Highest Satanic Power 6+6+6: Dungeons and Dragons Character Stats

[durangodawood]

The real problems stem from the fact that d&d and most other rpgs are a group activity, and when one guy is lucky at rolling his attributes and another one is unlucky, it can create a very slanted playingfield that has arisen from no fault of the players and that can only be remedied by the unlucky player's character dying.

In any realistic world a massively deficient character probably wouldnt be going highly perilous adventures anyway. Theyd probably stay in the village stacking hay or serving beer at the tavern.

 

[Nithavela]

In any realistic world a massively deficient character probably wouldnt be going highly perilous adventures anyway. Theyd probably stay in the village stacking hay or serving beer at the tavern.

There are rules that allow you to reroll characters when you rolled really badly, but pointbuy allows a level playing field. Of course there's the possibility of minmaxing, but if you don't like optimisation, then D&D might not be the gaming system for you.

 

[durangodawood]

There are rules that allow you to reroll characters when you rolled really badly, but pointbuy allows a level playing field. Of course there's the possibility of minmaxing, but if you don't like optimisation, then D&D might not be the gaming system for you.

Maybe there's an RPG that focuses on cleaning stalls or working in the muck like those peasants in Holy Grail. Actually that would be too much like real life to be worth playing.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

This only proves that point buy is superior.

So, it almost sounds like some current players of D & D prefer to infuse a more or less "Promethean" principle within their character ability scores. Of course, this wouldn't be anything new, really. I think I remember reading some short article either in the 1980s Dungeon Master's Guide or in an article in Dragon Magazine about using alternative dice or multiple d6's because a DM might want to consider that the players represent characters who are what they are because their characters might be considered to be "above average" in ability and it is this that spurs the characters on in the fictional setting to be 'adventurers.' I guess I can empathize with a DM who holds this philosophy for the impetus behind character ability and purpose in the fantasy milieu.

 

[Nithavela]

So, it almost sounds like some current players of D & D prefer to infuse a more or less "Promethean" principle within their character ability scores. Of course, this would be anything new, really. I think I remember reading some short article either in the 1980s Dungeon Master's Guide or in an article in Dragon Magazine about using alternative dice or multiple d6's because we a DM might want to consider that the players represent characters who are what they are because their characters might be considered to be "above average" in ability and it is this that spurs the characters on in the fictional setting to be 'adventurers.' I guess I can empathize with a DM who holds this philosophy for the impetus behind character ability and purpose in the fantasy milieu.

In newer editions, the standard generation method is "roll 4 dice, keep the three highest", which also produces above average scores.

Also, in the earlier editions, a character that had mostly middling scores was still perfectly playable. In the current edition, any caster that has less than a 16 in his casting score is utterly worthless.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

In newer editions, the standard generation method is "roll 4 dice, keep the three highest", which also produces above average scores.

Also, in the earlier editions, a character that had mostly middling scores was still perfectly playable. In the current edition, any caster that has less than a 16 in his casting score is utterly worthless.

....it's been a while since I've played (a long while in fact), but if I remember right, I do think the Old DM's guide suggested the method you're speaking about now. Well, whatever. The name of the game is to have fun, and you're right about the fact that having a character with average stats is essentially "utterly worthless" and he is likely to be killed off in just a few rounds of melee combat.

 

[Freodin]

The one thing that we always emphazised in our game rounds was that the rules were there to give a framework... not a cage.

We were always very flexible when it came to scores and values and die rolls. If it fit in the flow of the story - and the GM agreed with it - it happened.

 

[durangodawood]

In newer editions, the standard generation method is "roll 4 dice, keep the three highest"....

D&D.... where all the children are above-average.

 

[Belk]

Players can role three 6's--a total of '18'-- for each character trait in this diabolical game ...and this is how we know that the Dungeons and Dragons game is a Satanic ruse affecting people in our society every day. We can also know this if we seriously consider the additional evidence provided by the following video put out by the New York Times just a few years ago. So, pop your thinking caps on and think about it!

(Oh, and Happy Halloween!)

I don't know where you are rolling up characters. The rule is to roll 4D6 and then take the highest three.

 

[Nithavela]

I don't know where you are rolling up characters. The rule is to roll 4D6 and then take the highest three.

They did use 3d6 in early d&d versions. Sometimes you even had to roll 3d6 in order and then play the character depending on where your dice fell.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I don't know where you are rolling up characters. The rule is to roll 4D6 and then take the highest three.

...you do know that on this particular thread, I'm more or less "spoofing, right? Of course, if people feel that they sometimes can't tell when I'm joking versus those times that I'm actually being serious or absurdly sublime, then I do apologize to some extent. I've been told that my humor sometimes comes across as "serious business."

But yes, you're right about the 4D6, and I do remember now that in D & D, we can use alternative methods to build character stats. So, thanks for helping to bring that back to my mind. I am a little rusty in my D & D knowledge since its been....years since I've played.

 

[abysmul]

They did use 3d6 in early d&d versions. Sometimes you even had to roll 3d6 in order and then play the character depending on where your dice fell.

100% correct.

I've been running and playing D&D games/campaigns since 1979, my favorite method is still: 4d6 drop the lowest, assign them to the stats you want, then do any modifiers.

 

[Belk]

...you do know that on this particular thread, I'm more or less "spoofing, right? Of course, if people feel that they sometimes can't tell when I'm joking versus those times that I'm actually being serious or absurdly sublime, then I do apologize to some extent. I've been told that my humor sometimes comes across as "serious business."

But yes, you're right about the 4D6, and I do remember now that in D & D, we can use alternative methods to build character stats. So, thanks for helping to bring that back to my mind. I am a little rusty in my D & D knowledge since its been....years since I've played.

I had figured. I was just trying to out geek you.

 

[Nithavela]

100% correct.

I've been running and playing D&D games/campaigns since 1979, my favorite method is still: 4d6 drop the lowest, assign them to the stats you want, then do any modifiers.

Whats your policy on rerolling?

 

[abysmul]

Whats your policy on rerolling?

Depends on the group, as I've matured (as in became old and gray) I care not if I'm running the right group. I'm willing to work with good players and let them pick stats for all I care. I like being very rules lite and have far more focus on the story telling and RP. Over the years my old group would make up some terrible story about how a poorly rolled character died at a very young age... and then just re-roll.

 

[USincognito]

DSA - "Das schwarze Auge" - had been published in the USA under the name "The Dark Eye", as far as I know.

That's probably better than a direct translation. "The Black Eye" would suggest it was some sort of Mixed Martial Arts role playing game.

 

[Nithavela]

That's probably better than a direct translation. "The Black Eye" would suggest it was some sort of Mixed Martial Arts roll playing game.

The unarmed combat system of DSA is a real hoot. Lots of special moves and counters. Theres even one for kicking someone in the groin (and a whole fighting style built around that maneuver).

 

[USincognito]

The unarmed combat system of DSA is a real hoot. Lots of special moves and counters. Theres even one for kicking someone in the groin (and a whole fighting style built around that maneuver).

Sounds like the original Pankration.

 

[MariaJLM]

Wow. People are honestly still pulling out the old "DnD is Satanic" rhetoric? *sigh*

 

[Nithavela]

Wow. People are honestly still pulling out the old "DnD is Satanic" rhetoric? *sigh*

No, OP was obviously joking.