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Point Buy vs Rolling for Stats
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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 7224280" data-attributes="member: 29398"><p>I have no sympathy for someone who can't handle needing high sometimes and low others.</p><p></p><p>Pleasant (though I hope rarely seen) side effect: puts a crimp in the style of anyone who brings "interesting" dice to the table.</p><p></p><p>Fractions. Roll under 3/4. Roll under half. Roll under whatever fraction. This keeps the low-high score separation in play (in ratio) but varies the difficulty.</p><p></p><p>As for undervaluing level: in many cases this is just fine as what's being rolled for should in theory have no link to level at all. A 1st-level PC and a 15th-level PC with the same stats should realistically face exactly the same difficulty balancing on a log to cross a raging river or trying to remember a piece of local historic minutae, for example.</p><p></p><p>True, though one could always just say a natural 20 always fails and have done with it.</p><p></p><p>What we did a very long time ago, to allow for Cavalier-like percentile increments to work with all stats and classes, was split out the 1e percentile strength increments into their own whole numbers....thus 18.41 became 19, 18.71 became 20, etc. until 18.00 became 24, with the old 19 becoming 25.</p><p></p><p>EDIT TO ADD: That said, roll-under strength checks don't come up very often as strength-based endeavours can often be handled by the "bend bars-lift gates" d% roll instead...where, perhaps fittingly, you also wanted to roll low. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>Isn't it just easier and simpler to say the lower you roll the better in these cases?</p><p></p><p>Lanefan</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 7224280, member: 29398"] I have no sympathy for someone who can't handle needing high sometimes and low others. Pleasant (though I hope rarely seen) side effect: puts a crimp in the style of anyone who brings "interesting" dice to the table. Fractions. Roll under 3/4. Roll under half. Roll under whatever fraction. This keeps the low-high score separation in play (in ratio) but varies the difficulty. As for undervaluing level: in many cases this is just fine as what's being rolled for should in theory have no link to level at all. A 1st-level PC and a 15th-level PC with the same stats should realistically face exactly the same difficulty balancing on a log to cross a raging river or trying to remember a piece of local historic minutae, for example. True, though one could always just say a natural 20 always fails and have done with it. What we did a very long time ago, to allow for Cavalier-like percentile increments to work with all stats and classes, was split out the 1e percentile strength increments into their own whole numbers....thus 18.41 became 19, 18.71 became 20, etc. until 18.00 became 24, with the old 19 becoming 25. EDIT TO ADD: That said, roll-under strength checks don't come up very often as strength-based endeavours can often be handled by the "bend bars-lift gates" d% roll instead...where, perhaps fittingly, you also wanted to roll low. :) Isn't it just easier and simpler to say the lower you roll the better in these cases? Lanefan [/QUOTE]
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