What is the best way to generate balanced d20 characters?

[frankthedm]

I tell them arrange these as desired

17
16
15
14
13
12

I am a brutal SOB of a DM tough, they need them.

 

[sullivan]

3d6 six times in order. str, int, wis, con, dex, cha

This gives well rounded, fairly heroic stats with very, very rare "gimped" stats. It yields 18's about as often (with the above method approximately 1 of every 2 characters will have 1 or more 18's), but has smoother consistancy than 4d6. You can regularly expect stats worth 40ish PB.

I believe the method dates back to 1st edition where it was this BUT you got to choose which stat went where.

The above variation works fine if you are willing to go adjust your class choice based on what you got (prior to 3e that is what i always did in any event). However if that isn't something your player can live with they you can consider letting them move the stats around.

 

[S'mon]

Well a troll will likley down 1-2 party members (I don't know about kill (-10 or greater)) but I think TPK is only a remote possiblity unless the Troll ambushes them or something. They have a base speed of 30 feet so a wizard with Exp. Retreit and the orb of fire or orb of Acid (lesser) could add in the final hit to down the Troll. If the party is mounted (a very real possiblity at level 3) then they SHOULD be able to take him down. Yes this would be a "Boss Fight" but again a smart group should be able to take out a troll. They would just have to stay out of its reach. Its AC is low enough that they should hit him with their 1 attack each round at least. With an int of 6 I doupt coupe de grace would be on its mind (It would likley try to down them all, then kill them.) Also the DM would likly not want a TPK so having him down a party member and then ignore the downed member would be a good DM tactic as well. Again though it would be a hard fight and I wouldn't be suppurized to see 1-2 of the party members downed.

Unless the GM is nerfing the troll, on its first full attack it's likely to hit with both claws, Rend, and easily kill a 3rd level PC straight off. I've seen 6th level PCs ripped apart in 1 round this way. In my game in the normal course of events PCs are likely ambushed 50% of the time - in dungeon with visible light source, troll has darkvision, or PCs are camped at night when troll finds them. PCs who charge the troll will encounter its Reach, so melee is suicide, while it regenerates arrows & bolts, which just leaves the wizard and his flaming sphere or acid arrow.

If the PCS ambush the troll, on horseback, in the wilderness, with appropriate spells & equipment prepared, they can probably win. If the encounter is on the troll's terms (night attack) it will kill 1-2 PCs before the rest can flee, or TPK if they stand and fight.

 

[Particle_Man]

This gives well rounded, fairly heroic stats with very, very rare "gimped" stats. It yields 18's about as often (with the above method approximately 1 of every 2 characters will have 1 or more 18's), but has smoother consistancy than 4d6. You can regularly expect stats worth 40ish PB.

I believe the method dates back to 1st edition where it was this BUT you got to choose which stat went where.

The above variation works fine if you are willing to go adjust your class choice based on what you got (prior to 3e that is what i always did in any event). However if that isn't something your player can live with they you can consider letting them move the stats around.

Actually, when Diaglo said "3d6 six times in order. str, int, wis, con, dex, cha", I bet he did not mean "six times for str, six times for int, etc." but rather "six times: once for str, once for int, etc." Of course, I could be wrong.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Maybe I've played too many games like Hero or GURPS but I do the point buy. I go with a 32 base. Most of my friends tend to be 'very' heroic and go with a 42 point base.

Heck, for hit points, depending on mood, I go with variant from the DMG, 80%, or 100%. I guess I'm weird in thinking that a variable ability as part of your class package shouldn't penalize you as a d12 can roll a 1 just as easily as a 12 and there's no point in having Conan have 22 hit points at 4th level.

 

[Zadam]

Hi guys, I just joined this forum but I have been playing D&D on and off for many years.

Just wanted to share with you the method I am currently using for character stat generation...

It's basically the point distribution method, BUT with one vital difference... I assign the characters primary stat as costing 1 point per point no matter how much you increase it by (up to 18 of course)... (Example, Fighters may increase Strength up to 18 for 10 points, Wizards Intelligence etc). Other stats of course follow the standard rules.

Me and my players like this method because it allows for moderately powerful (but not TOO powerful, it depends on how many points you give them. 24 works well for fairly average characters, 28 for moderately powerful ones) characters, all of which are balanced against each other, and allows you to make you character "Good in their chosen class" without paying a premium. To gain 2 18's however you have to pay dearly for the 2nd one.

What do you guys think?

 

[Planesdragon]

I have been trying to come up with the best way for my players to generate attributes

Don't let them.

Have each of your players choose class, race, and feats, and give you all of the following:

1: Their character's history.
2: Their character's greatest strength
3: Their character's weakness.
4: Their character's family.
5: Their character's goal.
6: Thier character's, well, character. (i.e., personality.)

Take each thing they give you, and rate it from 1-10. Then add 8 to that number, and give them to the character to arrange as desired. Feel free to fudge the numbers or just randomly make them up.

Game balance comes in giving each character equal face time and equal value. Any other attempt is just an aid to this end, not a substitute for acutal GM balance in-play.

(Oh, and if the above seems like too much work, give them an array of scores. Or just let them roll dice and have fun with the characters.)

 

[diaglo]

Actually, when Diaglo said "3d6 six times in order. str, int, wis, con, dex, cha", I bet he did not mean "six times for str, six times for int, etc." but rather "six times: once for str, once for int, etc." Of course, I could be wrong.

right. i meant roll three die six. six total times.

not six times for each stat.

 

[fuindordm]

Hi guys, I just joined this forum but I have been playing D&D on and off for many years.

Just wanted to share with you the method I am currently using for character stat generation...

It's basically the point distribution method, BUT with one vital difference... I assign the characters primary stat as costing 1 point per point no matter how much you increase it by (up to 18 of course)... (Example, Fighters may increase Strength up to 18 for 10 points, Wizards Intelligence etc). Other stats of course follow the standard rules.

Me and my players like this method because it allows for moderately powerful (but not TOO powerful, it depends on how many points you give them. 24 works well for fairly average characters, 28 for moderately powerful ones) characters, all of which are balanced against each other, and allows you to make you character "Good in their chosen class" without paying a premium. To gain 2 18's however you have to pay dearly for the 2nd one.

What do you guys think?

That's an interesting idea. In practice, do you find that they always take the 18 in their prime stat?

For spellcasters, is the prime stat always the spellcasting stat? What do you consider the prime for paladins and monks?

Ben

 

[reanjr]

It's basically the point distribution method, BUT with one vital difference... I assign the characters primary stat as costing 1 point per point no matter how much you increase it by (up to 18 of course)... (Example, Fighters may increase Strength up to 18 for 10 points, Wizards Intelligence etc). Other stats of course follow the standard rules.

That's a very interesting method. I might play with that a little at some point.