D&D General You Were Rolling Up a New Character, and Just Rolled a 3. What Is Your Reaction?

[CleverNickName]

I don't have to DM?! Yaaaay!

#ForeverDMsForever

 

[overgeeked]

It’s the defects that make the character.

A lot of players lack a sense of…sportsmanship…for lack of a better word. They’ll endlessly cheer an 18, but a 3 is the end of the world, makes the character somehow unplayable, and try anything to get out of playing the character. Same people who throw video game controllers at the wall when they lose.

 

[Clint_L]

To be honest, I don't think ability scores have much impact on how players roleplay. Nor should they, for the most part. I run a LOT of games, and players always come up with their character concept first. If getting a particular roll is inspiring for a player, that's awesome, but in practice I don't see that much. Except for intelligence, occasionally, and then it's usually predictable, and only done when convenient. Unless you're Travis Willingham...though even he broke character to have Grog come up with clever plans pretty regularly.

 

[CleverNickName]

It’s the defects that make the character.

A lot of players lack a sense of…sportsmanship…for lack of a better word. They’ll endlessly cheer an 18, but a 3 is the end of the world, makes the character somehow unplayable, and try anything to get out of playing the character. Same people who throw video game controllers at the wall when they lose.

It might go back to that old "player vs. DM" mindset...ya know, the mentality that they are going to somehow "beat the DM" and then "win the game." The reason I say that?

One time, I offered one of my power-gamer friends a choice. He could start his character with an 18 in any ability score of his choice....but he would also have to start with a 3 in any ability score of my choice.

I was just messing around. But if you had seen the look on his face, you would have thought I had just shot someone in front of him. He genuinely thought I was trying to rig his character to "lose the game."

 

[AlViking]

It’s the defects that make the character.

A lot of players lack a sense of…sportsmanship…for lack of a better word. They’ll endlessly cheer an 18, but a 3 is the end of the world, makes the character somehow unplayable, and try anything to get out of playing the character. Same people who throw video game controllers at the wall when they lose.

Some of us want the stats to matter in who the character is and a 3 is effectively disabled. In D&D a 3 intelligence is animal intelligence, not just a -4. When I play I want to play a hero, not someone who would have a hard time putting together a coherent sentence.

YMMV of course and if your 3 intelligence is played like they're a genius it's up to you. Just explaining why I wouldn't want it as a character and it has nothing to do with "sportsmanship" or lack therein.

 

[CleverNickName]

To be honest, I don't think ability scores have much impact on how players roleplay. Nor should they, for the most part. I run a LOT of games, and players always come up with their character concept first. If getting a particular roll is inspiring for a player, that's awesome, but in practice I don't see that much.

THIS. So much this.

 

[Seramus]

Bah. Show the dice you aren't afraid! Dump your CON!

"Why are you adventuring when you're so sickly?"

"A malicious wizard swore to pay my family 1gp for every day I do this..."

 

[overgeeked]

Some of us want the stats to matter in who the character is and a 3 is effectively disabled.

What’s wrong with playing a disabled character? Though I disagree a three is disabled.

In D&D a 3 intelligence is animal intelligence, not just a -4. When I play I want to play a hero, not someone who would have a hard time putting together a coherent sentence.

Again, I reject the premise. Disabled characters can be heroes. They’re not mutually exclusive categories. And there’s nothing saying a three INT means a PC can’t put together a coherent sentence.

Just explaining why I wouldn't want it as a character and it has nothing to do with "sportsmanship" or lack therein.

The lack of sportsmanship comes in when a player’s a-okay with rolling the dice on their stats right up until that three shows up. If you’re willing to gamble as long as you win, you’re not willing to gamble. That’s bad sportsmanship.

 

[Horwath]

we dont use roll stats or if we do, we use (4d3D1)×2, range 6-18.

but if I did get a 3 and there is no re roll?
time for 3 Con front liner in light armor. See how long that will last.

 

[overgeeked]

It might go back to that old "player vs. DM" mindset...ya know, the mentality that they are going to somehow "beat the DM" and then "win the game." The reason I say that?

One time, I offered one of my power-gamer friends a choice. He could start his character with an 18 in any ability score of his choice....but he would also have to start with a 3 in any ability score of my choice.

I was just messing around. But if you had seen the look on his face, you would have thought I had just shot someone in front of him. He genuinely thought I was trying to rig his character to "lose the game."

Yeah, there’s a whole lot of adversarial-player mentality wrapped up in much of this.

I would have at least asked which stat first.