DreadSpoon
2007-08-27, 09:50 PM
Preamble:
I've never been a fan of the true random attribute rolling of D&D. Far too often our group would end up with one luck **** rolling a number of high scores while everyone else was average or slightly above average.
The only official fair systems are the point buy systems. I dislike these because they result in cookie-cutter stats. Anyone playing a Sorcerer will generally pick the same build of stats, removing most variation. This is why games like World of Warcraft don't even have player-assignable stats: random is unfair and with point buy systems all players will min-max the best build. WoW just assigns stats for you based on class, so all players of a certain class at a given level have identical stats. That just isn't fun in a dynamic role-play game like D&D, however.
I've devised several completely fair random attribute generation methods, which I'll share here for others to use.
Method One - "Fistfuls of Dice"
This method is going to require an awful lot of dice rolling. There are way to cut down the number of rolls, but they will alter the results in less than ideal ways.
The first task is for the GM to pick a desired average ability score. For a standard human, this is defined to be 10.5. For a PC, an average of 11.5, 12, or even 13 is more appropriate. I will use 12 for this example.
The number of dice to be rolled is equal to the desired average score, minus 3, times 6. For an average of 12, this is 12-3=9, 9*6=54. 54 dice rolls are required.
All new characters begin with a score of 3 for all six attributes. The players then roll 54d6. Now the player totals up all of the dice that rolled a 1, and add the result to the first attribute score. Then the player totals up all the dice that rolled a 2, and add the result to the second attribute score. And so on.
If any attribute score is more than 18, reroll the excess dice. For example, if the third attribute score came out to 20 (meaning that 17 dice rolled a 3), then two of the dice would be rerolled.
The player may then arrange the six attribute scores to his character's six primary attributes as desired.
To cut down on the number of dice, the dice total can be divided by a factor (like 2), and then each die roll counts for two points. This quickly cuts down the number of dice to roll, but it also drastically decreaes the granularity of the rolls. If all dice count for 2 then all attribute scores will end up odd.
Method Two - "Math is Hard"
The second method requires less dice rolls than the standard D&D attribute rolling method, but it does require a little more math than attribute generation usually asks for.
First, the GM must again pick a target average score. I've found 12 to be ideal for an average D&D level of power, though 13 would be more appropriate for higher-powered campaigns. I will use 12 for the example.
Three numbers must be calculated. The first is the target total points, which is simply the average score times 6. That would be 72 for an average of 12. The other two numbers are the MAX and MIN (explained below), which are calculated by subtracting 3 and 18 from the target total respectively. So the MAX is 69 and the MIN is 54 in our example.
The player now rolls five ability scores using any method the GM desires. I recommend using 3d6, but reroll all 1s that are rolled. Note that only five ability scores are rolled, not six.
The player then calculates the sum of the five ability scores he rolled. If the sum is greater than the MAX(69), then his ability scores are just too darn good, and he has to start over.
If the sum is less than the MIN (54), then the rolls are below par. The player gets a number of points equal to the difference between the MIN and the sum, and must distribute them however he wants amongst the five attribute scores. No score may be raised above 18.
Finally, the player takes the difference between the target total (72), and assigns this as his sixth ability score. The players now distributes the scores amongst his character's six primary attributes however he pleases.
As long as players don't mind doing the math (it's a little more math than your average skill check modifier calculation, but not much), this method is very quick and generates quite acceptable scores. Using an average of twelve will usually result in two above average scores (+1 to +2), two exceptional scores (+3, maybe a +4), and two below average scores (-1, maybe -2), in my experiments. Characters with no below average scores are also rather common. Raising the target total up to 78 (for an average score of 13) generated adequate characters for mid-high-power campaigns.
Another fun partof this system is that players who regularly roll poorly for attribute scores (every group has at least... someone has to counter out the guy who always rolls at least three 17s or 18s.) actually can be better off in this system, as rolling under the MIN guarantees at least one 18 and a few extra points to customize their attribute scores however they see fit.
Method Three - "Paper is a Renewable Resource"
The final of my methods require only a single roll, but can use up an awful lot of paper.
The GM creates an assortment of ability score tables. These can be generated however he pleases, but they should be fair. I won't try to post sample tables because that will waste way too much space (and my time).
Players roll a d100 and the result is looked up on an index table to find out which attribute array the player gets. The player then assigns the attributes as he wishes. The GM may opt to let players roll twice and pick which result they want to keep.
