Ability Score Generating

[The Oakenshield]

My group is going to use a new system for our next adventure (Ruins of Greyhawk). This is how it works. You roll 12 dice, removing the three lowest, for physical scores, and then divide the remaining dice as you choose. Then you dod the same for the metal ability scores.

LA races remove a dice from each pile before rolling for each of their LA. They don't have to remove the 3 lowest, though, only the 2 lowest, 1 lowest, ect... Depending on the LA.

You have to divide the dice between the scores as evenly as possible.
3, 3, and 2 is good, 4, 3, and 2 is not.

So what do you think? Good? Do you see any flaws.

[FMArthur]

My group is going to use a new system for our next adventure (Ruins of Greyhawk). This is how it works. You roll 12 dice, removing the three lowest, for physical scores, and then divide the remaining dice as you choose. Then you dod the same for the metal ability scores.

LA races remove a dice from each pile before rolling for each of their LA. They don't have to remove the 3 lowest, though, only the 2 lowest, 1 lowest, ect... Depending on the LA.

You have to divide the dice between the scores as evenly as possible.
3, 3, and 2 is good, 4, 3, and 2 is not.

So what do you think? Good? Do you see any flaws.

Well, to start with, you're rolling dice for character generation. That in itself is a flaw if you ask me, since it has the potential for great inter-party imbalance and determine's your character's performance over his entire career by a single uncontrolled event. And lower stats per LA might seem like a good idea, but some LA races simply get huge stat bonuses that give you more than you lose.

[grarrrg]

And lower stats per LA might seem like a good idea, but some LA races simply get huge stat bonuses that give you more than you lose.

If I'm reading OP right, then LA would have higher stats, they would get to apply 10, 11, or all 12 dice to their scores.


divide the remaining dice as you choose.
You have to divide the dice between the scores as evenly as possible.
Good? Do you see any flaws.

Yes, "divide as you choose" so long as you divide "as evenly as possible".
I understand you don't want the LA players to wind up with, say 24+ Str and 10 Dex. But this way just seems needlessly complicated.
I'd just recommend going with 4d6b3 (roll four, use best 3), maybe allowing the LA races to use 5d6b3 or something.

[dsmiles]

3d6 in order, FTW! :smalltongue:

[Esser-Z]

Like FMArthur, I've typically opposed to random stat generation. In addition to the reasons listed, I like designing a character to roleplay, starting with a concept and stating it up. One says "Hm. I'd like to play a dashing swordsman, what kind of person would become that", then fills in the stats accordingly.

So, uh, I don't really have much to say. Up until "You have to spread them as evenly as possible", it seemed like it grants more control than straight rolling, being somewhat of a compromise... But even so, it's still rolling, and still has an element of random decision in what a player can run, and that itself is, in my view, a significant flaw.

[Zen Monkey]

I'd also prefer that you not have to distribute them evenly. Real life is filled with geniuses who are not charismatic, power lifters who are very strong but also very slow, marathon runners with great stamina and dexterity but little strength, etc.

[Jack Zander]

If you do roll, I suggest having each person roll so many dice, and use the results as a poll of ability scores that everyone has to use. That way there are no power variances between party members.

[The Oakenshield]

Thanks for the replies!

I will try it with the "evenly distributed as possible" part removed.

Keep giving me your opinions, though, by all means!

[John Campbell]

I'm not opposed to rolling stats, but if you're going to roll, just roll. If you're going to use convoluted methods to take as much of the randomness out of rolling as possible, just use point buy.

[kyoryu]

So what do you think? Good? Do you see any flaws.

I think it's overly-complicated, and I don't see any real gain over something like 4d6b3, or even 3d6 straight up.

What kind of results are you actually looking for? That'd give a good idea of what a good system is. How random do you want things? Also, even assuming 3 dice per stat, the system you propose will give, on average, better results than 4d6b3. That's not necessarily bad, just be aware of it.


Well, to start with, you're rolling dice for character generation. That in itself is a flaw if you ask me, since it has the potential for great inter-party imbalance and determine's your character's performance over his entire career by a single uncontrolled event.

I agree with this entirely if you're using the "single party of adventurers, one character over the course of the campaign" model of gameplay. For that, point buy is almost a must. Random gen works better if the assumption is that a player may have multiple characters that they play at different times.


I'm not opposed to rolling stats, but if you're going to roll, just roll. If you're going to use convoluted methods to take as much of the randomness out of rolling as possible, just use point buy.

Agreed entirely on this. If were to use random gen, I'd probably do one of the following:

3d6 in order
4d6 best 3 in order
3d6, arrange as you want
4d6b3, arrange as you want
3d6 in order, you can swap two scores
4d6b3 in order, you can swap two scores

(the swap two scores variants are to allow people to play particular character classes while retaining much of the flavor of 'in order')

And, again, I'd probably only do this for a campaign that didn't center around the Destined Heroes of Destiny. Random generation works much better for a Random Schlubs Into the Meatgrinder style game.