Do you roll your characters?
Is your answer the default of your gaming group?
How long have you been gaming?
What system did you first game in?
1. Rarely.
2. Rarely.
3. Since ca. 1981.
4. Basic, followed shortly by AD&D and Champions.
It is easier to share a build idea with the community if you use a standard system like Point Buy. That way the idea becomes more universal and players that roll dice have a foundation for what their die rolls should look like to make that build successful.
As for your questions:
Do you roll your characters?
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
How long have you been gaming?
What system did you first game in?
1. Since the launch of DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online) I have weeded out the die rolling system. While it is a video game, I learned quickly what can actually be done with the ability scores when you have complete control over them. I now have all new characters created using a point buy system in games that I run. The other DM in my group also uses Point Buy in his games thanks to my influence.
2. It is now. Years of gaming and playing with the dice system was fun, but after a while I learned that I am more likely to have the character I versus the one that luck dictates, so we have converted to all Point Buy games.
3. Roughly 22 years now.
4. Red Box D&D.
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Almost all of the discussion I see here involves point buy characters.
How many people still roll their characters up? My group does, but we are either old timers, or those the old timers introduced to gaming. I am curious how many people still role thier characters and if thier is a corralation between that and length of gaming. I also onder what the influence of point buy systems like white wolf had on it.
So here are the questions.
Do you roll your characters?
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
How long have you been gaming?
What system did you first game in?
Thank you.
Yes, always. 4d6, drop lowest, assign to preferred ability (not necessarily in order), repeat the whole process if the result is unsatisfactory (DM veto applies).
Yes, always. We like randomness, both in high and low level results. Sometimes a bit of a challenge is welcomed too.
Since 1987, February/March IIRC.
Basic, the Red Box set (Mentzer).
So here are the questions.Do you roll your characters?
No, I usually find that having them walk down dark alleys while staggering drunk get's them rolled pretty quickly...
Oh, wait.... Oh! You mean stats! Well, yeah, we prefer to roll stats. 4d6 drop lowest, place in any order. When I'm GMing, I either let everyone roll 3 sets and pick the one they want, or everyone rolls a set and everyone picks the set they want from the sets rolled at the table.
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
Since I usually GM, yes.
How long have you been gaming?
Trying to depress me or something? Let's see... 24 years now.
What system did you first game in?
FASA's Star Trek (Honestly a really really easy system to learn on, all d100)
Thank you.
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No, nor HP rolls. I am considering it for my next campaign; my method is to have players choose either 5d6 in order; or 4d6 allocated where they choose. Most choose 5d6, when given the option, which makes for more interesting characters (charismatic fighters and strong wizards). But if they want something specific they have the option of 4d6 as they please.
My issue with the stat allocatement is you end up with too "cookie cuttered" characters (every mage is a mirror copy). HP is something I believe should NOT be random, it's too valuable, and if you roll low you can make line characters unviable.
But because I usually do PFS I play mostly under point allocation. It does have a huge advantage of not making the first session the "character gen" session.
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Almost all of the discussion I see here involves point buy characters.
How many people still roll their characters up? My group does, but we are either old timers, or those the old timers introduced to gaming. I am curious how many people still role thier characters and if thier is a corralation between that and length of gaming. I also onder what the influence of point buy systems like white wolf had on it.
So here are the questions.
Do you roll your characters?
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
How long have you been gaming?
What system did you first game in?
Thank you.
1.) I do. I actually have 4 dice I use only for rolling stats (ironically stolen from the game life)
2.) 4d6, drop the lowest.3.) Since 82
4.) AD&D first ed.
Do you roll your characters?
yes, always: roll 4d6, six times, drop lowest, assign as you wish
Is your answer the default of your gaming group?
yes
How long have you been gaming?
about 20 years
What system did you first game in?
AD&D 2nd edition
Do you roll your characters?
Depends on who in the group is GMing, but it is usually an option. I prefer the organic system: 4d6 drop lowest, stats are rolled in sequence; 1st roll is str, 2nd dex, etc. One stat can be rerolled, and two stats can be switched with each other. The end result is slightly higher than average stats with less control over where they are.
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
Nope, each GM creates the rules for the game they're running.
How long have you been gaming?
14 years
What system did you first game in?
2nd ed. AD&D
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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Do you roll your characters?
Nope. Been using point buy almost exclusively for the last 5 years or so now. We do still roll for hit points on level-up, though, but allow any 1s to be rerolled.
Is your answer the default of your gaming group?
Yes, especially since I'm the only GM. :D
How long have you been gaming?
Since 1991.
What system did you first game in?
AD&D 2nd Edition
Do you roll your characters?
