re-rolling 1's

[Quartz]

Stats: use a number line. HP: Max HP for levels 1 and 2, average HP thereafter (round up at odd levels, round down at even levels). A non-epic character may use a Wish to increase the HP of their current level to maximum. (A Wish, being a non-epic spell, cannot effect a permanent change in something epic).

 

[Anticitizen One]

In the game I play in, we use point buy for attributes (32 pts) and 75% of max hit points.

I think what it comes down to is that it is not fun to have your character be permanently crippled because you rolled poorly for hit points. If you are playing a fighter or warrior type and you roll 1 and 2s on your hit dice, the character is not going to be able to survive long, regardless of what choices you made when creating the character.

Rerolling 1s isn't a bad way to go, but I prefer to entirely remove luck from character creation, so only the player's choices matter.

 

[Storyteller01]

Roll 4d6, re-roll 1's (and reroll those that roll 1's again). take the best three.

Average stat is 13 with one or two stats at 16 or higher. Anyone with exceptionally high stats has a template or race bumping things.

 

[Wraith-Hunter]

4d6 rerolling 1s and 2s DM likes heros not farmers with swords. Also reroll 1's on HP

When I DM I did a fairly generous point buy and for HP did 1/2 of the die with +1 every odd level, just so everyone was on the same playing field. I tend to roll really bad for important things and really good for stupid things so I prefer the non dice method.

Played with too many people who rolled exceptional characters (always did it right there so you know they weren't cheating) and I rolled sucky. Not fun.

But was fun was replacing the DM's d6's with loaded dice that roll 1's for his fireball damage Game was on April 1st....

 

[thalmin]

We use non-standard pint-buy for creation. HP may be re-rolled, but with next smaller die size. Take the last roll.

 

[the Jester]

No way! If you reroll ones, how will anyone ever have a score of 3 in anything??

Both as a player and as a dm, some of my favorite characters have been the ones with really low stats. I played a cha 3 doppelganger (2ed days) who was a barrel of fun, for instance.

 

[ivocaliban]

Roll 4d6 seven times, drop one (usually the lowest), assign the abilities as you see fit.

With the extra die and one dropping one score entirely, re-rolls seem a bit much. The most I've ever allowed is a single re-roll of a "1" during character creation. So, if the first roll results in 1, 1, 6, 6, the player can choose to re-roll a single "1." If the second roll was 1, 1, 2, 2 then they're stuck with 5. Of course, they were still allowed seven rolls and could drop one. If I was going to allow re-rolls on all "1"s, then I'd only give the player's six rolls during character creation.

I've never allowed re-rolls on hit points. If I did it would be re-roll "1"s, but you must accept the re-roll, even if it's another "1."

 

[Lord Rasputin]

Point buy. Half hit die hit points a level. In fact, rolled hit points is one of the dumbest artifacts of the system. Fixed hit points, folks.

The idea of 2d6+6 for stats floated earlier is one I've had for awhile, were I to espouse rolling again. It gives the range point buy does through rolling without the chance of a really crappy roll.

 

[Steel_Wind]

My current DM allows re-rolling of hit points. The rule is that you can request a re-roll no matter what the number comes up, but you have to accept whatever the re-roll is. It reduces the chance of a 1, but it's still possible. I usually re-roll if I get anything less than half.

I got the following rule off of someone here on ENWorld for hit point rolling.

A player can accept their hit point roll or choose to take mine. (I roll in secret - they don't know what mine is.)

If they choose to take what I rolled - they are stuck with it.

The system works very well.

 

[Aus_Snow]

As long as DMs are clear about what they will and won't do/allow from the outset, I'm fine with any ol' house rules (just about).

Me personally, I don't allow rerolls of anything. I *have* arranged my house rules so that they're not 'necessary', mind you. So, in a way, I can see why quite a few people do use them.