But it's impossible for two characters to have one one attribute point of difference.
How many angels can dance on the head of a pin is more relevant to gameplay
Well, it's not impossible if you roll.
But bear in mind I have left most of the character...the bits that won't affect the sim...out of the model.
So let's say I'm rolling up a character, and I have two variants in front of me (or in my mind). They are perfectly identical in every way, except that one has an extra point of Str, and the other has an extra point of Cha. Since I'm picturing my fighter being the sort to solve problems with a sword, but maybe sometimes he'll try to Intimidate, and so I kinda want that 12 Cha, I have the question, "How much does difference does that little measly +1 actually make?"
The answer happens to be "a lot", but there are simpler ways of solving it:*
- "Well, however much difference it is, I'm probably going to make a LOT more attack rolls than intimidation rolls, so Str is more useful."
- "I don't really care. I just want 12 Cha."
Both are totally valid.
*Those other, simpler approaches don't give me an excuse to write code, however.