D&D 5E The "Perfect" (for me anyway...) Ability Generation System(s)

[Reynard]

I like the Dragonbane method: 4d6-L in.whatever order you like, but you place each roll as you roll it and it is locked in (except the last roll which you can swap with another if you want). It offers some control but maintains the possibility of unexpected scores.

 

[ezo]

I like the Dragonbane method: 4d6-L in.whatever order you like, but you place each roll as you roll it and it is locked in (except the last roll which you can swap with another if you want). It offers some control but maintains the possibility of unexpected scores.

That works pretty well. I just tried it about a dozen times and I like it.

The process of deciding where to put a number as you roll it seems to help "organically" create the character. I think I might use that regardless of how the dice are rolled, it adds an interesting twist and sort of a middle ground between just placing all six scores where you want (after rolling them all) and having to roll in order.

 

[Maxperson]

I like the Dragonbane method: 4d6-L in.whatever order you like, but you place each roll as you roll it and it is locked in (except the last roll which you can swap with another if you want). It offers some control but maintains the possibility of unexpected scores.

Yeah. That's why I have them lock in the 5d6-2L, 4d6-L, and 3d6 rolls to stats before they roll, but allow them to swap any one pair of stats at the end.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I'm always interested in ability score generation systems and this is one which is simple and does just what I want:

1. based on rolling d6's
2. keeps an average of 12.25 to 12.75
3. (a) generates scores which are common to point-buy and the standard array (-1 to +2 modifiers) or
3. (b) makes extreme scores (8 or less, 16 or higher) very rare

Here are two varations:

3A. No Duplicates (score range 9 - 15)
Roll 4d6 and drop lowest, but no die result can occur more than once. For example, if you rolled 2, 3, 3, 6 you would reroll one of the 3's, but you cannot roll a 2, 3, or 6 on the reroll; if you do, keep rolling until you get a 1, 4, or 5.

What this does is keep the lowest possible roll to 1, 2, 3, 4 (total 9 for best three) and highest possible roll 3, 4, 5, 6 (total 15 for best three). In fact, there are only 15 possible combinations, with an average roll of 12.6. While this average is better than the normal 4d6 drop lowest (12.24), since the cap is 15 I like this a lot.

I like:
4d6 no duplicates, treat 2 as 0, drop lowest.

This goves very desirable results:

average 12.2

Only 1 in 15 chance for 8, 9 or 11.
2 in 10 chance for 10, 13 or 14
3 in 10 chance for 12 or 15.

Which I absolutely like. 12s and 15s are most appreciated. 10, 13 and 14 a little less. And 8, 9 and 11 are terrible stats.
8 is always bad. 9 is as good as an 8 and 11 is as good as a 10 to be honest.

Chance for 8 or 9 is 2/15 (about 13%), so on average less than 1 per set.

Chance for 10 or 11 is 20%. So a little bit more than 1 per set.

Those together average 2 per set.

Chance for 12 is 20%
Chance for 13 is 13%

Those average 2 per set

Chance for 14 is 13%
Chance for 15 is 20%

Those average 2 per set.

Which should give quite balanced characters.


Edit: instead of rolling, drawing cards might be less annoying.
All you need is an Ace as 1 and one card you treat as 0 and Cards from 3 to 6.

 

[Alzrius]

Edit: instead of rolling, drawing cards might be less annoying.
All you need is an Ace as 1 and one card you treat as 0 and Cards from 3 to 6.

If you want to look at generating ability scores via cards, I recommend checking out Far Distant Future Publishing's Creating Characters with CARDS Instead of Dice (affiliate link), particularly since it's a PWYW (Pay What You Want) product.

 

[GMMichael]

3A. No Duplicates (score range 9 - 15)
Roll 4d6 and drop lowest, but no die result can occur more than once. For example, if you rolled 2, 3, 3, 6 you would reroll one of the 3's, but you cannot roll a 2, 3, or 6 on the reroll; if you do, keep rolling until you get a 1, 4, or 5.

This is simple and cool. Even cooler if no score  totals can equal another.

 

[Clint_L]

Standard array or point buy. No muss, no fuss, and everyone is starting from the same place.

 

[ezo]

This is simple and cool. Even cooler if no score  totals can equal another.

Then you have seven possible arrays:

15,14,13,12,11,9
15,14,13,12,11,10
15,14,13,12,10,9
15,14,13,11,10,9
15,14,12,11,10,9
15,13,12,11,10,9
14,13,12,11,10,9

 

[ezo]

Standard array or point buy. No muss, no fuss, and everyone is starting from the same place.

Which is great if you don't want to roll dice... but rolling d6s was part of the point in the OP anyway.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Then you have seven possible arrays:

15,14,13,12,11,9
15,14,13,12,11,10
15,14,13,12,10,9
15,14,13,11,10,9
15,14,12,11,10,9
15,13,12,11,10,9
14,13,12,11,10,9

At that point just roll a d6 and take the corresponding one of those rolls is way less effort.