D&D 5E Rolled character stats higher than point buy?

[Maxperson]

I don't see honesty as matter of edition so much as dishonesty being an inevitable side effect of rolling for stats. 3E and 4E players weren't so much more honest but instead were merely less likely to roll for stats.

4e maybe. I've never even seen a 3e game that didn't roll stats. Not one that I played in. Not one that was making characters at a game convention. I'm sure people did it, but it wasn't nearly as prevalent as 4e's arrays and point buys.

 

[Oofta]

It's more than 1% in my experience. Of the last 10 DMs I've played with, including me, 2 used roll dice straight down and play what you get. That's 20%.

Can you honestly say that if someone rolled a truly horrible character that they would not be allowed to reroll? Or that the character would not have died shortly after they started adventuring? Do you play in long term campaigns or campaign that last for a few sessions or months?

 

[Maxperson]

Can you honestly say that if someone rolled a truly horrible character that they would not be allowed to reroll?

With those two DMs, no. 3e RAW had a rule dealing with really bad stats, though.

Or that the character would not have died shortly after they started adventuring?

Death was a little more common, but not much.

Do you play in long term campaigns or campaign that last for a few sessions or months?

2 years is average.

 

[Oofta]

With those two DMs, no. 3e RAW had a rule dealing with really bad stats, though.



Death was a little more common, but not much.



2 years is average.

Thanks for the response.

I'm just going by what I've seen. Neither one of us has a very big sample size.

So for at least some of those games you had a rule for bad stats (RAW or not isn't really the point).

Another factor may be that I've found games/players mostly through organized play because of too much moving around. Most people that have used point buy either don't have a problem with it or prefer it based on my experience.

 

[thecasualoblivion]

On a side note, I participated in official organized play during the 2E era and that used point buy. It was a generous one, my character had a pair of 18s.

 

[Maxperson]

Thanks for the response.

Sure thing.

So for at least some of those games you had a rule for bad stats (RAW or not isn't really the point).

No. You misunderstood. For the two DMs who used stats rolls straight down, they didn't use the 3e RAW rule I mentioned. I was just tossing that out there as an FYI.

Another factor may be that I've found games/players mostly through organized play because of too much moving around. Most people that have used point buy either don't have a problem with it or prefer it based on my experience.

Ahh. I wouldn't touch organized play with a 10 foot pole. I want the DM to be able to go outside the rules when the situation warrants it.

 

[Maxperson]

Thanks for the response.

Sure thing.

So for at least some of those games you had a rule for bad stats (RAW or not isn't really the point).

No. You misunderstood. For the two DMs who used stats rolls straight down, they didn't use the 3e RAW rule I mentioned. I was just tossing that out there as an FYI.

Another factor may be that I've found games/players mostly through organized play because of too much moving around. Most people that have used point buy either don't have a problem with it or prefer it based on my experience.

Ahh. I wouldn't touch organized play with a 10 foot pole. I want the DM to be able to go outside the rules when the situation warrants it.

 

[Maxperson]

On a side note, I participated in official organized play during the 2E era and that used point buy. It was a generous one, my character had a pair of 18s.

That's not all that meaningful, though. Organized play is all about equality for the players, so it's unsurprising that most or all (I'm not sure if rolling is even allowed now) organized play involves arrays or point buy.

 

[thecasualoblivion]

That's not all that meaningful, though. Organized play is all about equality for the players, so it's unsurprising that most or all (I'm not sure if rolling is even allowed now) organized play involves arrays or point buy.

I mentioned it because it was unusual for the time.

 

[Maxperson]

I mentioned it because it was unusual for the time.

Okay. I didn't even know it was a thing back in 2e.