What stat method do you use??

[BSF]

I used to use dice rolls exclusively. It isn't a bad option at all. But, I have been leaning toward stat-buy lately. Lot's of reasons for this, so I will bring it down to the most important one for me.

I am trying to guide my players through creating a character concept that they want to play before they even begin making a character. Once they have a character concept, they can begin statting out the character. It kind of forces them to re-assess what a "good" stat is and they begin to dwell less on stats and more on character.

With each new campaign, I drop the point-buy a bit more so that you can't have a huge number of uber-stats. It seems to be working, but only time will really tell.

 

[Christian Walker]

Point buy all the way. Keeps everyone on the level.

 

[Thaumaturge]

I have my players roll 5d6 drop the 2 lowest. If they don't like what they get they can choose 32pt buy. I ignore any whining about stats. This helps the characters surivive the PL+3 encounters I typically throw at them.

Thaumaturge.

 

[JoeGKushner]

In 3.0, it was a 32 point stat buy, after I experiemented with a 42 point stat buy and then with a 42 point stat buy with a minimum of 10 in all stats, leaving players with like 30 points to buy.

 

[Crothian]

I tell the players to assign numbers to their stats as they see fit. No dice, no point buy. Think of a concept and assign the stats that the concept needs.

 

[Grishnak]

Point buy all the way. Keeps everyone on the level.

Not every hero has mr perfect stats. With dice rolling there's more chance of lower stats and that in itself can create rollplay. In previous editions Rastlin was 6 Con or something along those lines, with point buy you'd never ever get someone like that as they'd all be the 'super computer characters' you get. I've played a 6 con wizard rolled and he passed out everytime he identified a magic item which I throughly enjoyed as I did with my 18 int wizard!

You do have a 16 and a 14 if I remember correctly. I did catch your comment on the gaming night though...."...yeah my stats aren't as good coz I rolled mine..." or words to that effect. Think you were talking to Gary at the time.

When we were talking he raised an eyebrow regarding my stats when we were talking about certain things such as skills, saves and to hit. He raised his eyebrow as if to ask me why they were lower than the others in the group and I told him that rolled for stats. Which everyone knows I like, the point buy makes everyone perfect in my eyes which isn't the case.

To be honest, I think I should have not given in and made you use the same system as everybody else

Well it's not a system I'll use ever, I'm afraid to say!

Characters are only unplayable when stats total = 0 or highest stat is a 13.
I've got countless characters from 2nd & 3rd editions without brilliant stats and played them until the campaign ended or the character died and enjoyed them such as my favourite character of all, my 1st minotaur Grishnak with 20, 16, 10, 9, 9, 8. I had so much fun with the character even with 4 poor stats.
I've also had some characters with unbelieveable stats which I also enjoyed playing such as a high level wizard with 18, 17, 17, 16, 15, 14 without magic items.

Ditto. "Other" for me too; please take a little more time to create poll choices if you want to attach some meaning to the results. Anyway, here's my "other" method; it mixes the randomness of rolling with the similarness* of point buy.
*I don't want to say "fairness" because any system can be considered fair, as long as everyone uses it.

Well the other can be the comments down here
Sorry though just plain forgot the other option!

Currently we are using simple 4d6 drop lowest, since most players were against the point buy method.

Why were they against the point buy out of interest?

 

[Grishnak]

I tell the players to assign numbers to their stats as they see fit. No dice, no point buy. Think of a concept and assign the stats that the concept needs.

How has this worked in your group? How did you stop people from just saying my char has 17's & 18's throughout?

 

[Crothian]

How has this worked in your group? How did you stop people from just saying my char has 17's & 18's throughout?

I trust my players. No one has ever done that. In fact, no one has a score higher then a 16 even when adding in racial bonuses. I understand that many players or even full groups with abuse the heck out of it, but I've never had to deal with it.

But to answer your question I don't stop them from making a character with straight 18's, they stop themselves.

 

[Nifelhein]

I prefer point buy because everyone do what they want and they can also have more medium characters instead of super ones, one of my playres is "character generating maximizer" - he always rolls high, really high, ending with +15 or more on total modifiers, rarely less.

Anyway I let players decide, but everyone use the same rules.

My rolling method is 4d6 in order, two rows choose one (a row is already set with all ability scores).

After that they can exchange only once a pair of stats, that makes for whatever you want but rarely exactly like you do... random plays its tricks!

 

[Thanee]

Why were they against the point buy out of interest?

Because all characters have very similar statlines then, it's sort of sterile.

With dice rolling you most often get some "quirks" (in lieu of a better term) along with those stats, which can be fun.

Bye
Thanee