Stopped last year, we now use 20-point buy.
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
We only have one GM currently, so yes.
How long have you been gaming?
Since 1979
What system did you first game in?
Basic D&D
Also, during the heyday of our powergaming ways back in 1st edition, here was our character creation method:
Roll 5d6, rerolling ones, drop the lowest 6 times for your stat array.
Once you have a stat array, roll d100 3 times for *each* 18 in the array and note the highest.
Roll 3 stat arrays.
Choose one stat array for your character.
Place stats in the array however you wish.
If your character is allowed percentile strength, and you place an 18 in strength, choose the one with the highest percentile rolled.
If any stat is too low for a class requirement, replace the stat with the class minimum.
Once stats are placed, you may swap points between stats at a 2-for-1 ratio (remove 2 points from one stat, add a point elsewhere).
This pretty much guaranteed high-powered characters, but we had a final rule:
If you don't like any of your three arrays, you can take an array that another player chose instead.
We had one game where everyone had straight 18s.
We scaled back to reasonable methods (4d6 drop lowest one time) when 2nd ed came out.
Do you roll your characters?Yes 3 d6 reroll 1s
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?yes recently went to that system everyone seems to like it
How long have you been gaming?Since 2006
What system did you first game in?D&D second ed
So here are the questions.Do you roll your characters?
No. I've found that however much people like to talk about "old school" and "against powergaming", that's pretty much hogwash. All they want is a good chance for really good stats with almost no chance of bad stats (hence all the reroll rules for minimum total bonuses, minimum scores, best off rolls, and all that)
Plus, I don't want to have chance dictate what kind of character I'm playing.
In fact, there are no dice anywhere in character creation and advancement in my games.
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
Of course. We don't do different methods in the group. There is one method and every character is created according to it.
How long have you been gaming?
Something like 10, 12 years.
What system did you first game in?
Thank you.
AD&D 2e, briefly. Mainly, it's been 3e in its various incarnations (3.0, 3.5, Pathfinder), with the occasional smattering of other systems - all of which had some form of purchase as a matter of course.
I have been roleplaying for more than twenty years.
I started out only rolling for stats until recently when some people just kept rolling their stats until they got incredible scores which made me feel like they were cheating and things felt unbalanced.
However, recently I've begun to appreciate the randomness of rolling one's stats. I even like rolling them and putting them where they fall in order for a truly unique character. As long as everyone does that, it seems fair.
Do you roll your characters?
Yes. And if I'm in a "good" mood ("good" meaning a different thing to me and the players), I make them roll for skill points too, and anything else I can think of.
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
No. It depends who's running the game. We have a lot of DMs. Many of us don't even roll hit points. I hate that, but I can't do anything about it when I'm not in the DM chair. In my opinion, rolling dice is the best part of D&D. The more you roll, the better.
How long have you been gaming?
Since 2001. If my math is correct, that's about a decade.
What system did you first game in?
3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons.
Thank you.
No problem.
And, since I'm a wordy gamer, my thoughts: I love rolling up characters, but I totally get why some people don't like it. Many of my experiences have been a battle of whining between the DM and the player in question.
Player: "Those stats suck! Can I roll them again?" *pouty face*
or
DM: "Holy crap, those stats are way too good! You're going to dominate the party with your character. Forget it. Roll 'em again, and this time don't roll so good."
That's why you have to be strict with the rules on rolling ability scores. And if there's going to be any re-rolling rules, they have to be laid out beforehand.
Also, if you're rolling ability scores randomly, don't go easy on characters. Be a lethal DM. That way, Darwinism kicks in, and the players will gradually all get characters with killer stats. Just be careful and monitor whether players are enjoying their characters. Sometimes players make throw-away characters that they expect to die off quickly, accidentally roll killer stats, and then realize that they don't like the character, but it's unkillable. Let that be a lesson to DMs everywhere: no character is unkillable.
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Hate point buy.
We use many different methods depending ion the DM and the campaign
In a Hard Hitting campain we roll 4D6 drop the lowest, Roll 8 times, toss two lowest and arrange as you want.
in other games we roll X amount of times and then can do rerolls by spending the 2 HP's we get at the start of a game.
Once again it all depends on the DM and the campaign, but we all hate point buy.
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Q) Do you roll your characters?
A) Nope, it's point buy.
Q) Is your answer the default of your gaming group?
A) Pretty much.
Q) How long have you been gaming?
A) Since about 1989. My gaming resume was able to legally drink last year.
Q) What system did you first game in?
A) Star Wars d6 was the first system.
