TSR's "subliminal" message about PC power level

[Col_Pladoh]

I've seen you say this before, but I don't understand the reasonings/concerns with publishing a character's stats. Why so secretive with a D&D character's stats?

Quasqueton

Why not? Other that the DM for the PC in question their stats are no one's business.

As it happened, I was actively playing those characters, often at conventions, and having other players know such information would be an advantage to them, a disadvantage to me, in case of a conflict. Do players know the stats of their adversaries? Not if the GM is cmpetant! Also, having that sort of information floating around seems absolutely wrong to me, as it is proprietary to the person that created the character. Publishing it is very much akin to bragging or else telling all

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Hussar]

Many OD&D PCs were played with stats as rolled on 3d6, complete with results of 3 to 5 in my Greyhawk Campaign and in a slew of others that I know of. OTOH, there were Money Haul campaigns where the favored PCs, likely most of the group, had 15 as their lowet stat.

Just out of curiousity then. Why the change in the Unearthed Arcana to the new form of stat generation? Since it went 9d6 to 3d6 (seven stats - gotta love comeliness), players were pretty much guaranteed to have some seriously high stats.

I admit, I have always been confused at what seems to be a bit of a dichotomy. The books are saying one thing, but, other books saying another. I was a big fan of Dragonlance when it came out. I read the books voraciously and then bought the modules. I can recall being very surprised at the difference in the stats of the characters versus what was in the novels. The eight characters in DL 1 had some seriously high stats.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Just out of curiousity then. Why the change in the Unearthed Arcana to the new form of stat generation? Since it went 9d6 to 3d6 (seven stats - gotta love comeliness), players were pretty much guaranteed to have some seriously high stats.

The stat generation mechanics set forth in UA were an acknowledgement that most players fudged their PC's stats. It was meant to remove the guilt by providing a system that would allow considerable numbers without cheating.

I admit, I have always been confused at what seems to be a bit of a dichotomy. The books are saying one thing, but, other books saying another. I was a big fan of Dragonlance when it came out. I read the books voraciously and then bought the modules. I can recall being very surprised at the difference in the stats of the characters versus what was in the novels. The eight characters in DL 1 had some seriously high stats.

I can't speak for the DL material, for I did not create it, nor were the books or modules part of the AD&D game in regards to rules...or even spirit.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Storm Raven]

G'day, Gary!

From Against the Giants:
Gleep Wurp - H MU12 - S10 I16 W12 D15 C16 Ch13
Cloyer Bulse - H T13 - S12 I14 W11 D18 C15 Ch15
Roaky Swerked - H C12 - S16 I10 W18 D12 C16 Ch17
Frush O'Suggill - H F14 - S17 I11 W10 D14 C17 Ch13
Fonkin Hoddypeak - E F5/MU8 - S15 I15 W9 D18 C16 Ch18
Flerd Trantle - H C9 - S14 I12 W16 D17 C16 Ch18
Redmod Dumple - D F9 - S 18/74 I11 W8 D15 C17 Ch8
Faffle Dwe'o-mercraeft - H MU9 - S16 I18 W17 D17 C15 Ch12
Beek Gwenders - 1/2E R9 - S15 D14 W16 D17 C18 Ch16

Cheers!

Because I happen to have it on hand right now, the pregens from Slave Pits of the Undercity:

Elwita: Dwarf, Ftr 6; Str 17, Int 12, Wis 8, Dex 11, Con 18, Cha 15.

"Ogre": Human, Ftr 5; Str 18/56, Int 8, Wis 9, Dex 12, Con 18, Cha 6.

Freda: Human, Rgr 4; Str 15, Int 13, Wis 15, Dex 17, Con 17, Cha 14.

Karraway: Human, Clr 6; Str 9, Int 12, Wis 16, Dex 15, Con 16, Cha 13.

Blodgett: Halfling, Thf 5; Str 8, Int 10, Wis 10, Dex 18, Con 16, Cha 6.

Dread Delgath: Human, MU 5; Str 8, Int 18, Wis 12, Dex 9, Con 16, Cha 15.

Phanstern: Human, Ill 5; Str 8, Int 17, Wis 12, Dex 18, Con 16, Cha 9.

Eljayess: Half-Elf, Clr 3/Ftr 3; Str 16, Int 9, Wis 16, Dex 12, Con 17, Cha 13.

Kayen Telva: Elf, Ftr 4/MU 4; Str 15, Int 17, Wis 10, Dex 16, Con 15, Cha 9.

 

[Mycanid]

Hafta agree with Gary on that one - one of my favorite things was precisely NOT to know the other player's stats. Helped add to the rp ambience I guess.

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Ack

I missed the post by Merrick B.

Indeed I cooked up all those stats for the pregenerated characters out of thin air for a PC party that I figured most gamers would enjoy playing.

For those wondering about the names, I'll give rough translations...

Gleep Wurp (squint-eyed glance, [an "eyebite"]) - H MU12 - S10 I16 W12 D15 C16 Ch13
Cloyer Bulse (grifter intruding for diamonds/gold) - H T13 - S12 I14 W11 D18 C15 Ch15
Roaky Swerked (hazy gloom, mainly of voice)- H C12 - S16 I10 W18 D12 C16 Ch17
Frush O'Suggill (strike black & blue)- H F14 - S17 I11 W10 D14 C17 Ch13
Fonkin Hoddypeak (foolish little blockhead) - E F5/MU8 - S15 I15 W9 D18 C16 Ch18
Flerd Trantle (deceive out of petty valuables) - H C9 - S14 I12 W16 D17 C16 Ch18
Redmod Dumple (rash crushing) - D F9 - S 18/74 I11 W8 D15 C17 Ch8
Faffle Dwe'o-mercraeft (stammer magic) - H MU9 - S16 I18 W17 D17 C15 Ch12
Beek Gwenders (bask chillblanes) - 1/2E R9 - S15 D14 W16 D17 C18 Ch16

Because I happen to have it on hand right now, the pregens from Slave Pits of the Undercity:...

I can not comment on those stats, as I had no hand in creating them.

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Mycanid]

Hmm ... figures I would have played the fellow whose name was "foolish little blockhead"!

But ... what is a "grifter"? Do you mean drifter?

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Hmm ... figures I would have played the fellow whose name was "foolish little blockhead"!

But ... what is a "grifter"? Do you mean drifter?

Ah, sorry, grifter is a slang term for a cheat or fraud. In this case the cloyer was also a gonif, a thief

Cheers,
Gary

 

[Col_Pladoh]

Blast!

I forgot to mention that "magsman" means a swindler, a fraud or cheat or con man.

Cheers,
Gary