Alternate Stat Generation (again!) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternate Stat Generation (again!) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
bhartzell
10-26-06, 02:10 PM Our play group has a split on what people like. Some like the customization of point buy. The biggest advocate of point buy is someone who wants maybe an 18 and a 14-15, but couldn't care much less about the rest of his stats. Some like the randomness, and potential power, of rolling. No one is too concerned about the unequality between players caused by rolling. We're trying to find a good middle ground. The DM has a preference for rolling, but doesn't want to do anything to make it more powerful than 4d6 drop lowest (or equivilant point buy).

Idea 1: 4d6 & trade
4d6 drop lowest 6 times.
You can then trade these totals with any other player, as long as you end up with 3 (or 4, haven't decided) of your original rolls.
Assign as you want.

Idea 2: 4d6 & point sell/buy
4d6 drop lowest 6 times.
You can then "sell off" stats to gain points using the following scale:
-2 to -4 to a stat: 1 point per 2 lowered
Additional - to a stat (beyond -4): 1 point per 1 lowered beyond -4
Then buy stats on a 1 to 1 basis.
Assign as you want.
Pros: Encourages to stick with roll, but allows you to chase that 18 if you want. Or maybe sell an 18 down to a 8, and spending the 8 points you gain to build a balanced array.

Any thoughts/responses/alternatives that achieve similar goals? Personally I lean towards idea 1. I like the relative simplicity.
Adam Smite
10-26-06, 03:29 PM Allow them to use the Stat rebuilding rules from Players Handbook 2? That system in general penalizes players for moving stats around too much, but it would allow you to get what you're looking for. Just have them use the rebuilding tools before applying racial modifiers, and don't allow them to build up higher than 18.
CryoSilver
10-26-06, 03:45 PM I've tried this method before, and it seems to work fairly well:

You get 20 points (as per point buy) plus 3d4, for a buy from 23 to 32.
bawb44
10-26-06, 07:47 PM the method of stat generation that me and my gruop came up with works for us. (sorry about the grammer, i failed english like 5 times)

roll 5d4 for each stat
Darth Sephiroth
10-27-06, 03:46 AM I happen to like the grid method.
Xeviat-DM
10-27-06, 03:51 AM the method of stat generation that me and my gruop came up with works for us. (sorry about the grammer, i failed english like 5 times)

roll 5d4 for each stat

Doesn't that mean you have a spread of 5 to 20? It's heavily weighted towards 12.5, which is fine, but what do you do when someone rolls higher than 18 (do you just round to 18?)?

I've grown more and more fond of point buy as the years go on, but a new idea came to me recently:

Elite Array: 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8. This way, players are balanced, with an average score of 13, and they have 1 very high stat, 2 high stats, 2 "average" stats, and 1 low stat. It prices at 34 points, but I'm starting to think the current point spread is pretty bogus (increasing the cost at odd numbers discourages odd numbers from being picked).
AquaticSpaceChicken
10-27-06, 09:24 AM The DM has a preference for rolling, but doesn't want to do anything to make it more powerful than 4d6 drop lowest (or equivilant point buy).

How about use roll 4d6 drop lowest. If the player is unhappy with the character they've ended up with, they may scrap it and use point buy instead (at whatever level that is set by the DM).
X-Codes
10-27-06, 09:47 AM Idea 1: 4d6 & trade
4d6 drop lowest 6 times.
You can then trade these totals with any other player, as long as you end up with 3 (or 4, haven't decided) of your original rolls.
Assign as you want.
I kinda like this one. I either roll half my stats under 9 or all but one over 14. This will let me share the chaotic love of my dice with others and let me make a character with depth. I hate playing the character with no faults whatsoever. Feels too Supermanny.

