Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ravener" data-source="post: 669074" data-attributes="member: 10243">Alternate systemThis was the topic that made me decide to register.  I have to strongly agree with Celebrim and Murrdox that the point buy system creates "cookie-cutter" characters.  Boring characters that either have one 18 and a bunch of mundane stats, or min/maxxed characters with a bunch of 14s.  And, unless the player does not know what he or she is doing, all stats are invariably even-numbered.Here is the system I use.  It's not for the faint of heart, but I think stats (and randomness) are very important, and therefore worth some planning and extra die-rolling.Every stat gets a base minimum of 3d6.  In addition, you get a pool of 9d6 (or 6d6, or 12d6, depending on the power level of the campaign).  Before you roll anything, you can allocate each of these nine dice to one of the six ability scores.  Once you have allocated all nine dice, roll once for each ability, keeping the highest three.Example, fighter:Strength, 6d6  (three extra)Constitution, 5d6  (two extra)Dexterity, 4d6  (one extra)Intelligence, 3d6Wisdom, 5d6  (two extra)Charisma, 4d6  (one extra)Trust me, even 9d6 does not guarantee an 18, nor does 3d6 guarantee a crappy score.  And you must take each set as a whole, so in the example above, you could end up with 17/9/15/13/10/17, and then have to decide if the high three stats balance the low Con.  (I usually allow players to roll three sets, and choose between them.)It's the best of all worlds, because it avoids cookie-cutter stats, it limits min/maxing, and it keeps things random.  By keeping it random, it can take the character in a new direction.  Maybe the player likes the idea of a charismatic, but relatively frail, Elric-like warrior.Feedback, please.</blockquote>

Verification