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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 9193183" data-attributes="member: 6801845">I've always disliked rolling for ability scores even back before there was point buy.  Back in the day we were always "generous" with our rolls, allowing for adjustments such as subtract from one ability to add to another, etc.  If you wanted to play a paladin you didn't bother rolling for charisma, they just had a 17.  Once I played Living City (the 2E public play game) I switched to their early point buy system.  I could talk about my bad experiences with and my opinion of rolling, but that's another thread.  The main reason I use point buy?  Because I think of who my character will be first.  It's not even necessarily about class or role in the group, it's who my character is and where they came from.  Why is anyone stupid enough to risk their life being an adventurer, what drives them?  Greed? Vengeance? Right the worlds wrongs? Along with that a story starts to form.  Let's say I want a bit of vengeance along with a bit of interesting backstory and hooks for my DM.So I start thinking about that and stories about my character start to form before I even know their race.  Perhaps I adored my father but he was always away since he was a sailor.  Add a twist, he wasn't really a sailor he was a pirate and not just a pirate but he had discovered a book of some ancient evil. So then I add some details to that story.  My mother hid dad's true nature from us, I had a sister, fights, dark rituals, running away from home trying to hide but feeling guilty I didn't do more to save mom and sis.  All of this could get written up in a paragraph or two, certainly less than a page.  But it tells me who my character is, not just what they are.Then I figure out race and class.  The absolute last thing I think about is ability scores.  If I want anything to be random I'd start with a random history, perhaps starting with TIBF from 5E or look up a character background generator online.  Because the story of the character, where they start, what I initially envision as possible growth and goals (which can change over time) are what help me immerse myself in that character.  Part of the fun is seeing the world and responding to it from someone else's perspective.My process sometimes gets juggled around of course.  Either I want to play a descendent of a retired PC or the party needs a wizard.  But even then, ability scores are likely the last thing I want to do.  First thing is to support the class I chose but also what kind of skill proficiencies I'm going to have and do I envision my PC being an absent-minded professor with high int and low wisdom or a charismatic fighter who's not too bright?I get to do that with point buy or an array.  As an added bonus I'm not going to have stats significantly higher or lower than the rest of the PCs.  I get to play the character I want to play.So that's me.  What about other?</blockquote>

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