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<blockquote data-quote="Hriston" data-source="post: 7259860" data-attributes="member: 6787503"><p>Although this seems to be a popular misconception, it is nevertheless wrong, IMO. Read <u>D&D, Vol. I, Men & Magic</u>, p. 10, where 3d6 in order is first given as a method for generating the scores of <strong>player characters</strong>. Nowhere in that volume, or anywhere else in the annals of D&D, can I find it stated that the same method applies to non-classed NPCs. You seem to be extrapolating from the PC creation rules based on the assumption that they model the distribution of scores found in the larger population. I don't believe there's any evidence for your position.</p><p></p><p>In <u>The Dungeon Masters Guide</u>, p. 11, Gygax finally gives us a method to determine the scores of "general characters", those NPCs without a character class. It is as I described in my post up-thread: three 'averaging' dice are rolled producing a score in the range of 6-15. 3d6 is reserved for the non-primary abilities of "special characters", NPCs with a character class.</p><p></p><p>So as much as you might like for D&D to have one monolithic ability score generation method that describes the distribution of scores in the general population, the closest you'll get is the averaging method to describe the masses of humanity. 3d6, the highest 3 of 4d6, and other methods exist only to describe subsets of the population that are exceptional for their abilities that lie outside, both above and below, the norm as defined by the averaging method.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Hriston, post: 7259860, member: 6787503"] Although this seems to be a popular misconception, it is nevertheless wrong, IMO. Read [U]D&D, Vol. I, Men & Magic[/U], p. 10, where 3d6 in order is first given as a method for generating the scores of [B]player characters[/B]. Nowhere in that volume, or anywhere else in the annals of D&D, can I find it stated that the same method applies to non-classed NPCs. You seem to be extrapolating from the PC creation rules based on the assumption that they model the distribution of scores found in the larger population. I don't believe there's any evidence for your position. In [U]The Dungeon Masters Guide[/U], p. 11, Gygax finally gives us a method to determine the scores of "general characters", those NPCs without a character class. It is as I described in my post up-thread: three 'averaging' dice are rolled producing a score in the range of 6-15. 3d6 is reserved for the non-primary abilities of "special characters", NPCs with a character class. So as much as you might like for D&D to have one monolithic ability score generation method that describes the distribution of scores in the general population, the closest you'll get is the averaging method to describe the masses of humanity. 3d6, the highest 3 of 4d6, and other methods exist only to describe subsets of the population that are exceptional for their abilities that lie outside, both above and below, the norm as defined by the averaging method. [/QUOTE]
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