We used to roll 4d6 for our characters. When 3.0 came out and I started running games for my group I noticed some discrepancy in the challenge rating versus characters. I think my rule of thumb was to add two levels to the party level when designing encounters and not giving them XP for it. I felt bad about that because it wasn't fair to them, but they were more challenged for that.
Our switch came about rather recently when another member of my group that also handles GM responsibilities echoed my sentiments about early levels being too easy and how that can influence the course of the entire game. We did some experimenting with point buy and, from a GM perspective, things seemed like they fit for us.
Gaming now is more about being prepared and keeping an eye to tactics whereas before it was more about half the group being a one man armies and the other having very little to do on their turn in combat. After a fight that is designed to be a challenging encounter for our party level we actually feel like we were challenged. I think it has vastly improved our gaming experience and makes success that much sweeter and failure that much funnier (says the guy that dealt less than 10 points of damage in the last game we played).
Do you roll your characters?
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
How long have you been gaming?
What system did you first game in?
Thank you.
1. Historically, yes. The last couple of games I've played have been Point-Buy, and I'm pretty pleased with those games, but when running a game short-handed for some kids, I let them roll stats to "beef up" the characters a bit.
2. My old group, which I don't play with nearly often enough, is exclusively 4d6, drop lowest, assign stats. My new group is point-buy and happy with it.3. I've been gaming since the early 90s... so almost 20 years now. Wow, that makes me feel old.
4. I started out with Palladium. From there, it was AD&D 2ed, 3.5/d20 (I skipped 3.0), and now PF.
5. You're welcome.
Point-Buy vs. Rolling truly makes no difference to me, so long as the party is reasonably balanced. Most roll-stat games I've played in have boosted the truly pitifully rolled characters up to at least average stats (on the whole).
Lost this fight with my group, we are point buy now...and likely never to return to dice.
Seems there a few people in our crew who immediatley curse any D6 they purchase and, are incapable of rolling over 4 on 4d6. It does make for better gaming for them so I see their point, but the homogenizing effect is more and more prevelent. There is now only one viable monk build, Fighters never have skill points, etc...
I am used to losing these arguements at this point however as three of the players dont care and the other two have a hive mind on this kind of stuff...the DM is great at what he does, the game is beyond fun and they are good friends so life goes on.
So here are the questions.Do you roll your characters?
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
How long have you been gaming?
What system did you first game in?
Thank you.
1. Not any more.
2. Yes3. 1994
4. Rifts
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So here are the questions.
Q. Do you roll your characters?
A yes. we do D6 dice rolls and depending on the DM and campaign this changes in how. Typical is 4D6 toss lowest
Q. Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
A. No, as I said it changes by DM and campaign
Q. How long have you been gaming?
A. Started with Blue Box and AD&D in 1979. The players hand book was brand new to the market for 1st ed
Q. What system did you first game in?
A. Blue Box Basic and AD&D all in 1 weeks time
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Do you roll your characters?No… and yes. The players first buy their characteristics. Then, in front of me, they roll 1d6 six times. Each dice is a random extra point to one stat, determined by the outcome of the roll (1: str, 2: dex, 3: con, 4: int, 5:wis, 6: cha) They can not exceed 18 in a stat (re-roll in this case)
For example, the player buy this set: 16 14 14 12 14 12. Then, he rolls 6d6, and the results are: 3,3,6,5,4,6. This is +2 con (because two 3), +2 cha (because two 6), +1 int (because one 4) +1 wis (because one 5)
No major differences between characters, players have competent characters but there is some randomness and more fun.
How long have you been gaming?17 years
What system did you first game in?AD&D
I like the rolling part, but the point buy used to buy that set is 29! Do you increase the power of the encounters to match that?
I might try that method combined with the elite array though. (15,14,13,12,10,8)
I would no more allow dice to determine my stats than race and gender.
It is MY character and I want to make it how I want, not what luck allows.
I would no more allow a point-buy system to dictate my character than I would a set of dice. I demand a 39 Strength and a 700 Intelligence, and I'll start at 20th level even though the rest of the party is at 1st.
It is MY character and I want to make it how I want, not what the system allows.Disclaimer: I think it's often more fun to not get everything I want.
I use point buy. I prefer it. I'm not a lucky roller.
Our group by default uses point buy. We used to roll, until I showed them the light. I think almost all of the arguments against point buy are intellectually bankrupt. The only one that makes any kind of sense to me is "We have more fun rolling." That argument is both cogent and strong, as fun is exactly the point. I do not have fun when rolling stats. I like point buy.
I have been gaming for 23 years. BECMI, then 1st, then 2nd, etc. I collect RPGs, so far too many systems to list here.
I entered on the old Red Box from the BECMI line. I loved that damn box.
