Character-Creation Question for my first Eberron Campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Character-Creation Question for my first Eberron Campaign [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Nemesite
12-31-06, 08:26 AM I am the Dungeon Master in my first Eberron Campaign and i need your advice for the character creation for my players.

I am torn between the roll 4d6 drop lowest ability creation method and

character creation with point buy method.

Which would be better for Eberron (and if Point-buy; 28 or 32 points) ?

Thank you all in advance

Nemesite
Moebius
12-31-06, 11:15 AM 4d6 drop is always more fun in my opinion.
shilsen
12-31-06, 12:29 PM I've run two Eberron campaigns using the following character creation rules, one of which ran two years and the second of which is about to start its third year:

Characters get to divide 80 pts among their 6 ability scores, before applying racial modifiers. Only one score may have an 18 before racial mods are applied. No score may be lower than an 8 before racial mods.

Note that this isn't pt buy but rather a straight division of pts among the stats. So someone creating a human rogue, for example, could divide 80 pts among the stats as follows: Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14.

The above system creates quite powerful characters without them being totally overpowered, IME.
Seghan
12-31-06, 12:36 PM I like 4d6 drop always, but for Eberron even more so. I feel like the low power pulp atmosphere is a appropriate for the range of scores this method develops. Even and "underpowered" character can have a great effect in the rp'ed intrigue while those more lucky with dice have the perfect backdrop for high-powered swashbuckleiness. In the end, though, in Eberron as in any setting, it mostly boils down to what your group (and you) is comfortable with.
FLo
01-01-07, 04:42 AM I can't imagine that there is any 'ideal' mehtod for eberron, as every DM runs their adventures differently regarldess of using the same setting.

What do your players prefer? What do you prefer and why?

This should be the basis for the deicison, not the setting itself.
yossarius
01-01-07, 08:39 AM I would have to agree with FLo; there is no IDEAL method, just perhaps the one you and your players most prefer.

Personally, I've chosen to stick with point-buy. In addition to the standard method (with 28 points), I allow my players the opportunity to earn a few extra points. If they write a character background, they receive 4 extra points. For every DM-usable NPC named in their background, they get 1 additional point, to a maximum of 4. So, with 45 minutes of work, the player can boost his point buy from 28 to 36.
fhilbrandt
01-01-07, 10:25 PM 4d6 has always worked for me. To make life interesting, I have my players roll the stats in order. (It makes for a simple excel spreadsheet.)
Dr. Benway
01-02-07, 02:23 AM I am going to have to against the trend here and say that point buy is by far a superior method to character creation. Why? Two main reasons.
1) Every player gets to play the kind of character they want to play.
2) All the characters are equal.
I'll elaborate.
If a player wants to play big hunky fighter type, he is not going to be happy if he rolls a low strength for his character. Sure you can say rolling adds more variety, so maybe you'll have a gaming epxereince that is new and fresh and interesting, who doesnt want to play a fighter with an 18 charisma and an 8 strength? Sure that character will be interesting. But will it be fun for that person who wanted to play the big thug? No. And this is a game...and games are supposed to be fun. Forcing someone to play something they didnt intend on is usually not that fun. Using point buy allows the players to design exactly the kind of character they want to play within a balanced system. Which leads to the second point...equality.
Those of us who existed ebfore the era of point buy system games invariably had, at least once, the experience of being the guy who rolled average on all his stats, and got to sit there and watch the guy who rolled nothing under a 16 go and stomp around and do everything.
Now this is lame for a couple reasons.
First, it just starts to get frustrating when the wizard has better average physical stats than the fighter and can still nuke the hell outta things. Having point buy alows people to focus on their characters' roles in the party, and leave gaps for others to fill.
Secondly, when you have uber powerful characters statwise next to average or at best focused characters, they tend to hog the spotlight and kind of do everything. It leaves the other players with nothing to do but get restless and bored. The barbarian can go twiddle his thumbs while the bard with the 16 strength knocks down the door for us...that kind of thing.
To sum up, I would characterize point buy as the system that allows you the most freedom when it comes to character and party generation, freedom balanced with equality and selection.
I hope this helps you out, and please keep in mind that is is all my personal opinion, and can be discarded should it not be useful or pertain to you particular group dynamic...

