D&D 5E Point buy vs roll

[Lanefan]

Okay, go into a place of business and ask for a job. They advertise that it's $10.50 per hour. After you sign the papers, they ask you to roll 3d6. That's your wage. Are people working there on equal footing?

If I am (or all of us are) dumb enough to sign the papers before getting them to commit to a wage I/we deserve whatever I/we get.

That said, I don't in any way see it as being the same. To me it's more equivalent to: of the ten people working there for $10.50 an hour all doing the same job one or two just happen to be really good at it, one or two are hopeless, and the rest are average.

Or, of the twenty kids in gym class one or two can bench-press the coach, most can bench-press a modest weight, and a few can barely lift the bar by itself. It's called bell-curve randomness, and it's only realistic to have it at least somewhat apply to the characters just like it does in real life. Putting everyone in the average-to-above-average range in everything doesn't allow for extremes either way, nor does it allow for those people - and we all know 'em - who are simply always better (or always worse) than most people at just about everything they turn their hand to.

 

[Baron Opal II]

I agree, but the problem is usually one of jealousy, especially with people whit powergaming tendencies, even small ones, "it's not fair"...

I agree with that, but if it's a long campaign and you are unlucky at rolling, it can really suck for years.

You know, I see this concern a lot. The only time I ever regretted making a character or was jealous of the capabilities of other characters was in the 3.5e / PF1 era. I made a fun paladin / sorcerer. Another guy made a 2/3/1/2 Thumper/Rager/Something/Something and regularly did three times the damage I did in a round. I felt superfluous.

Attributes were irrelevant. That he might have had a +3 where I had a +1 made no real difference whatsoever. Now, I get that this is 5e that we're talking about, and attributes are far more important in this edition then before. Even so, once you get a few levels you just get some ASIs and boost your stats.

 

[Oofta]

It does it you keep dying and reincarnating until you roll a living wage.

Just ignore the pile of corpses you needed to stand on to bet there.

You didn't read the fine print? They just toss your corpse on the pile and every replacement has exactly the same wage.

 

[Oofta]

If I am (or all of us are) dumb enough to sign the papers before getting them to commit to a wage I/we deserve whatever I/we get.

So you want to know ahead of time what you're getting before you start? Cool. That's why I prefer point buy.

That said, I don't in any way see it as being the same. To me it's more equivalent to: of the ten people working there for $10.50 an hour all doing the same job one or two just happen to be really good at it, one or two are hopeless, and the rest are average.

Or, of the twenty kids in gym class one or two can bench-press the coach, most can bench-press a modest weight, and a few can barely lift the bar by itself. It's called bell-curve randomness, and it's only realistic to have it at least somewhat apply to the characters just like it does in real life. Putting everyone in the average-to-above-average range in everything doesn't allow for extremes either way, nor does it allow for those people - and we all know 'em - who are simply always better (or always worse) than most people at just about everything they turn their hand to.

For me, it's a game. I don't want to play "It tastes like burning" Ralphie while the person sitting next to me is playing Bond, James Bond who excels at absolutely everything. When I write up a PC I assume I'm going to play them for years.

 

[Nikosandros]

Edit: wrong thread

 

[Cadence]

For me, it's a game. I don't want to play "It tastes like burning" Ralphie while the person sitting next to me is playing Bond, James Bond who excels at absolutely everything. When I write up a PC I assume I'm going to play them for years.

I just find it refreshing how many people are so in to character and the game that they wouldn't care if another party member started with socks of +4 Dex, undershirt of +4 Str, underpants of +4 Con, headband of +4 Wis, wrist bands of +4 Int, and a ring of +4 Chr with the limitation they don't go over 18 without another ASI (or some other random set of plusses with total bonuses ranging from +12 to +24, no attunement needed) at 1st level while they themselves had rolled the same base stats and had no special items. It makes me feel selfish and wonder how I lost what pre-teen and young teenage me played with in games all the time.

 

[Oofta]

I just find it refreshing how many people are so in to character and the game that they wouldn't care if another party member started with socks of +4 Dex, undershirt of +4 Str, underpants of +4 Con, headband of +4 Wis, wrist bands of +4 Int, and a ring of +4 Chr with the limitation they don't go over 18 without another ASI (or some other random set of plusses with total bonuses ranging from +12 to +24, no attunement needed) at 1st level while they themselves had rolled the same base stats and had no special items. It makes me feel selfish and wonder how I lost what pre-teen and young teenage me played with in games all the time.

So I'm assuming that underpants of con is a custom item? I've heard of girding your loins, but underpants of con + 4 sounds pretty sweet!

 

[Cadence]

So I'm assuming that underpants of con is a custom item? I've heard of girding your loins, but underpants of con + 4 sounds pretty sweet!

Trying to think what wouldn't steal a slot from anything else. Should I make that a toe ring for CHR instead of regular ring?

 

[Vaalingrade]

Trying to think what wouldn't steal a slot from anything else. Should I make that a toe ring for CHR instead of regular ring?

Doesn't have to be toe exactly... >_>

 

[Cadence]

Doesn't have to be toe exactly... >_>

Ooh. Someone could where a whole bunch of ear rings, and some nose rings, and <redacted>.