So a player presents a character with really high ability scores--what do you do?

[johnsemlak]

Anyway,

I'd like to avoid simply 'proscribing' a method of character creation, something liek point-buy or whatever. But if a Cheracter's ability scores seem out of line (say, none under 12 and about 3 15 or better), what's the best way to handle it

 

[BSF]

Well, if you don't want to create an artificial stat generation system, you need to laugh. Sometimes the dice fall in a funny way. Sometimes, you end up with somebody who wants to "win" the game. Sometimes, you end up with somebody that has a character concept they want to explore and the stats help with that. If you have a player in the 2nd possibility camp, you might want to speak with them. The game is about having fun, not winning or losing.

Other things you can consider (Though this might not apply to you):
- Reduce the dependence of combat to award experience points. Find a way to non-arbitrarily award experience for role-playing. Sometimes it looks like you need to have good stats to maximize your experience gains. If there are other ways to gain experience, stats begin to fade into the background a bit more.
- Find ways to boost everyone else's stats to be "equal". This is kind of cheesy though. Especially if your player is wanting to play somebody that is not "equal". In that case, you kind of need to find out what the player is trying to achieve, as well as how the other players feel about it. Most people don't want to play second fiddle all the time. But, maybe the player with the good stats wants to build a character that has all the advantages (in stats) and has severe character flaws. In this case, all the players can have a fun time.

Just a few thoughts.

 

[Crothian]

A player could come to me and say he rolled all 18's and I'd go great. I trust my players, if he says he did it, he did it. Now , this has never happened. I once had a guy who rolled 2 18's, he apologized and asked if he could lower the scores. The bottome line is if I don't trust my players to be honest about the scores I wouldn't be playing with them to begin with.

Now, if the problem is that the scores will unbalance the game, I've never seen this. The person behind the character is always the most important element. I've never seen scores over shadow the intellingence of a player.

 

[Old One]

Have the Imperial Secret Police show up and, having heard of this character's amazing prowess in so many areas, forcibly impress him/her in the Emperor's service...

Then, have the player roll up a new PC with the DM's dice !

On a slightly more serious note...if the player is an really impressive specimen (either mentally, physically or both) throw some role-playing and/or combat encounters their way to really challenge them. Similar to trouble alway searching out a swashbuckling PC, the word gets "out" about how strong, fast, smart, handsome/pretty the PC is and NPCs come gunning for him or her.

The antagonists issue one-on-one challenges and most should not be to the death. If the player rolled the the stats honestly, they will enjoy the extra attention and RPing possibilities. If the player is a PG-munchkin and kept rolling dice until a "suitable" set of 6 came along, they probably won't like it.

Personally, as the DM, I either use point-buy or have a PC-creation session where everyone rolls their stats in turn...using my evil, tainted dice !

~ Old One

 

[Hjorimir]

/shrug We use the old rule of must roll characters in front of the DM. Has never failed us. Yes, we've seen some amazing characters rolled up. I had a character with three 17s! Whoot baby!

 

[Kichwas]

Well if you're too foolish to use point buy, you should use casino dice rolled in a cup onto a predetermined surface with everyone rolling in front of the DM with the same dice in turn.

Otherwise you get what you deserve.

 

[Tars Tarkus]

We use the roll in front of the DM too. It works!

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Well, very high/low stats is why I switched to point-buy.

However it shouldn't be a problem if everyone is in the same league. Suggestion: figure out how many points the characters would be as if they had used point buy. If Mr. High is 20 points higher than Mr. Low then you're going to have a problem if Mr. Low doesn't have a very good sense of humor or is at all competitive when he games. In such a case, my advice would be to approach Mr. Low and say "Look, Mr. High is going to be kicking butt and taking names compared to you. So I'm going to give you a minor magic item at the start of the game that ties into your character's background. As you roleplay and advance, I'll be adding to the item's power."

So, the guy will start out with, for example, a masterwork sword that was given to him by his father. IF the character, say, defeats the [insert level 2 challenge here that ties in with his background] he becomes more attuned to the family sword and the sword becomes +1 for the character only (to prevent him flogging the thing).

So, in exchange for relatively feeble ability scores, he gets a magic item he doesn't have to find or pay money to get. He also gets several tie-ins with his character so he gets to become the "star" of the game now and then, even though the other guy is getting all the combat/skill successes.

 

[Arnwyn]

But if a Cheracter's ability scores seem out of line (say, none under 12 and about 3 15 or better), what's the best way to handle it

Did the DM witness it? If so, then you do nothing.

I've discovered that good ability scores rarely (read: don't) unbalance the game in any meaningful way (and, in fact, such characters often die more often than lower statted characters... IME, it seems they are played less cautiously).

 

[Mystery Man]

My players like to roll for their stats. As a group they tend to roll rather high, but as a DM I really don't have a problem with this in respect to "handling" their character stats. What always happens though, invariably this or that player will get an invincibility complex and get in over their heads. So high stats can be detrimental that way.