Bendris Noulg
First Post
Aedon Array: 9, 11, 11, 13, 15, 17.
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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
What character generation method do you use?
- Thread starter ForceUser
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Laslo Tremaine
Explorer
I voted 28 pt buy, but we actually use 30 pt...
We've done this for the last 3 games (since 3.0 came out) and obviously it works well for us...
We also do non-random hit-points; max at 1st level, and then average rounded up for each level after that. (ie, 1d4=3, 1d6=4, 1d8=5, etc).
We've done this for the last 3 games (since 3.0 came out) and obviously it works well for us...
We also do non-random hit-points; max at 1st level, and then average rounded up for each level after that. (ie, 1d4=3, 1d6=4, 1d8=5, etc).
JonnyReb
First Post
Roll 4d6, reroll ones, drop lowest, and arrange as you like. Believe it or not, this really doesn't generate as high a stat block as you'd imagine. - either that or all my players over the years have been crappy rollers 
And there's a reason for this generosity... I started playing in '77 and we had to roll 3d6, in order, for characters. I had a friend who always rolled a high Wis, and was the cleric. Problem was, he wanted to play a thief. Our DM let low roll or undesired characters "fall on their swords", but invariably my friend's rolls were too good to waste, so a cleric he was. He had many, many frustrating games, and I vowed that when I DM'd I'd never do that to a player. Hence, a bit of bigheartedness that generally is a moot point by 5th or 7th level anyway.
And there's a reason for this generosity... I started playing in '77 and we had to roll 3d6, in order, for characters. I had a friend who always rolled a high Wis, and was the cleric. Problem was, he wanted to play a thief. Our DM let low roll or undesired characters "fall on their swords", but invariably my friend's rolls were too good to waste, so a cleric he was. He had many, many frustrating games, and I vowed that when I DM'd I'd never do that to a player. Hence, a bit of bigheartedness that generally is a moot point by 5th or 7th level anyway.
Chronosome
Explorer
I've been using 32-point buy in my games, and recommended it to my newest campaign DM. Its benefits? First, point buy's a great way avoid "great at everything characters" (can't have high abilities across the board). Second, it keeps everybody in the same ballpark (no one's "cheated" of a good character if their rolls came up bad).
Third, it's a compromise for what my group became used to--high stats (our 2e abilities generally were in the 40 pt. range). I'd love to go down to 25, truthfully, but people are used to the beef.
Third, it's a compromise for what my group became used to--high stats (our 2e abilities generally were in the 40 pt. range). I'd love to go down to 25, truthfully, but people are used to the beef.
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jgbrowning
Hero
I'm usually 28 point buy. Sometimes higher, rarely lower.
joe b.
joe b.
Greylock
First Post
In the old days my DM was somewhere between Hardcore and Softcore, depending on his mood. Now, twenty years on, the guy's gotten soft.
The roll system used for my latest two char's is roll 4d6, reroll the first 'one', then drop the lowest #, and arrange as desired. As expected, the DnD gawds mock this system and have caused me to roll two 'ones' in a row almost every time.
The roll system used for my latest two char's is roll 4d6, reroll the first 'one', then drop the lowest #, and arrange as desired. As expected, the DnD gawds mock this system and have caused me to roll two 'ones' in a row almost every time.
I generally use the standard PHB method of 4d6, drop the lowest die & arrange as desired.
I once used a Rifts-inspired variant: 2d6+6 in order and +1d6 if original score was a 16, 17 or 18. This method allowed some extraordianry abilities without cherry-picking (most of my players will put their highest stat in Dex every time since it affects AC, ranged attacks (very important in a campaign with guns), Ref saves & many skills--the strategist even tried to back to 1e order (S, I, W, D, C, Ch) so that his high INT roll could be used for DEX!). I'm looking for a high-powered variant like that for another game I'm dreaming of. I am also toying with the idea of 2d4+10, in order.
I once used a Rifts-inspired variant: 2d6+6 in order and +1d6 if original score was a 16, 17 or 18. This method allowed some extraordianry abilities without cherry-picking (most of my players will put their highest stat in Dex every time since it affects AC, ranged attacks (very important in a campaign with guns), Ref saves & many skills--the strategist even tried to back to 1e order (S, I, W, D, C, Ch) so that his high INT roll could be used for DEX!). I'm looking for a high-powered variant like that for another game I'm dreaming of. I am also toying with the idea of 2d4+10, in order.
