Rolling characters...what's your favorite method?
- Thread starter Munin
- Start date
Storminator
First Post
I like rolling dice, but I hate sticking players with awful PCs. I also hate rerolling until you get an "acceptable" PC.
So my new method is to set a point buy floor.
1) 24 +1d8 point buy
2) roll 4d6, drop low, arrange to taste.
If PC from step 2 sucks, use the variable point buy from step 1.
Seems to give me everything I want. So far less than half have needed the point buy.
PS
So my new method is to set a point buy floor.
1) 24 +1d8 point buy
2) roll 4d6, drop low, arrange to taste.
If PC from step 2 sucks, use the variable point buy from step 1.
Seems to give me everything I want. So far less than half have needed the point buy.
PS
Last edited:
Neo
Explorer
For many many years my group used to use the 4d6 six times ignore the lowest dice method.
However players invariably proved unreliable and had to be watched like a hawk to prevent cheating (not the malaicious sort, but the I don't want to play a poor character kind). Inevitably we used to end up with every character having "supposedly" rolled on 18 and two 16's etc... and I as a GM totally hated that method, noone wanting to play the average character....
So I switched to the basic 3d6 method rolled six times and you get what you get and thats it beyond racial modifiers... and this provided to be far more reliable, though the players griped and groaned about thier characters being rubbish....
Also with both the above methods you also can have characters that can vary hugely.... and random rolls can totally ruin concept, i.e you want to play a ranger what if you don't get any stats at levels that work with that ideal... in second ed you also had stat requirements to enter a class...and with random rolls that used to be a problem too....
When 3e came out I approached the points buy method with reluctance...however my opinion changed completely when I used it. why, well simply put every character is on an even par.. they have the ultimate control on which stat is what upto the points limit given, it makes life easier for the GM, and provides the players what they want.
This is not however to say the points buy method cannot be abused.. I can't even begin to count the number of GM's who use the 40 or 45 point allotment per character and totally fool themselves into thinking they are playing a balanced campaign.... as it isn't, not even close its a high powered campaign and then some. Me 25 points I preferred, though I did allow my group to talk me up to 28 points but thats all they get and that works fine, the balance is right, the characters are right...and all is well in the world
)
Note to self..must breath more
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssp!
Ah thats better
However players invariably proved unreliable and had to be watched like a hawk to prevent cheating (not the malaicious sort, but the I don't want to play a poor character kind). Inevitably we used to end up with every character having "supposedly" rolled on 18 and two 16's etc... and I as a GM totally hated that method, noone wanting to play the average character....
So I switched to the basic 3d6 method rolled six times and you get what you get and thats it beyond racial modifiers... and this provided to be far more reliable, though the players griped and groaned about thier characters being rubbish....
Also with both the above methods you also can have characters that can vary hugely.... and random rolls can totally ruin concept, i.e you want to play a ranger what if you don't get any stats at levels that work with that ideal... in second ed you also had stat requirements to enter a class...and with random rolls that used to be a problem too....
When 3e came out I approached the points buy method with reluctance...however my opinion changed completely when I used it. why, well simply put every character is on an even par.. they have the ultimate control on which stat is what upto the points limit given, it makes life easier for the GM, and provides the players what they want.
This is not however to say the points buy method cannot be abused.. I can't even begin to count the number of GM's who use the 40 or 45 point allotment per character and totally fool themselves into thinking they are playing a balanced campaign.... as it isn't, not even close its a high powered campaign and then some. Me 25 points I preferred, though I did allow my group to talk me up to 28 points but thats all they get and that works fine, the balance is right, the characters are right...and all is well in the world
)Note to self..must breath more
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssp!
Ah thats better
The last game I ran with rolled stats, I did 4d6 drop lowest. I witnessed everyone's stats, As we played I noticed that some characters were clearly dominating over others, They were just better. But I accounted for this with the fact that I had experienced players and newbies. Later I went to input these characters into PCGen so I could keep track of them. I had point buy mode turned on so it kept count, The characters ranged from 23 points, to 36. The ones above 30 were the ones that had been much better than the others. I decided right then I'll never run another game with rolled stats. There is far too slim of a chance of it turning out fair, and far better chance of it turning out very bad.
So I typically do 28 point buy but I have done others.
So I typically do 28 point buy but I have done others.
Magius del Cotto
First Post
1) 4d6, drop lowest, reroll 1s and 2s (most common method for my current group)
2) Card Draw (draw a card, add 5, Aces give an additional +1 free assign, Jokers +2 free assign)
3) 3d6, reroll 1s and 2s.
