roll dice too.

So just ignore my suggestion

 

[the Jester]

How does 2d6+6 pan out?

I am not open to any form of stat generation that precludes low stats.

 

[GMMichael]

Can anyone help me figure out how to balance these two options?

Don't. It will tell you who the math nerd/optimizers in the group are.

 

[fba827]

While overly complicating it how about …

1- 5d6 drop two lowest
2 - 4d6 drop lowest
3 - 3d6
Then Arrange the six as desired

thus six stats with one likely to be higher, two likely to be above average, and 3 that are likely to be average

(If it wanting to keep terminology in terms of 3d6; call them all 3d6 rolls but for one of them you can reroll any two dice, two of them you can reroll one die each.)

 

[CleverNickName]

Another option:
Use the 3d6 method for stats, and apply that +2/+1 modifier to stats at 1st level that you were talking about. Then, every 4 levels, allow the player the choice of a +2/+1 ASI to two stats, or a +2 ASI and a feat.