Variant: 23/25/27
At your Dungeon Master's option, you can use this variant for determining your ability scores. The method described here ensures all players have similar, but not-identical, randomized ability scores, correcting for bad or average rolls and offering exciting options to each player.
You generate your character's six ability scores randomly, by rolling subtractions from a base stat array. The base stat array is 23, 25, and 27. Before you make your first roll, declare the order in which you intend to use this array. You can choose to use the 23, the 25, or the 27 in any order.
Once you have declared the order, roll four 6-sided dice, and record the total of the highest three dice on a piece of scratch paper. Subtract this number from the first of your stat arrays, and record the result on your scratch paper. Repeat this process for the second and third number in the stat array. When you are finished, you will have six numbers which sum to a total of 75. If any of your rolls (or the score you get by subtracting your roll) is less than a 7, reroll that set.
Now, take your six numbers and write each number beside one of your character's six abilities to assign scores to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. Afterward, make any changes to your ability scores as a result of your race choice.
Building Bruenor, Step 3
Bob decides to use the base stat order of 23, 25, then 27, for Bruenor's abilities. He rolls an 8, and then subtracts 8 from 23 to get his second score of 15. He then rolls a 14, and then subtracts 14 from 25 to get his fouth score of 11. Finally, he rolls a 13, then subtracts 13 from 27 to get his final score of 14.
He now has the following numbers written down: (8, 15, 14, 11, 13, 14). Since he's a fighter, he puts his highest score, 15, in Strength. His next-highest, 14, goes in Constitution. Bruenor might be a brash fighter, but Bob decides he wants the dwarf to be older, wiser, and a good leader, so he puts decent scores in Wisdom and Charisma. After applying his racial benefits (increasing Bruenor's Constitution by 2 and his Strength by 2), Bruenor's ability scores and modifiers look like this: Strength 17 (+3), Dexterity 11 (+0), Constitution 16 (+3), Intelligence 8 (-1), Wisdom 14 (+2), and Charisma 13 (+1).
Bob fills in Bruenor's final hit points: 10 + his Constitution modifier of +3, for a total of 13 hit points.
Why Roll Ability Scores?
Everyone wants to feel like a hero, but no one likes to be left behind. Random ability score generation is fun, only so long as no one rolls really, really low. (Or worse: really, really average). So why roll ability scores at all, when perfectly viable options, like Point Buy or Standard Array, exist? > The answer is variation and excitement. With Standard Array, everyone is the same, which isn't very exciting. With Point Buy, there's actually a "solution" to the best ability score array, based on your class, and that's even less exciting. Rolling for even some of your ability scores adds variation, and promotes creative and thoughtful decisionmaking during character creation.
But as mentioned above, there's a tradeoff with rolling in that it frequently results in unbalanced characters, whether they be too strong, too weak, or too boring. We need a system that can solve this problem without ruining the excitement.
Art Credits
- TBD
Credits
- Taken from 23/25/27, by /u/4d6d1
- Formatting and verbiage by /u/damnedmage
Design Goals
- The system must be easy to fully grok. Ability scores are the first thing new players learn, and the system they use must be no more complicated than the standard rolls presented in the Player's Handbook.
- The system must not significantly alter the fundamental balance of the game.
- The system must use a rolling method which promotes interesting and exciting characters.
- The system must correct for bad or "too average" rolls.
- The system must result in balanced characters.
- There must be no way to "solve" the system.
Changelog