4) as 1 and 3 above, but only reroll two 1s.
5) 24d6 "pool". Works like the stat pool method, but with no minimum.
Those are all the creative methods I can think of right off the bat. Remember, these tend to create rather powerful characters, so you'll have to compensate somehow. Possibly with a low-magic setting, or with powerful (but equal CR) monsters (like those in Rokugan or Ravenloft). Just keep that in mind when you consider these.
2) Card Draw (draw a card, add 5, Aces give an additional +1 free assign, Jokers +2 free assign)
3) 3d6, reroll 1s and 2s.
4) as 1 and 3 above, but only reroll two 1s.
5) 24d6 "pool". Works like the stat pool method, but with no minimum.
Those are all the creative methods I can think of right off the bat. Remember, these tend to create rather powerful characters, so you'll have to compensate somehow. Possibly with a low-magic setting, or with powerful (but equal CR) monsters (like those in Rokugan or Ravenloft). Just keep that in mind when you consider these.
Here is the hybrid roll n' buy system created by myself with modifications based on input from nsruf
--------------------------------------------
1. Roll 3d6 for each stat in order and take all scores where they fall.
2. Swap a single pair of ability scores.
3. Calculate your point total as if you had created this character with the standard point buy rules.
4. Consult your DM regarding the baseline for the campaign (25 point, 28 point, 32 point, etc.).*
5. If your character as rolled has a total point value greater than the baseline amount, congratulations! You get 4 additional points to spend at will as per the point buy rules.
6. If your character as rolled has a point total less than the baseline amount, subtract your total from the baseline. You may spend the greater of 4 or this value at will as per the point buy rules.
* When determining this baseline, DM's should consider that it is quite possible for a character to end up with a character 4 or more points higher than this value. This is not a hard upper limit as it is under standard point buy rules, nor is it a minimum.
score - point cost
8 (or less) - 0*
9 - 1
10 - 2
11 - 3
12 - 4
13 - 5
14 - 6
15 - 8
16 - 10
17 - 13
18 – 16
* It costs 1 point per ability point to raise an ability score below 8
-----------------------------------------------
What you end up with is a character that can be customized to fit whatever class/type of character you want to play, but with less predictability in the distribution of scores than results from standard point buy. So you just might end up with a wizard with a 15 charisma, which you would almost never really see with point buy, and the wizard will still have a nice intelligence.
Additionally, all characters will be of roughly similar caliber, so you don't need to worry about widely divergence score sets like you get with standard rolling.
--------------------------------------------
1. Roll 3d6 for each stat in order and take all scores where they fall.
2. Swap a single pair of ability scores.
3. Calculate your point total as if you had created this character with the standard point buy rules.
4. Consult your DM regarding the baseline for the campaign (25 point, 28 point, 32 point, etc.).*
5. If your character as rolled has a total point value greater than the baseline amount, congratulations! You get 4 additional points to spend at will as per the point buy rules.
6. If your character as rolled has a point total less than the baseline amount, subtract your total from the baseline. You may spend the greater of 4 or this value at will as per the point buy rules.
* When determining this baseline, DM's should consider that it is quite possible for a character to end up with a character 4 or more points higher than this value. This is not a hard upper limit as it is under standard point buy rules, nor is it a minimum.
score - point cost
8 (or less) - 0*
9 - 1
10 - 2
11 - 3
12 - 4
13 - 5
14 - 6
15 - 8
16 - 10
17 - 13
18 – 16
* It costs 1 point per ability point to raise an ability score below 8
-----------------------------------------------
What you end up with is a character that can be customized to fit whatever class/type of character you want to play, but with less predictability in the distribution of scores than results from standard point buy. So you just might end up with a wizard with a 15 charisma, which you would almost never really see with point buy, and the wizard will still have a nice intelligence.
Additionally, all characters will be of roughly similar caliber, so you don't need to worry about widely divergence score sets like you get with standard rolling.
Buttercup
Princess of Florin
I use a modified point buy. I give my players a certain number of points, and tell them to distribute them as they wish. I also give bonus points based on the amount of detail the background contains. This way, they can have their characters done before the first session.
cybertalus
First Post
Well no one's mentioned that insane old method from Unearthed Arcana where you rolled a different number of d6 for each stat depending on what class you wanted to play.
Not that I'm recommending that thing, but it's out there.