P.S. I direct you to the Otto's Random Array link in my sig (under Stuff I Use). Theres a couple dozen other stat generation methods in that thread you might be able to use for inspiration.
bawb44
10-27-06, 12:43 PM 20 is possible, yet the highest we have rolled is 16, so until the 19-20 rolls up we are good. should i round it down to 18.
Millennium
10-27-06, 01:21 PM A recent issue of Dragon had a very interesting method of doing exactly this: character generation using a Three-Dragon Ante deck. Essentially you take 25 counters, each representing a point, and then you do a tarot-like spread of ten cards. The positions and kinds of the cards determine where you place the counters, and in the end you invest these counters as points into the stats that correspond to the cards. You can scale this to higher or lower point-buy values just by changing the number of counters.

I've yet to actually try this method, but it looks awesome. The issue also includes a table for doing it with standard playing cards.
kadeity
10-27-06, 10:57 PM our group ALWAYS uses this method... since it Never reallt requires a reroll.
its called the two column method.

Roll 4d6, dropping the lowest, six times, making a column.
Now roll 4d6 dropping the lowest, six times, in a second clolumn next to the first column. Now just take the best of the two numbers that are side by side.

for example.
COLUMN 1
roll1:9
roll2:13
roll3:16
roll4:10
roll5:18
roll6:12

COLUMN 2
roll1:11
roll2:12
roll3:16
roll4:15
roll5:14
roll6:8

Now you put them side by side
9<11
13>12
16=16
10<15
18>14
12>8

so your stats are 11,13,16,15,18,12
this generally makes stats a little above average. generally.
sometimes you still end up with a 9.
Draz74
10-28-06, 07:36 PM It might need a bit of refinement, but I liked the basic idea of one method I once saw:

Start with a standard 25-point buy.

Then go through and, for each stat (in order), roll 3d6. If the rolled result is higher than the purchased number, replace it.

So you can end up with a wizard with 14 strength by sheer luck, or other interesting possiblities like that.
TheDarkLord
10-29-06, 11:05 PM Our Group uses what we call a group grid.

