Starting Stats: 6 + 1d6 + 1d6 [Archive] - Wizards Community

Starting Stats: 6 + 1d6 + 1d6 [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
SmiloDan
01-15-06, 05:07 PM One of my friends told me about an interesting way to generate stats, and I'm planning on using it in my next campaign.

1. Every stat (Str, Dex, etc.) begins at 6.
2. Roll 1d6 six times, and arrange them IN ORDER of Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, and Cha.
3. Roll 1d6 six times, and place each result where ever you like into Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, and Cha. One die per stat--you can't put two in Str and none in Cha!!!

This adds some randomness, but also provides player choice. My only concern is that it might result in some rather blah PCs.

My solution to this is to roll more than six times in step 3. I plan on using Action Points, so if they roll seven times, the seventh roll is for how many action points they begin with. If it's not too over powering, I'm even considering letting them roll eight times and beginning with 2d6 Action Points. Alternatively, the could roll eight times and gain a 1d6 bonus hit point kicker, kind of like in Hackmaster. Or it could apply to Wealth or Starting Equipment or something. Or maybe roll nine times, and have a choice of applying it to action points, hit points, or wealth.

I'm kind of liking the 6x6 + 6d6 + 9d6 with choices method. I just don't want it getting confusing.

What does everyone else think?
Millennium
01-15-06, 10:51 PM This adds some randomness, but also provides player choice. My only concern is that it might result in some rather blah PCs.
Actually, this stands to be fairly powerful. Your average 3d6 roll is 10, with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 18. By contract, your average 2d6+6 roll is 13, with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 18. This is roughly equivalent to a 28-point buy. Is that really "rather blah"?
SmiloDan
01-15-06, 11:13 PM I guess my players are used to a 36 point buy, which averages around 14, and lets them really customize their characters. One of my players just got done playing a kenku rogue/fighter with 6 Str, 20 Dex, 8 Con, 18 Int, 10 Wis, and 10 Cha. It lead to some interesting role-playing and character building. We started at 3rd or 4th level, so he took Alertness and Nimble Fingers for his feats...but eventually became a crossbow specialist. Of course, now he wants to play a treant paladin. That ain't gonna happen in a 1st level campaign.
FriendoftheDork
01-16-06, 07:40 AM 2d6+6 is not bad, I'd leave it at that. It should generate nice characters, that are still somewhat balanced with the CR system. If you use 36-point-buy you need to increase the challenge of the game alot asd a party of these characters should be able to take on alot greater challenges than their level, at least at low-mid levels.

Role-play and stats are not the same, and having 20 dex and 18 int doesen't make an interesting character, just an extreme one. In fact the character could probably be just as interesting with 18 dex and 16 int, or even 16 dex and 14 int. Even that is a very quick and a smart character, if not a genious.

I used to play with 36 point-buy until I realized I had to spend alot of time increasing challenges, now I'm playing 28 and considering 25.
SmiloDan
01-16-06, 08:32 AM Yeah, he didn't roleplay his strengths, he roleplayed his weaknesses. Having a 6 strength meant he couldn't carry a lot of gear, so he got a pack-dog....and eventually a handy haversack that was used as walking medicine cabinet because the party was a little odd.

The primary tank and the primary healer was the bard...and he was small and he was the strong one because he had no strength penalty. There was a sorcerer, a homebrew magician (skill-based magic system that caused non-lethal damage when spells could be successfully cast), a parrot wizard, and the kenku sneak-thief.

Also, because of his low hp and low str, he used a crossbow, and became an effective ranged combatant that way. He donated a lot of money to the church, so they buffed his xbow. It worked out nice.

But I just experimented with a 6 +1d6 +1d6 PC and it wasn't bad at all. Of course it was a theoretical 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 + 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, but it ended up making effective cleric, paladin, or monk, so it is still flexible and not sucky.
Sae Cael Oanar
01-16-06, 08:31 PM did it a couple times:

1)
str 7
dex 7
con 10
int 12
wis 11
cha 10

freebies: 6,6,6,3,3,3

stats: str 10 dex 10 con 13 int 18 wis 17 cha 16
i believe this would be 48 point buy.

