D&D 5E Stats, and how do you generate them

[billd91]

I am one of those boring people that suggests you use the standard option the first time through and see how it plays out. With point buy, everyone is on equal footing. My understanding is that people generally choose to roll their stats is the chance of getting high starting numbers. However, by fourth level, a player can attain the high ability scores available. Only a tiny percentage will get 18s when rolling stats, and a decent number of players could get a real stinker of an array.

Um... rolling is the initial standard option, followed by the standard array if the player wants to avoid the randomness of rolling.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I would suggest "4d6 by cards without replacement", as having many of the positive features of rolling while keeping the amount of luck boxed in.

1) Pull out the A(1)-2-3-4-5-6 cards (24 total) from a standard deck of playing cards
2) Deal into six piles of four cards
3) Reveal "in order", dropping the lowest card (of course)
4) Allow one swap between two stats
5) If you really dislike what you get, you may use standard array instead

The nice thing about this is that high stats correlate with also having low stats -- so it somewhat similar to point buy. And lots of people who have a soft spot for rolling like how it gets the creative juices going by handing them stats they would not have chosen themselves -- this will scratch that itch.

 

[doctorhook]

Initially I let my newbie players roll 4d6 (drop lowest) in two different arrays, then choose which array to use. After several months of 5E, unfortunately my players' characters are just a bit too strong overall. The problem comes when they find items like Gauntlets of Ogre Power at 4th level, and the party's fighter is already stronger than that; it spoils some of the magic. I've told them that we'll be using the default array/28-point buy in the future.

I really want my players to still have the fun of rolling for stats, so I've developed another method for my group:

*Roll 3d4 (drop the lowest) +7, thrice;
*Roll 3d4 (drop the lowest) +6, thrice;
You should end up with an array of six score, ranging from 8 to 15 and with an average of about 12.4.
​

 

[Boarstorm]

*Roll 3d4 (drop the lowest) +7, thrice;
*Roll 3d4 (drop the lowest) +6, thrice;
You should end up with an array of six score, ranging from 8 to 15 and with an average of about 12.4.
​

I suspect I'm misunderstanding something, but wouldn't the range of ability scores from that be 9 to 19?

 

[the Jester]

I really want my players to still have the fun of rolling for stats, so I've developed another method for my group:

*Roll 3d4 (drop the lowest) +7, thrice;
*Roll 3d4 (drop the lowest) +6, thrice;
You should end up with an array of six score, ranging from 8 to 15 and with an average of about 12.4.
​

Man, I would never use that if I had a choice. That eliminates all chance of a low score (and no, 9 does not constitute a low score in my book). Having one or more low stats can make for really fun pcs.

 

[doctorhook]

I suspect I'm misunderstanding something, but wouldn't the range of ability scores from that be 9 to 19?

No, because you roll 3d4 but drop the lowest, meaning that the basic range for the roll is 2 to 8, as if only 2d4 were rolled.

Man, I would never use that if I had a choice. That eliminates all chance of a low score (and no, 9 does not constitute a low score in my book). Having one or more low stats can make for really fun pcs.

You can score an 8 as well.

This system is designed to mirror the range of scores possible in 5E point buy. By the book, using point buy it isn't possible to have a base score (at 1st level and prior to racial bonuses) less than 8 nor greater than 15.

 

[the Jester]

You can score an 8 as well.

Any system that eliminates the possibility of a pc with an ability score of 3 fails to meet my needs. Obviously, YMMV; many groups prefer the standard array, point buy, have a "no negative modifiers" policy (whether explicit of de facto), etc. That's all fine- but not for me.

 

[Boarstorm]

No, because you roll 3d4 but drop the lowest, meaning that the basic range for the roll is 2 to 8, as if only 2d4 were rolled.

Gotcha. I missed that bit (obviously).

 

[Plaguescarred]

We use 4d6-drop-lowest, arrange to suit

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Any system that eliminates the possibility of a pc with an ability score of 3 fails to meet my needs. Obviously, YMMV; many groups prefer the standard array, point buy, have a "no negative modifiers" policy (whether explicit of de facto), etc. That's all fine- but not for me.

In general, I would agree with you, but I think we got left in the dust on this one. This edition isn't really designed to accommodate normal people, in quite the way that AD&D or earlier editions could. Aside from Strength and Intelligence (or possibly Charisma), any character with a low score is really going to be hurting in this edition.

I mean, a score of 10 is already at -5 relative to someone with a good stat.