The players get together and roll up a 6x6 grid using 4d6 drop the lowest. They then choose which column/row/angle they want and each players uses it. They all have the same stats and can choose where to place them on their characters.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
bhartzell 10-26-06, 02:10 PM	Our play group has a split on what people like. Some like the customization of point buy. The biggest advocate of point buy is someone who wants maybe an 18 and a 14-15, but couldn't care much less about the rest of his stats. Some like the randomness, and potential power, of rolling. No one is too concerned about the unequality between players caused by rolling. We're trying to find a good middle ground. The DM has a preference for rolling, but doesn't want to do anything to make it more powerful than 4d6 drop lowest (or equivilant point buy). Idea 1: 4d6 & trade 4d6 drop lowest 6 times. You can then trade these totals with any other player, as long as you end up with 3 (or 4, haven't decided) of your original rolls. Assign as you want. Idea 2: 4d6 & point sell/buy 4d6 drop lowest 6 times. You can then "sell off" stats to gain points using the following scale: -2 to -4 to a stat: 1 point per 2 lowered Additional - to a stat (beyond -4): 1 point per 1 lowered beyond -4 Then buy stats on a 1 to 1 basis. Assign as you want. Pros: Encourages to stick with roll, but allows you to chase that 18 if you want. Or maybe sell an 18 down to a 8, and spending the 8 points you gain to build a balanced array. Any thoughts/responses/alternatives that achieve similar goals? Personally I lean towards idea 1. I like the relative simplicity.
Adam Smite 10-26-06, 03:29 PM	Allow them to use the Stat rebuilding rules from Players Handbook 2? That system in general penalizes players for moving stats around too much, but it would allow you to get what you're looking for. Just have them use the rebuilding tools before applying racial modifiers, and don't allow them to build up higher than 18.
CryoSilver 10-26-06, 03:45 PM	I've tried this method before, and it seems to work fairly well: You get 20 points (as per point buy) plus 3d4, for a buy from 23 to 32.
bawb44 10-26-06, 07:47 PM	the method of stat generation that me and my gruop came up with works for us. (sorry about the grammer, i failed english like 5 times) roll 5d4 for each stat
Darth Sephiroth 10-27-06, 03:46 AM	I happen to like the grid method.
Xeviat-DM 10-27-06, 03:51 AM	the method of stat generation that me and my gruop came up with works for us. (sorry about the grammer, i failed english like 5 times) roll 5d4 for each stat Doesn't that mean you have a spread of 5 to 20? It's heavily weighted towards 12.5, which is fine, but what do you do when someone rolls higher than 18 (do you just round to 18?)? I've grown more and more fond of point buy as the years go on, but a new idea came to me recently: Elite Array: 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8. This way, players are balanced, with an average score of 13, and they have 1 very high stat, 2 high stats, 2 "average" stats, and 1 low stat. It prices at 34 points, but I'm starting to think the current point spread is pretty bogus (increasing the cost at odd numbers discourages odd numbers from being picked).
AquaticSpaceChicken 10-27-06, 09:24 AM	The DM has a preference for rolling, but doesn't want to do anything to make it more powerful than 4d6 drop lowest (or equivilant point buy). How about use roll 4d6 drop lowest. If the player is unhappy with the character they've ended up with, they may scrap it and use point buy instead (at whatever level that is set by the DM).
X-Codes 10-27-06, 09:47 AM	Idea 1: 4d6 & trade 4d6 drop lowest 6 times. You can then trade these totals with any other player, as long as you end up with 3 (or 4, haven't decided) of your original rolls. Assign as you want. I kinda like this one. I either roll half my stats under 9 or all but one over 14. This will let me share the chaotic love of my dice with others and let me make a character with depth. I hate playing the character with no faults whatsoever. Feels too Supermanny. P.S. I direct you to the Otto's Random Array link in my sig (under Stuff I Use). Theres a couple dozen other stat generation methods in that thread you might be able to use for inspiration.
bawb44 10-27-06, 12:43 PM	20 is possible, yet the highest we have rolled is 16, so until the 19-20 rolls up we are good. should i round it down to 18.
Millennium 10-27-06, 01:21 PM	A recent issue of Dragon had a very interesting method of doing exactly this: character generation using a Three-Dragon Ante deck. Essentially you take 25 counters, each representing a point, and then you do a tarot-like spread of ten cards. The positions and kinds of the cards determine where you place the counters, and in the end you invest these counters as points into the stats that correspond to the cards. You can scale this to higher or lower point-buy values just by changing the number of counters. I've yet to actually try this method, but it looks awesome. The issue also includes a table for doing it with standard playing cards.
kadeity 10-27-06, 10:57 PM	our group ALWAYS uses this method... since it Never reallt requires a reroll. its called the two column method. Roll 4d6, dropping the lowest, six times, making a column. Now roll 4d6 dropping the lowest, six times, in a second clolumn next to the first column. Now just take the best of the two numbers that are side by side. for example. COLUMN 1 roll1:9 roll2:13 roll3:16 roll4:10 roll5:18 roll6:12 COLUMN 2 roll1:11 roll2:12 roll3:16 roll4:15 roll5:14 roll6:8 Now you put them side by side 9<11 13>12 16=16 10<15 18>14 12>8 so your stats are 11,13,16,15,18,12 this generally makes stats a little above average. generally. sometimes you still end up with a 9.
Draz74 10-28-06, 07:36 PM	It might need a bit of refinement, but I liked the basic idea of one method I once saw: Start with a standard 25-point buy. Then go through and, for each stat (in order), roll 3d6. If the rolled result is higher than the purchased number, replace it. So you can end up with a wizard with 14 strength by sheer luck, or other interesting possiblities like that.
TheDarkLord 10-29-06, 11:05 PM	Our Group uses what we call a group grid. The players get together and roll up a 6x6 grid using 4d6 drop the lowest. They then choose which column/row/angle they want and each players uses it. They all have the same stats and can choose where to place them on their characters.