D&D 5E The Philosophy Behind Randomized and Standardized Ability Scores

[Thunder Brother]

Point Buy is simpler and more fair for the entire table. I don't want people getting frustrated because they feel like they're playing an inferior character.

Additionally, I find that all the different attempts to lessen the randomness of rolling are kind of missing the point. If you can't accept random results, don't roll.

Edit: I think the fact that my first exposure to "D&D" was through playing Knights of the Old Republic heavily influenced my preferences for stat generation."

 

[reelo]

How would you rate this method of assigning stats that I totally just came up with (but which might already exist in one form or the other?)

All stats start out at 10
You can distribute a total of 10 points. If you lower a stat below 10, you recover points on a 1-1 basis. No stat can be raised above 16 this way.

 

[payn]

How would you rate this method of assigning stats that I totally just came up with (but which might already exist in one form or the other?)

All stats start out at 10
You can distribute a total of 10 points. If you lower a stat below 10, you recover points on a 1-1 basis. No stat can be raised above 16 this way.

This is close to how point buy works. I liked it best in 3E and PF1. Im sure it works just as well in 5E.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

For the longest time, 4d6 drop the lowest was my go-to for stat generation. These days, Standard Array is my favorite. With random stat generation, unless you sit there and watch every roll, you're going to end up with someone with nothing higher than a 13 and a few 6s and 7s in the mix, and then someone with an 18 and nothing below a 10. And whether that 18 was even rolled legitimately or not, that's another issue.

I like the randomness of letting the dice decide, but I've learned over the years to have some trust issues with players as a result.

 

[Yardiff]

I wonder if the designers willingly omit to add a safety belt mechanic or advice for rolled stats? They could easily add an advice for too weak or even too strong rolls. Nope. Nada. Silence. I don’t even remember any Sage advice on the subject.
Rolling is still popular but also mostly home brew.
Would you like an official advice for 2024?

In the 1e PHB Gary suggested that a set of rolled stats should have at least two 15s. This was on pg 9 of the PHB.

 

[Yardiff]

I ran a game with the "colleville method" (roll stats 3d6 for stats in order don't reroll ones but reroll the entire array if you don't have two stats 15 or better). It pushed my players to trying classes outside their comfort zone as designed, but the characters themselves were just standard $class with what were often better than normal stats. It wasn't something that seemed to improve the game & generating the arrays took a long time due to tossing so many.

I'd much rather see "official advice" that realigns the stat mods from every +/-1 for every 2 points above/blow ten where it has been since 3.5 back to ad&d2e style -1 at 5-6 +1 at 15-16. An option like that would free up some room for magic items & such within the system math. Being an "official" option means that I could just point at it & say "this campaign are using this for these characters" like I did for survivors withou the sort of pushback I got with just as if not more powerful level zero characters. Of course 2024 is 3 years away & despite being "most popular RPG ever" I expect to no longer be playing or running d&d due to 5e's failings and wotc will need to meet a very high bar to interest me into returning again.

Colville rolled 4d6 drop lowest and at least two 15s.

 

[Kinematics]

Another variant that I've pondered:

Take the top three stats from the standard array — 15, 14, 13. You can place those stats where you want. Then roll three times (probably 3d6, but maybe 4d6k3), and place those stats in order on the remaining attributes.

That lets you guarantee competence in your primary stats, so your character doesn't feel broken or pointless, while still giving you randomness in your overall character. Since they're rolled in order, you just have to play them as they land. Maybe you end up with an erudite barbarian, or a muscle wizard (with high rolls), or the clumsy professor (low dex Wizard or Cleric) or repugnant rogue.

As long as the character is still guaranteed to be good at his main job, these variations still allow for interesting (unpredictable) flavor.

 

[Charlaquin]

Edit: I think the fact that my first exposure to "D&D" was through playing Knights of the Old Republic heavily influenced my preferences for stat generation."

Didn’t KotOR use point buy though?

 

[Horwath]

There is one big advantage of point buy/array. DM does not have to be with schedule "rolling sessions" or listen to whining about low scores and options of re-rolling if X amount is too low or Y amount is too high.

Players can make their characters in peace.

Also 27 point buy is little low comparing to what on average you can get rolling 4d6 drop 1.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Colville rolled 4d6 drop lowest and at least two 15s.

So I thought I would try this and see what I got:
4 tries until first 2x 15 and
11,17,15,13,12,12
3 tries:
10,15,15,9,16,9
2 tries:
17,15,13,11,13,14
3 tries:
16,11,14,9,14,18

Interesting, Did Colville say, place in order or rearrange to suit?