D&D General Order of ability scores

[Morrus]

Does the order of ability scores affect their perceived importance (aside from their actual mechanical importance).

In other words, does a character sheet that lists:

Charisma
Intelligence
Dexterity
Wisdom
Constitution
Strength

subtly encourage a different type of character and/or game to:

Strength
Dexterity
Constitution
Intelligence
Wisdom
Charisma

 

[Lanefan]

Interesting question.

I've always used the 1e order Str-Int-Wis-Dex-Con-Cha* and have occasionally found myself wondering if the 3e-forward order puts more emphasis on the physical stats by moving up Dex and Con as it did.

* - and just for kicks I once named a gonzo character Strint Wisdex, but nobody got the joke.

 

[Nagol]

Since Strength is typically one of my lowest scores in almost every edition of D&D and it comes first, probably not.
D&D has already changed the order once ( from SIWDCCh to SDCIWCh) and I noticed exactly zero change in PC design.

 

[teitan]

On a psychological level for sure. So many other games will order their equivalent to ability scores that allow for an easier perception for playing certain types of characters because of this. I could see a Paladin character sheet for example listing Strength then Charisma, Wisdom, Constitution, Dexterity and then Intelligence to help teach new players how to build their character more effectively. The standard layout of the array in D&D has changed too if you look at character sheets from previous editions. 1e it was STR, INT, WIS, CON, DEX then CHA. It implies a very different type of game from later editions where we got the now standard layout on the character sheets. B/X & BECMI followed the same order as AD&D. The AD&D and BECMI order seems to emphasize the important OD&D character classes ability scores and then providing less & less importance in the secondary tier of ability scores.

Now I want to play a classic 1e or BECMI game....

 

[atanakar]

Nope. My players have always chosen character class before anything else (since 1980). Order of stats has no incidence on that choice.

 

[DND_Reborn]

No.

 

[cbwjm]

I don't think it encourages anything different. The order of the scores in BECMI have already been stated but regardless of order, you'd still build to type by rearranging your scores so that a fighter or dwarf emphasised strength and constitution over intelligence and wisdom because they were more useful to hit and absorb hits.

Personally, I prefer the current order of stats just because it puts all 3 physical stats together followed by the mental stats, not because I think that the the physical stats have some sort of importance above and beyond the mental stats.

 

[teitan]

I don't think it encourages anything different. The order of the scores in BECMI have already been stated but regardless of order, you'd still build to type by rearranging your scores so that a fighter or dwarf emphasised strength and constitution over intelligence and wisdom because they were more useful to hit and absorb hits.

Personally, I prefer the current order of stats just because it puts all 3 physical stats together followed by the mental stats, not because I think that the the physical stats have some sort of importance above and beyond the mental stats.

Yeah it was an interesting change when it happened because before it seemed they were haphazard (I only now get they were ordered by the classes in OD&D) and then when they were lumped by physical and mental it made things seem easier to understand. It was also similar to what other RPGs were doing at that time with a good example being DC Heroes where it was grouped as Physical stats, Mental stats and Psyche stats.

 

[teitan]

Interesting question.

I've always used the 1e order Str-Int-Wis-Dex-Con-Cha* and have occasionally found myself wondering if the 3e-forward order puts more emphasis on the physical stats by moving up Dex and Con as it did.

* - and just for kicks I once named a gonzo character Strint Wisdex, but nobody got the joke.

Well the 3e order started in AD&D 2e.

 

[teitan]

Since Strength is typically one of my lowest scores in almost every edition of D&D and it comes first, probably not.
D&D has already changed the order once ( from SIWDCCh to SDCIWCh) and I noticed exactly zero change in PC design.

I think it has a greater impact on the game when it is 3d6 in order when creating characters.