I've never been a fan of the true random attribute rolling of D&D. Far too often our group would end up with one luck **** rolling a number of high scores while everyone else was average or slightly above average.
The only official fair systems are the point buy systems. I dislike these because they result in cookie-cutter stats. Anyone playing a Sorcerer will generally pick the same build of stats, removing most variation. This is why games like World of Warcraft don't even have player-assignable stats: random is unfair and with point buy systems all players will min-max the best build. WoW just assigns stats for you based on class, so all players of a certain class at a given level have identical stats. That just isn't fun in a dynamic role-play game like D&D, however.
I've devised several completely fair random attribute generation methods, which I'll share here for others to use.
Method One - "Fistfuls of Dice"
This method is going to require an awful lot of dice rolling. There are way to cut down the number of rolls, but they will alter the results in less than ideal ways.
The first task is for the GM to pick a desired average ability score. For a standard human, this is defined to be 10.5. For a PC, an average of 11.5, 12, or even 13 is more appropriate. I will use 12 for this example.
The number of dice to be rolled is equal to the desired average score, minus 3, times 6. For an average of 12, this is 12-3=9, 9*6=54. 54 dice rolls are required.
All new characters begin with a score of 3 for all six attributes. The players then roll 54d6. Now the player totals up all of the dice that rolled a 1, and add the result to the first attribute score. Then the player totals up all the dice that rolled a 2, and add the result to the second attribute score. And so on.
If any attribute score is more than 18, reroll the excess dice. For example, if the third attribute score came out to 20 (meaning that 17 dice rolled a 3), then two of the dice would be rerolled.
The player may then arrange the six attribute scores to his character's six primary attributes as desired.
To cut down on the number of dice, the dice total can be divided by a factor (like 2), and then each die roll counts for two points. This quickly cuts down the number of dice to roll, but it also drastically decreaes the granularity of the rolls. If all dice count for 2 then all attribute scores will end up odd.
Method Two - "Math is Hard"
The second method requires less dice rolls than the standard D&D attribute rolling method, but it does require a little more math than attribute generation usually asks for.
First, the GM must again pick a target average score. I've found 12 to be ideal for an average D&D level of power, though 13 would be more appropriate for higher-powered campaigns. I will use 12 for the example.
Three numbers must be calculated. The first is the target total points, which is simply the average score times 6. That would be 72 for an average of 12. The other two numbers are the MAX and MIN (explained below), which are calculated by subtracting 3 and 18 from the target total respectively. So the MAX is 69 and the MIN is 54 in our example.
The player now rolls five ability scores using any method the GM desires. I recommend using 3d6, but reroll all 1s that are rolled. Note that only five ability scores are rolled, not six.
The player then calculates the sum of the five ability scores he rolled. If the sum is greater than the MAX(69), then his ability scores are just too darn good, and he has to start over.
If the sum is less than the MIN (54), then the rolls are below par. The player gets a number of points equal to the difference between the MIN and the sum, and must distribute them however he wants amongst the five attribute scores. No score may be raised above 18.
Finally, the player takes the difference between the target total (72), and assigns this as his sixth ability score. The players now distributes the scores amongst his character's six primary attributes however he pleases.
As long as players don't mind doing the math (it's a little more math than your average skill check modifier calculation, but not much), this method is very quick and generates quite acceptable scores. Using an average of twelve will usually result in two above average scores (+1 to +2), two exceptional scores (+3, maybe a +4), and two below average scores (-1, maybe -2), in my experiments. Characters with no below average scores are also rather common. Raising the target total up to 78 (for an average score of 13) generated adequate characters for mid-high-power campaigns.
Another fun partof this system is that players who regularly roll poorly for attribute scores (every group has at least... someone has to counter out the guy who always rolls at least three 17s or 18s.) actually can be better off in this system, as rolling under the MIN guarantees at least one 18 and a few extra points to customize their attribute scores however they see fit.
Method Three - "Paper is a Renewable Resource"
The final of my methods require only a single roll, but can use up an awful lot of paper.
The GM creates an assortment of ability score tables. These can be generated however he pleases, but they should be fair. I won't try to post sample tables because that will waste way too much space (and my time).
Players roll a d100 and the result is looked up on an index table to find out which attribute array the player gets. The player then assigns the attributes as he wishes. The GM may opt to let players roll twice and pick which result they want to keep.