2)
str 9
dex 9
con 11
int 7
wis 7
cha 11

freebies: 5,5,4,2,2,1

dont even know where to go with this one, lets assume max stats for purpose of determining point buy

stats: str 13 dex 11 con 16 int 9 wis 8 cha 16
i think thats 28 point buy

3)
str 8
dex 8
con 10
int 11
wis 9
cha 11

freebies: 5,4,4,3,3,2

stats: str 11 dex 10 con 14 int 15 wis 12 cha 16
32 point buy

id like to note doing it this way narrows down character options.
pretty big difference in characters. take what you will from this.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SmiloDan 01-15-06, 05:07 PM	One of my friends told me about an interesting way to generate stats, and I'm planning on using it in my next campaign. 1. Every stat (Str, Dex, etc.) begins at 6. 2. Roll 1d6 six times, and arrange them IN ORDER of Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, and Cha. 3. Roll 1d6 six times, and place each result where ever you like into Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, and Cha. One die per stat--you can't put two in Str and none in Cha!!! This adds some randomness, but also provides player choice. My only concern is that it might result in some rather blah PCs. My solution to this is to roll more than six times in step 3. I plan on using Action Points, so if they roll seven times, the seventh roll is for how many action points they begin with. If it's not too over powering, I'm even considering letting them roll eight times and beginning with 2d6 Action Points. Alternatively, the could roll eight times and gain a 1d6 bonus hit point kicker, kind of like in Hackmaster. Or it could apply to Wealth or Starting Equipment or something. Or maybe roll nine times, and have a choice of applying it to action points, hit points, or wealth. I'm kind of liking the 6x6 + 6d6 + 9d6 with choices method. I just don't want it getting confusing. What does everyone else think?
Millennium 01-15-06, 10:51 PM	This adds some randomness, but also provides player choice. My only concern is that it might result in some rather blah PCs. Actually, this stands to be fairly powerful. Your average 3d6 roll is 10, with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 18. By contract, your average 2d6+6 roll is 13, with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 18. This is roughly equivalent to a 28-point buy. Is that really "rather blah"?
SmiloDan 01-15-06, 11:13 PM	I guess my players are used to a 36 point buy, which averages around 14, and lets them really customize their characters. One of my players just got done playing a kenku rogue/fighter with 6 Str, 20 Dex, 8 Con, 18 Int, 10 Wis, and 10 Cha. It lead to some interesting role-playing and character building. We started at 3rd or 4th level, so he took Alertness and Nimble Fingers for his feats...but eventually became a crossbow specialist. Of course, now he wants to play a treant paladin. That ain't gonna happen in a 1st level campaign.
FriendoftheDork 01-16-06, 07:40 AM	2d6+6 is not bad, I'd leave it at that. It should generate nice characters, that are still somewhat balanced with the CR system. If you use 36-point-buy you need to increase the challenge of the game alot asd a party of these characters should be able to take on alot greater challenges than their level, at least at low-mid levels. Role-play and stats are not the same, and having 20 dex and 18 int doesen't make an interesting character, just an extreme one. In fact the character could probably be just as interesting with 18 dex and 16 int, or even 16 dex and 14 int. Even that is a very quick and a smart character, if not a genious. I used to play with 36 point-buy until I realized I had to spend alot of time increasing challenges, now I'm playing 28 and considering 25.
SmiloDan 01-16-06, 08:32 AM	Yeah, he didn't roleplay his strengths, he roleplayed his weaknesses. Having a 6 strength meant he couldn't carry a lot of gear, so he got a pack-dog....and eventually a handy haversack that was used as walking medicine cabinet because the party was a little odd. The primary tank and the primary healer was the bard...and he was small and he was the strong one because he had no strength penalty. There was a sorcerer, a homebrew magician (skill-based magic system that caused non-lethal damage when spells could be successfully cast), a parrot wizard, and the kenku sneak-thief. Also, because of his low hp and low str, he used a crossbow, and became an effective ranged combatant that way. He donated a lot of money to the church, so they buffed his xbow. It worked out nice. But I just experimented with a 6 +1d6 +1d6 PC and it wasn't bad at all. Of course it was a theoretical 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 + 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, but it ended up making effective cleric, paladin, or monk, so it is still flexible and not sucky.
Sae Cael Oanar 01-16-06, 08:31 PM	did it a couple times: 1) str 7 dex 7 con 10 int 12 wis 11 cha 10 freebies: 6,6,6,3,3,3 stats: str 10 dex 10 con 13 int 18 wis 17 cha 16 i believe this would be 48 point buy. 2) str 9 dex 9 con 11 int 7 wis 7 cha 11 freebies: 5,5,4,2,2,1 dont even know where to go with this one, lets assume max stats for purpose of determining point buy stats: str 13 dex 11 con 16 int 9 wis 8 cha 16 i think thats 28 point buy 3) str 8 dex 8 con 10 int 11 wis 9 cha 11 freebies: 5,4,4,3,3,2 stats: str 11 dex 10 con 14 int 15 wis 12 cha 16 32 point buy id like to note doing it this way narrows down character options. pretty big difference in characters. take what you will from this.