D&D General Sampling Random Ability Scores

[OptionalRule]

So the interesting thing here to me is: if you roll the way the PHB say to roll, you'll probably have a 16 to put in your best ability, before racial mods. Ergo, starting with a 16 regardless of race is well within the tested range of ability scores.

The conclusion I draw: elf barbarians starting with a 16 str is an intended result of default chargen, not an outlier. Standard array and point buy, not rolling, create the impression of 'needing' a race with the 'right' ASI to playa class.

I think think it's about impressions, it's about baselines. Once you have a standard, every character is going to be assessed as above or below that standard (or meet it). Most players do not want a character below the standard. However, using a system where variation is the norm, it becomes more acceptable.

 

[OptionalRule]

But, to continue my pedantic trend, wouldn't that be wine for Zeno?

Ouzo.

 

[OptionalRule]

Functionally, yes. But also, pedanticly, no. Recall that chance to forever roll a 1? This vanishing small chance means that the reroll approaches, but never quite gets to, 3d5+3. It far exceeds the threshold for government work, though.

This is why I roll all my abilities inside a black box that cannot be observed, then my abilities are all values at the same time.

 

[Marc_C]

This is why I roll all my abilities inside a black box that cannot be observed, then my abilities are all values at the same time.

What happens if you open the black box and there is a poisoned dead cat?

 

[OptionalRule]

What happens if you open the black box and there is a poisoned dead cat?

Easy, that means Achilles passes the tortoise.

 

[Hussar]

This has to be one of the nerdiest running jokes I’ve seen in a while. Kudos.

 

[Lanefan]

Why?

You don't do it in any other part of the game. You don't allow a single die roll to impact the entire campaign in any other aspect of the game. So, why would we do it in chargen?

Like I said, in earlier editions, it made more sense. You were expected to play multiple PC's in the course of a campaign.

And still are, in anything I'm a part of.

So, character generation was minimal,

Yes, this is important. Chargen has become far too cumbersome a process, starting with 3e. Start to finish shouldn't take more than 15-20 mintues, tops, once a player is familiar with the system.

you had virtually no options as you leveled up, and every class was a strictly limited archetype with virtually no ability for the player to change anything about the class.

Mechanically.

But here's the rub: mechanics aren't everything; and two characters with identical mechanics can play as differently as night and day.

And by the same token, two characters whose mechanics are wildly different can end up playing like identical twins.

Which, great, ok, die rolling makes perfect sense here. You're playing a fighter this week, a magic user the next and a thief the week after that. No problems.

But, that hasn't been the D&D experience for a very, very long time.

Again, very sad.

So, why do we hang on to this notion that random stat generation is a good idea when none of the reasons we used random generation are part of the game anymore?

Because the slow erosion of those reasons was a mistake.