You started playing in 2006 with 2nd Edition? There has to be a story there.How long have you been gaming?Since 2006
What system did you first game in?D&D second ed
Not really i got interested in pnp rpgs around 2005 and it took me awhile to gather a group only one of us had ever dmed and it had been a long time for him. So pretty much we played what he had the most gaming material for and that was 2nd ed. We shortly moved to 3.5 as i got comfrotable enough to dm and bought some source books, as time progressed members changed as did the sytems over to pathfinder. As it stands now we have a solid seven man group two of us take turns dming mostly pathfinder every now and then one of us will run a 2nd ed adventure its still a very solid system.
Another thing with point buy is that it adds another opportunity for min maxers (whistles innocently) to tweak the game in their favor.
I'm also even less inclined to try a martial character under point buy. If i get some decent stats i might go for it, but its almost impossible to get the high strength, dex, con, and wisdom i need (and the 13 int i want for the more interesing combat maneuvers)
1. Yes, 4d6 drop lowest, six times.
2. Yes.
3. Since ca. 1980.
4. AD&D, or maybe Basic.Ditto
Except I allow players to re-roll 1's and I started plaing in 1978...
Come on you need to allow players to play their 1 CHA goblins.
So here are the questions.
Do you roll your characters?
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
How long have you been gaming?
What system did you first game in?
#1. Only if the GM makes me. I am one of those people who is cursed with significantly below-average rolls, and I used to play with people with the opposite luck. Not fun to be objectively useless in a fight.
In my campaigns, it's always point-buy. I've even thought about expanding that to "standard array only." It has the fairness aspect of point-buy without resulting in a party full of idiot-savants.
#2. I haven't heard a single complaint from my players, but I don't know if point-buy is their actual preference.
#3. About 15 years.
#4. Basic Set D&D, I think. It's a little bit hazy. The first systems I was serious about were AD&D and Palladium Fantasy.
Do you roll your characters?
When the option is available. Usually 4d6 reroll 1's once take the top three.
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
Our group fluctuates between point buy and roll from campaign to campaign.
How long have you been gaming?
Since '82 or '83.
What system did you first game in?
Basic D&D (Otus art). We rolled 3d6 in order and liked it, THEN you picked an appropriate class.
My RPG progression (one shots and campaigns) was as folows:
80s: Basic/Expert D&D->Star Frontiers->AD&D->Morrow Project->Marvel->Gamma World->Paranoia->Call of Cthulu->Doctor Who->Rollmaster->Toon->Empire of the Petal Throne->GURPS->Top Secret->007->Palladium->2nd Edition AD&D->WEG Star Wars->Cyberpunk->Mechwarrior
90s: Storyteller->CHILL->Dream Park->Mekton->Hero->2.5 Edition D&D (skills and tactics?)
00s: 3.0->Godlike->3.5->Star Wars d20->Artisia->Exalted
10s: Pathfinder->Burning Wheel->Ars Magica
Am i missing something? Lots of different ways to make characters!
I am always puzzled by the people who state that someone with a lot of high scores dominates their game, while low scores means they sit back and do nothing. I suppose if both of them were playing a sword and board fighter, that could be partially true. But if the high score is a fighter, and the low score is a wizard or thief, they have entirely different roles to fill. I have seen a low score fighter dominate battles, because two of the PCs were a cleric and sorcerer who concentrated on buffs, so the fighter kicked... There is so much more to a PC than his stats, as some have pointed out. You can build so that they are effective, even if they have all 10s with one 12. In Kingmaker, the King actually was a paladin with those stats. He had no trouble turning into an effective paladin, although it did take a few levels.
I think I used the word "dominate" so I should clarify. I don't think it's necessarily true that a PC with all high scores will dominate the game. I was merely using the example as what the perception is when rolling up new characters.
Justified or not, players whine about low scores, and DMs wince when they see high scores. To some extent, I think that's a normal and healthy part of the game. You want people to celebrate when they get something good, and to mourn when something bad happens to their characters. Maybe I shouldn't call it whining then.
But your point is taken about ability scores not actually having as much of an impact. However, if you add good ability scores on top of a smart tactical player, it is something to watch out for.
Do you roll your characters?No… and yes. The players first buy their characteristics. Then, in front of me, they roll 1d6 six times. Each dice is a random extra point to one stat, determined by the outcome of the roll (1: str, 2: dex, 3: con, 4: int, 5:wis, 6: cha) They can not exceed 18 in a stat (re-roll in this case)
For example, the player buy this set: 16 14 14 12 14 12. Then, he rolls 6d6, and the results are: 3,3,6,5,4,6. This is +2 con (because two 3), +2 cha (because two 6), +1 int (because one 4) +1 wis (because one 5)
No major differences between characters, players have competent characters but there is some randomness and more fun.
