Rolling characters...what's your favorite method?

[bwgwl]

I think our group strives for optimization a bit too much, on the whole. The rogue I presented is indicative of the way people tend to run rogues in our campaigns - as sneak attacks waiting for an opportunity. Thus, hit points become important since they increase survivability.

interesting. i don't think i've ever given hit points that much thought! as a fighter, i tend to worry a lot more about damage output than how much i can take in return...

when i play rogues, though, i usually play wahoo daredevil-types who hate to plan. i'm a big advocate of the "retreat forward" philosophy. last time i played my aforementioed rogue, our party of four was ambushed by four archers about 60 feet away. as the other three characters hunkered down behind cover and pulled out their ranged weapons, my character whipped out his rapier and charged the archers! no better way to disrupt archers than to get them in melee...

 

[Thanee]

My favorite method is this:

First, sort the six attributes into a fixed order (i.e. INT, CON, DEX, CHA, STR, WIS for a Wizard).

Then roll 9d6 for the first, 8d6 for the second, 7d6 for the third, 6d6 for the fourth, 5d6 for the fifth and 4d6 for the sixth attribute.

Keep the three highest dice rolled for each attribute and add them together.

The system generates above average characters with usually pretty high values in their primary attributes, but - other than point buy - it does not guarantee a given value for your primary scores and you might end up (happens quite often, actually) with your highest score in a secondary attribute. Obviously you should think about the race and class you want to play before rolling, but you do not need to stick to your decision, when the rolls end up in a way, that you would like to play something else once you know them.

We also allowed one complete redo (start from scratch), but only one (you had to keep the second set of attributes)!

Bye
Thanee

 

[Bragg Battleaxe]

Roll 4d6, take best three... do this seven times and take the six stats you want. Repeat and record six more scores then take either the first group or second group of six.

 

[Wicht]

I have used the 4d6 method for about ten years.

 

[Zappo]

Point buy all the way, preferably 25.

I prefer it to random methods because:
1) It's far too important for a character to let it to fate.
2) All characters will be on equal footing.
3) It allows you to make exactly the character you're thinking (well, unless you're thinking an overpowered character).

I prefer it to 1-to-1 methods because it has real trade-offs and makes players think about their choices, instead of just assuring that everyone in the party will automatically place 18 in the respective primary stats.

I prefer 25 points because that's what the CRs are balanced for. If I want a more high-powered campaign, I have the players make higher-level characters instead.