Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
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It's a given that Random Generation makes for a wider range of ability scores that what Standard Array or Point Cost gives.
Yeah, but as long as you allow rearranging stats it just means "stats in the same priority order but slightly different absolute values". You get considerably more variance if you don't allow for rearranging stats.
Well, you Assign Ability Scores once you’ve generated six scores regardless of the method used.
Unless using house rules. If you really want unexpected characters, you need to use house rules.
Wether you houserule the way you Assign Ability Scores or not, rolled attribute makes for a wider range of ability scores that what the other methods, actually giving as you twice as much possibility with Random Generation score than with Standard Array or Point Cost alone;
What random rolling has the potential to give you is a set of scores with no holes or deficits and with one or more extremely high values. Ie all scores of 10+ with at least one 16/17/18+. Does it do this every time? Of course not but it’s highly unlikely that you will get that via straight point buy or standard array. You don’t get Conan’s, Gray mousers or Fafhard from pointbuy/ standard array, you get them from those lucky rolls.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Conan is a solo hero; he doesn't belong in an ensemble game in the first place. As for Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, you don't need particularly exceptional stats for them, they're just relatively high level.
3d6 down the line....
I mean, a primary stat of 17 to start out, when they're just beginning their story, is hardly out of line with most narratives.
I love 4d6, personally. But, my first DM wasn't a bear about it-- if you kept getting rolls under 10, you were allowed to reroll, so that no one was coming into the game ridiculously underpowered-- especially back when we were doing a west marches campaign where new players were pretty much constantly being recruited, the goal was to make new players feel excited and empowered in a world with sometimes outsized dangers.
4d6 results or choose the standard array. Problem solved.
No one wants to play the perpetually unconscious or kidnapped sidekick when everyone else gets to be one of the heroes. Being the anti-optimizer when the table is full of them leads to that result.
The point of rolling is to get something I wouldn't think to do normally. I like building characters, and like having new things to solve. Trying to assign stats through point buy such that it puts me at a novel starting point is incredibly unnatural and artificial.
Look, if a DM wants to use a standard pt allotment or array, more power to them. I do sometimes, but I am quite a bit more generous to my players. And no 27 pts is just not enough. Kinda weak, and not my cup of tea. And ya, I like higher powered stuff, so that's my bias. That said, I see a lot saying 4d6 roll, drop lowest and if its crap you can always select the standard array. Hell, game I am starting to play in did 4d6 no drop and man that is TASTY, but its meant to be a very high powered game, so this will hell of a lot of fun. Different types for different stripes right??
No it doesnt. And you know it. People dont play the game to be mike the weak ass fighter who can barely pick up a short, is out of breath in two steps and has the intelligence of a tangerine. DnD, even old school 3d6 roll in order, was still about power fantasy. Yes the stats really did direct the class you would want to play cause if you went with something else it was pretty terrible and you were likely to die. And hint...the pt of the game is to survive the adventure, not die to a slip on a rock at the entrance.
If you want to play low powered games, or if you want to have some enforced balance, fine. Not my cup of tea, but fine. But its perfectly legit to want to actually have customization, power, and you know escapism in your roleplaying game....
This "hate" on power reminds me so much of how people have hated rich folks...it used to be the thing we wanted, collectively, but more and more, success, status, power, etc all getting a bad rep....lol. Anyway, you do your table...and others will enjoy in their own way.
Well, ignoring the third point because some people do choose to play that, if you think 17 strength/14 con is weak ass, can barely pick up a short sword, and gets out of breath in two steps... you have an odd perspective on what stats actually mean.
That's completely the opposite way I come up with characters, lol. Stats are the least important part of character creation for me. They're not something to "solve", because there's no right answer
There are some ideas I have that are fairly MAD that I wouldn't be able to make with some spreads, but otherwise if I'm looking to make (consults list of unused character concepts) Orlop, a kobold bladesinger with a nautical background whose bladesong is a cross between a haka and a frilled lizard's threat display, I'm not going to sweat exactly what his INT is at 1st level, just so long as it's decent
Active characters:
Edoumiaond Willegume "Eddie" Podslee, Vegetanian scholar (College of Spirits bard)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Peter "the Pied Piper" Hausler, human con artist/remover of vermin (Circle of the Shepherd druid)
PIPA - Planar Interception/Protection Aeormaton, warforged bodyguard and ex-wizard hunter (Warrior of the Elements monk/Cartographer artificer)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
The monsters in 5e are weak as crap and the encounters are terribly calculated. So ya, I toss that. I tend to run a lot of older modules, and allow them to keep some of their more powerful features, but I havent put back in Level Drain ..... I thought about, but even though my players are better than average on their attitude I just dont think they could handle it well...lol. Still, maybe one day....hahaha....your players are rockin it cause 5e is a very very easy game on the players, very forgiving. Doesnt make it powerful. In fact, I find 5e to be super weak, its just that they put in features/mechanics that basically stop the players from failing...like Death Saves...man I hate them. Tossed those a long time ago. Worst mechanic, with Attunement right there as second worst...
When we rolled back in the day stats helped me make my characters, but I rolled down the line and whatever that spread ended up being needed an explanation. Now, its still somewhat important. Like in the game where I am playing, not DMing im playing a monk with a 10 endurance. Not because I wanted that but because I was giving him a solid intelligence for his background, and I just ran out points. Your stats, background, class choice create a story.
Um... if you think 5e is too easy, why are you giving the players monty haul stats to make it even easier? Give them an NPC array of 13/12/11/10/9/8, make it a real challenge.