DocB
:88E: vs :coolcthul Who shall prevail?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nemesite 12-31-06, 08:26 AM	I am the Dungeon Master in my first Eberron Campaign and i need your advice for the character creation for my players. I am torn between the roll 4d6 drop lowest ability creation method and character creation with point buy method. Which would be better for Eberron (and if Point-buy; 28 or 32 points) ? Thank you all in advance Nemesite
Moebius 12-31-06, 11:15 AM	4d6 drop is always more fun in my opinion.
shilsen 12-31-06, 12:29 PM	I've run two Eberron campaigns using the following character creation rules, one of which ran two years and the second of which is about to start its third year: Characters get to divide 80 pts among their 6 ability scores, before applying racial modifiers. Only one score may have an 18 before racial mods are applied. No score may be lower than an 8 before racial mods. Note that this isn't pt buy but rather a straight division of pts among the stats. So someone creating a human rogue, for example, could divide 80 pts among the stats as follows: Str 12, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14. The above system creates quite powerful characters without them being totally overpowered, IME.
Seghan 12-31-06, 12:36 PM	I like 4d6 drop always, but for Eberron even more so. I feel like the low power pulp atmosphere is a appropriate for the range of scores this method develops. Even and "underpowered" character can have a great effect in the rp'ed intrigue while those more lucky with dice have the perfect backdrop for high-powered swashbuckleiness. In the end, though, in Eberron as in any setting, it mostly boils down to what your group (and you) is comfortable with.
FLo 01-01-07, 04:42 AM	I can't imagine that there is any 'ideal' mehtod for eberron, as every DM runs their adventures differently regarldess of using the same setting. What do your players prefer? What do you prefer and why? This should be the basis for the deicison, not the setting itself.
yossarius 01-01-07, 08:39 AM	I would have to agree with FLo; there is no IDEAL method, just perhaps the one you and your players most prefer. Personally, I've chosen to stick with point-buy. In addition to the standard method (with 28 points), I allow my players the opportunity to earn a few extra points. If they write a character background, they receive 4 extra points. For every DM-usable NPC named in their background, they get 1 additional point, to a maximum of 4. So, with 45 minutes of work, the player can boost his point buy from 28 to 36.
fhilbrandt 01-01-07, 10:25 PM	4d6 has always worked for me. To make life interesting, I have my players roll the stats in order. (It makes for a simple excel spreadsheet.)
Dr. Benway 01-02-07, 02:23 AM	I am going to have to against the trend here and say that point buy is by far a superior method to character creation. Why? Two main reasons. 1) Every player gets to play the kind of character they want to play. 2) All the characters are equal. I'll elaborate. If a player wants to play big hunky fighter type, he is not going to be happy if he rolls a low strength for his character. Sure you can say rolling adds more variety, so maybe you'll have a gaming epxereince that is new and fresh and interesting, who doesnt want to play a fighter with an 18 charisma and an 8 strength? Sure that character will be interesting. But will it be fun for that person who wanted to play the big thug? No. And this is a game...and games are supposed to be fun. Forcing someone to play something they didnt intend on is usually not that fun. Using point buy allows the players to design exactly the kind of character they want to play within a balanced system. Which leads to the second point...equality. Those of us who existed ebfore the era of point buy system games invariably had, at least once, the experience of being the guy who rolled average on all his stats, and got to sit there and watch the guy who rolled nothing under a 16 go and stomp around and do everything. Now this is lame for a couple reasons. First, it just starts to get frustrating when the wizard has better average physical stats than the fighter and can still nuke the hell outta things. Having point buy alows people to focus on their characters' roles in the party, and leave gaps for others to fill. Secondly, when you have uber powerful characters statwise next to average or at best focused characters, they tend to hog the spotlight and kind of do everything. It leaves the other players with nothing to do but get restless and bored. The barbarian can go twiddle his thumbs while the bard with the 16 strength knocks down the door for us...that kind of thing. To sum up, I would characterize point buy as the system that allows you the most freedom when it comes to character and party generation, freedom balanced with equality and selection. I hope this helps you out, and please keep in mind that is is all my personal opinion, and can be discarded should it not be useful or pertain to you particular group dynamic... DocB :88E: vs :coolcthul Who shall prevail?