I tried to search to see if this was already suggested. Either, I failed my search check or there was nothing to find.
(As a rogue once told the party leader, "I didn't find any traps. That doesn't mean there aren't any traps. Feel free to open it, but I'm still going to stand way over here.")
This is a totally "back-burner", nice-to-have idea, nothing more. I don't foresee this as a simple thing given the conditionals, processing, and design that would be required and would need to be tested.
Automatic Random Ability Scores Array
Here's how I see it: In the Character Builder AFTER a DDB member defines Race and Race features ("feats") when present (step 1), Class levels and all Class feats when present (step 2), and Background and Background feats when present (step 4) (and optionally anything else), the member can go (back) to step 3 (Abilities) and ONE-TIME-ONLY-PER-CHARACTER, randomly generate an array based on the "top three of 4x d6" ability scores method as described in the PHB. When this is done, the character is marked with official random scores. The member cannot use the random array generator on that character again. Any changes to the base Ability scores removes the marking and still prevents further attempts to have DDB generate a random array for the character. Also, a member removing Class levels, changing any Class feats, changing the Race, changing any Race feats, changing the Background, and changing any Background feats will remove the marking and will still prevent generating another random array through DDB.
If it were me (and it's not), I would not allow copied characters to have access to the random array feature regardless if the source character used it or not. A copy made from a validated random roll would not keep the validating mark on the copied character.
Tooltips would describe what is left to do to enable the random array generation, what the mark means, and why the mark was removed if removed. A confirmation describing the requirements to retain the marking would appear before generating the random array (with the option to never show again).
("Why not just 1d16+2? How is this any better than the Standard Array?") The average of 1d16+2 is 10.5. The statistical average of the PHB method is 13. The sum of the Standard Array is 72. The sum of the most probable array from the PHB method is 78, but you still have a greater chance of rolling a lower sum than 72 than higher.
It's how you want to look at it. You're more likely to get higher individual Ability scores than the Standard Array by using the PHB method but more likely to get a lower sum of all scores with the PHB method.
("Why wait until Race, Class levels, and Background are defined before allowing DDB to generate and random array? Why prevent changing things after the array generation? What's the big deal about copies?") This will discourage just re-rolling the random array over and over. Since (if it were me and it's not) I would have the feature available only once per character, then the Race and Race feats, Class levels and feats, and Background and feats must be recreated from scratch to try another random roll. Restricting the feature to non-copied characters would eliminate a loophole to generate several copies of a template character and random rolling ability scores on each until a preferable roll was achieved. Preventing validation from transferring to copied characters would eliminate the exploit of any member using a good roll for every character of that race, class, and background.
("What if gameplay changes any of those restricted qualities? Almost anything is possible in a session.") The participants, themselves, will still know that the character began the campaign with a validated array.
("Why do this at all? What's to stop a player from still recreating characters for a good array?") This is no guarantee that a member wouldn't go through the whole process of rebuilding a character's Race and features, Class levels and features, and Background and features over and over just to get a good array, but I think it would be a nice centralized and simplified feature for members rather than needing to resort to manual methods or other sites - keep it all in-house. A DM could still require in-person rolls or standard arrays regardless whether the character used a DDB-generated random array.
As one can read, it's not straightforward in implementation once all the caveats are included. So, this would only be a wish-list feature if any consideration was given at all.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I got here because I was looking to see if there were any tools that would stop someone from just rolling over and over again.
A simpler idea would be to have the rolls for character generation go in the campaign log. This would mean people can roll 10 sets of dice if they want and everyone is fine with it. So long as everyone knows what went on then there should be no hard feelings.
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Feedback appreciated.
I tried to search to see if this was already suggested. Either, I failed my search check or there was nothing to find.
(As a rogue once told the party leader, "I didn't find any traps. That doesn't mean there aren't any traps. Feel free to open it, but I'm still going to stand way over here.")
This is a totally "back-burner", nice-to-have idea, nothing more. I don't foresee this as a simple thing given the conditionals, processing, and design that would be required and would need to be tested.
Automatic Random Ability Scores Array
Here's how I see it:
In the Character Builder AFTER a DDB member defines Race and Race features ("feats") when present (step 1), Class levels and all Class feats when present (step 2), and Background and Background feats when present (step 4) (and optionally anything else), the member can go (back) to step 3 (Abilities) and ONE-TIME-ONLY-PER-CHARACTER, randomly generate an array based on the "top three of 4x d6" ability scores method as described in the PHB. When this is done, the character is marked with official random scores. The member cannot use the random array generator on that character again. Any changes to the base Ability scores removes the marking and still prevents further attempts to have DDB generate a random array for the character. Also, a member removing Class levels, changing any Class feats, changing the Race, changing any Race feats, changing the Background, and changing any Background feats will remove the marking and will still prevent generating another random array through DDB.
If it were me (and it's not), I would not allow copied characters to have access to the random array feature regardless if the source character used it or not. A copy made from a validated random roll would not keep the validating mark on the copied character.
Tooltips would describe what is left to do to enable the random array generation, what the mark means, and why the mark was removed if removed. A confirmation describing the requirements to retain the marking would appear before generating the random array (with the option to never show again).
("Why not just 1d16+2? How is this any better than the Standard Array?")
The average of 1d16+2 is 10.5. The statistical average of the PHB method is 13. The sum of the Standard Array is 72. The sum of the most probable array from the PHB method is 78, but you still have a greater chance of rolling a lower sum than 72 than higher.
It's how you want to look at it. You're more likely to get higher individual Ability scores than the Standard Array by using the PHB method but more likely to get a lower sum of all scores with the PHB method.
("Why wait until Race, Class levels, and Background are defined before allowing DDB to generate and random array? Why prevent changing things after the array generation? What's the big deal about copies?")
This will discourage just re-rolling the random array over and over. Since (if it were me and it's not) I would have the feature available only once per character, then the Race and Race feats, Class levels and feats, and Background and feats must be recreated from scratch to try another random roll. Restricting the feature to non-copied characters would eliminate a loophole to generate several copies of a template character and random rolling ability scores on each until a preferable roll was achieved. Preventing validation from transferring to copied characters would eliminate the exploit of any member using a good roll for every character of that race, class, and background.
("What if gameplay changes any of those restricted qualities? Almost anything is possible in a session.")
The participants, themselves, will still know that the character began the campaign with a validated array.
("Why do this at all? What's to stop a player from still recreating characters for a good array?")
This is no guarantee that a member wouldn't go through the whole process of rebuilding a character's Race and features, Class levels and features, and Background and features over and over just to get a good array, but I think it would be a nice centralized and simplified feature for members rather than needing to resort to manual methods or other sites - keep it all in-house. A DM could still require in-person rolls or standard arrays regardless whether the character used a DDB-generated random array.
As one can read, it's not straightforward in implementation once all the caveats are included. So, this would only be a wish-list feature if any consideration was given at all.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
I'm not sure if the once per character and other restrictions are necessary, but I also would like an auto rolled stat generator.
I got here because I was looking to see if there were any tools that would stop someone from just rolling over and over again.
A simpler idea would be to have the rolls for character generation go in the campaign log. This would mean people can roll 10 sets of dice if they want and everyone is fine with it. So long as everyone knows what went on then there should be no hard feelings.