How long have you been gaming?17 years
What system did you first game in?AD&D
I like the rolling part, but the point buy used to buy that set is 29! Do you increase the power of the encounters to match that?
I might try that method combined with the elite array though. (15,14,13,12,10,8)
I am an experienced DM. I have no fear of high abilites (or magic, as some of these forums seem to have lol) I prefer that the characters have high abilites- my players are not powergamers and they give high importance to social skills. And I like characters mechanically functionals but with other abilities important for the concept of the character (barbarian chief with high charisma, why not? Cha isn’t important for combat, but it is for the concept). Also, my players do not like having many ability-enhancers (they think that these objects are boring)- with high abilities these objects are less necessary.
In any case it works for us. My players are happy and I haven’t problems. But if you play otherwise, my houserule can be used with any array. Each table is a world!
Sorry for my poor English- not my native language.
Do you roll your characters?
No. Sometimes I'll idly roll d6s until I get a good set, but I don't actually use them for characters. I guess it's the lizard part of my brain trying to relive the experience of rolling uber-characters.
Is your answer the deefault of your gaming group?
Yes.
How long have you been gaming?
Since 1992ish.
What system did you first game in?
2e D&D.
Thank you.
TS out.
1. Roll 4d6, drop lowest, 3 sets.
2. Yes, this is generally how we do it for a D20 game.
3. First experience was probably...1998.
4. Star Wars d6
Progression: Star Wars d6, D&D 2, D&D 3.0, D&D 3.5, Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Dark Ages, BESM d20, GURPS Traveller, Star Wars d20, Psion.
I've also briefly messed around with Monte Cook's World of Darkness, Mage: The Ascension, Vampire: The Requiem, Call of Cthulhu, and All Flesh Must Be Eaten. I own the player's guide to D&D 4.0, but have never actually tried it.
Do you roll your characters?
Oh. Hell. Yes. While I was once a devotee of 4d6 seven times, removing the lowest individual die and then the lowest overall roll, I've recently switched to 2d6+6 seven times, removing the lowest roll overall. Point buy is for organized gaming and/or White Wolf.
Is your answer the default of your gaming group?
Not just yet. Most of us still roll 4d6, remove the lowest die, 6 times.
How long have you been gaming?
Since...1994?
What system did you first game in?
The very first game I played was either Star Wars d6 or Marvel Superheroes. I'm thinking it was Marvel Superheroes.
Thank you.
WOOT!!!!
1. Roll 3D6 6 times, first roll goes to STR, second toe DEX, you get the point
2. The group I play with does 25 point buy, but when I dm you roll
3. Late 80's early 90's, I don't remember
4. D&D Cyclopedia hardcover/ Call of Cthulhu
Do you roll your characters?
Always! My group refuses to do point buy (with me leading the charge against it) because to us it stops characters from being as much fun.
Prime example: The last ebberon campaign my wizard had a 16str. while our main fighter had a 15 so when we had to arm wrestle a barbarian pirate to get to meet the prince of the principalities my guy had to do it.
After really good roles and 3 action points I won. The contest lasted a full 15 rounds of back and forth before I finally won and that's after he raged.
He accused my wizard of having a buffing spell but after allowing a detect magic to be cast I only had a spell to enhance my charisma (Friendly Face races of destiny)so my wizard beat a barbarian in a contest of strength. You don't get the chance for things like that with point buy because it forces you to spend all your points on your primary stat a 18 cost over half of your points that's nuts to us.
Is your answer the default of your gaming group?
Yes, we have guys that will play 3 and 4 different classes and with PB you really can't do that as effectively.
How long have you been gaming?
Since 1988. Second edition had just come out so I was on the tale end of first going into second. First character was a wizard because we had over 12 exiled male drow rangers in the party of 19. Not all of them were there at once so the group was manageable.
What system did you first game in?
Technically first but mostly second edition D&D.
and last but not least mostly we use 4D6 drop the lowest but my dm varies depending on how rough the campaign is going to be. Last time it was 4D6 drop the lowest 5 times then at +2 to and score to get your 6th score. You can turn a 16 to an 18 or have a 20 starting out if your really lucky.
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1. Yes, 4d6 drop lowest, six times.
2. Yes.
3. Awhile ago and we will leave it at that.
4. I think it was AD&D, but not sure. Got recruited by my brother and his friends when I was really young 7 to be exact and I never really paid to much attention to the books at that time. They would play a new game about every 6 months, so I never read the rule books. Would just let them explain it to me during the games.