Ways to generate ability points.

[reanjr]

I sure am. I have found that by trusting the players they behave responible. That and I think attributes are over rated. They mean more at low levels then high levels, and I don't mind characters being a bit strong at low levels so I can throw more powerful things at them.

I should note that while I let my players choose abnility scores, no one has actually done this. They all have either rolled them or used a form of point buy. I find it quite funny.

I've always chosen mine when given the opportunity (as the opportunity does not come that often). But my distribution is never above average of 12. I prefer to have weaknesses.

 

[atom crash]

Someone (sorry, don't remember who) once pointed out that using 2d6+6 generates a range of scores the same as the point buy method (8-18), with an average score of 13, while still retaining the random element that dice rollers enjoy.

I'd like a chance to try this method in the future. Currently I use the point buy method.

 

[Benben]

Here's the system that I've been using for 3-4 campaigns now.

Take a deck of cards and strip out 2-6 for every suite.
Shuffle this stack of twenty cards and deal them out into 6 stacks of 3.
You will have 2 cards left over, the player can replace them with any 2 cards that have been dealt.

This gives a great random feel but automatically balances every PC because they will have "rolled" the same numbers.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Take a deck of cards and strip out 2-6 for every suite.

You mean "take the cards from 2-6 for every suit from a deck of cards. Using these cards...", right?

The way I read it originally would have had people effecively rolling 1d7+6...

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I don't like randomness outside of active play.

I do 30 point-buy, and replace +1 ability point at every 4th level with receiving extra build points equal to your HD at every 4th HD.

I used to give out considerably more build points as characters levelled, but I decided to slow the progression down.

 

[Darkness]

I don't like randomness outside of active play.

Preach it, brother. (Well, I'm okay with random starting money but that's it.)

I do 30 point-buy, and replace +1 ability point at every 4th level with receiving extra build points equal to your HD at every 4th HD.

I used to give out considerably more build points as characters levelled, but I decided to slow the progression down.

Three questions:

1) How do you handle hp? I give them average hp (e.g., 5.5 per d10). Maximized at 1st level, of course.

2) How many build points do you charge for increasing a score to 19+?

3) So they get 4 points at 4th level, 8 at 8th, etc., correct?

 

[Buttercup]

Let the players pick their ability scores based on the character concept they have. No point buy, no rolling. They the players design the character they want to play.

Makes perfect sense to me. I haven't actually used this method, but I don't think my players would build skewed characters. What would be a problem is that two of them would never get around to writing up a background. Thus I use point buy + extra points for various pieces of background info.

I actually prefer to DM for PCs with high ability scores, because they're more likely to survive the horrors I inflict upon them.

 

[Buttercup]

I don't like randomness outside of active play.

Me either. When I play, I usually know exactly what sort of character I want to create. It pisses me off when the dice don't cooperate.

 

[Thanee]

Pure dice rolling, as in 4d6DL, is too random and the spread is too high.
Pure PB is too sterile and boring.

I generally like methods that involve some randomness, but are more stable than 4d6DL.

For example, in my PbP I used 28 PB with an added chance to have the ability scores increase (one option is to just roll a d6 for each ability and at a 4+ or 5+ they get a +1 to the score; another is to roll 3d6 for every ability and replace the PB value if it is lower than the dice roll)).

I also like Berandor's card method, which is as follows:

You have 20 cards (4x Six, 4x Five, 4x Four, 3x Three, 2x Two, 2x Ace (One), 1x Joker).
One Two and one Ace are set aside.
The remaining 18 cards are shuffled and then you make six stacks of three cards each (face up).
The Joker counts as a copy of the highest card in its stack.
Now you can attach the two set aside cards to one or two stacks, adding their value to the total (no higher than 18).
Distribute over the six abilities at will.

Will probably use that in the next campaign I DM.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Doug McCrae]

Let the players pick their ability scores based on the character concept they have.

Six 18s, baby. Actually no, now I come to think it, I reckon my character concept requires six 20s.