The standard 4d6 method has been my preference for most of my gaming life. I toyed with rerolling 1's for a time during 2E, but that seemed too powerful. The floating reroll method from the DMG has worked quite well though.
Point buy has intrigued me for a while. Since my next game will be run online, I've decided to give it a try. I modified the chart so that a player who wants more points to spend elsewhere can drop a stat to as low as a 6. I've also made things a bit easier by providing about ten prefigured sets of stats.
Not that I'm recommending that thing, but it's out there.
The standard 4d6 method has been my preference for most of my gaming life. I toyed with rerolling 1's for a time during 2E, but that seemed too powerful. The floating reroll method from the DMG has worked quite well though.
Point buy has intrigued me for a while. Since my next game will be run online, I've decided to give it a try. I modified the chart so that a player who wants more points to spend elsewhere can drop a stat to as low as a 6. I've also made things a bit easier by providing about ten prefigured sets of stats.
drakhe
First Post
Actualy I don't realy care what system to use, because...
My DM is close to 20 years in the big seat and he's still using
his original dice (battle worn, and it shows!!) And everytime I sit down with him to create a new character (which we often do just for the fun of it) he'll let me use his "relic dice". And every time I use these relics, they roll just perfect ! hight when needed, low when it's no problem, and on random tables they always give the most appropriate result.
(it can actualy get worse: his wife will promtly roll whatever number you call out, and that with whatever dice you give her!)
My DM is close to 20 years in the big seat and he's still using
his original dice (battle worn, and it shows!!) And everytime I sit down with him to create a new character (which we often do just for the fun of it) he'll let me use his "relic dice". And every time I use these relics, they roll just perfect ! hight when needed, low when it's no problem, and on random tables they always give the most appropriate result.
(it can actualy get worse: his wife will promtly roll whatever number you call out, and that with whatever dice you give her!)
Celebrim
Legend
I've used 4d6, take three, repeat 5 more times, and assign as you wish for a long time.
For a while, back in 1st edition when at least one score had to be 16 to mean much of anything, I was letting one 5d6 take three in with the others (the 'prime requisite roll'). Now, I don't much see the point of that, so I've dropped it.
One thing that I am considering going back to is letting them switch only two rolls. One goal of attribute generation should be to avoid predictablity in stats - that is every fighter being low Chr, every mage being low Str, etc. I am intrigued by a combination point buy and dice roll system, but I'm not entirely satisfied by the ones presented here.
I watch players roll. I can remember playing with a group that used the Unearthed Arcana method (intended primarily for high level NPC's) and they still cheated, so I always watch people like hawks. I only let players reroll thier stats if they clearly have something unplayable, like a total bonus of 0 or less. No point in playing a character that is just going to die anyway, or in making a player play a character he would rather see die. If they choose to reroll, they lose everything. No rerolling just the one offending low attribute.
So far in 3rd. edition this hasn't created a problem. Most characters turn out with reasonable stats. I've got no serious problem with a 25 or 28 point buy if you'd rather have certainty though. Certainly this dispenses with the cheating, but it also has the outcome of making vanilla min/maxed stats and can be abused by players taking negatives (especially in charisma, but sometimes in intelligence as well) to buy up the class critical scores. So, I tend to stick with and encourage the old standbuy.
For a while, back in 1st edition when at least one score had to be 16 to mean much of anything, I was letting one 5d6 take three in with the others (the 'prime requisite roll'). Now, I don't much see the point of that, so I've dropped it.
One thing that I am considering going back to is letting them switch only two rolls. One goal of attribute generation should be to avoid predictablity in stats - that is every fighter being low Chr, every mage being low Str, etc. I am intrigued by a combination point buy and dice roll system, but I'm not entirely satisfied by the ones presented here.
I watch players roll. I can remember playing with a group that used the Unearthed Arcana method (intended primarily for high level NPC's) and they still cheated, so I always watch people like hawks. I only let players reroll thier stats if they clearly have something unplayable, like a total bonus of 0 or less. No point in playing a character that is just going to die anyway, or in making a player play a character he would rather see die. If they choose to reroll, they lose everything. No rerolling just the one offending low attribute.
So far in 3rd. edition this hasn't created a problem. Most characters turn out with reasonable stats. I've got no serious problem with a 25 or 28 point buy if you'd rather have certainty though. Certainly this dispenses with the cheating, but it also has the outcome of making vanilla min/maxed stats and can be abused by players taking negatives (especially in charisma, but sometimes in intelligence as well) to buy up the class critical scores. So, I tend to stick with and encourage the old standbuy.
