D&D 5E So the DM Let me roll stats ...

[Frozen_Heart]

Funnel! That's what it's called. It had slipped my mind.

Love the idea of character funnels as a one shot. They sound amazing.

 

[BookTenTiger]

I don't play with rolled stats because I have never, not once, seen anyone who does play a character with all (or most) stats below 12, but I certainly have seen them play a character with all (or most) stats above 12.

I feel like people who say the "like random" only seem to like random when it works out in their favour.

For me, it's not the chance of high stats but the chance of uneven stats. I just find the standard array so boring, and point buy so meta gamey. I love the chance of having a random mix of high and low stats! The last character I rolled up had a 17, an 8, and a 6. He was a goblin paladin whose favored battle strategy was to run and hide (until divine intervention would inspire him to stand his ground). He ruled.

 

[ECMO3]

One thing for me is that if I’m rolling, I don’t walk in with any sort of a plan of what to play. Low stats are going to push me in a very different direction than high stats.

This is so true. Class variances can make up a lot of ground on ability rolls.

 

[ECMO3]

I don't play with rolled stats because I have never, not once, seen anyone who does play a character with all (or most) stats below 12,

I have seen it often.

Even some of the pregens back in 1E had most stats below 12.

Moreover there was even wide variation in the stats on the pregens, with 1 pregen fighter having an 18 strength and another having a 13 in the same adventure. People played them both!

 

[Zardnaar]

I have seen it often.

Even some of the pregens back in 1E had most stats below 12.

Moreover there was even wide variation in the stats on the pregens, with 1 pregen fighter having an 18 strength and another having a 13 in the same adventure. People played them both!

Fair few of those pregens better than what you found roll most of the time.

 

[dave2008]

I would argue part of the problem here is system. 5e strongly,  strongly encourages pushing for the highest stats possible, because they're vitally important to the mechanics of play. They effect virtually every roll you make, and the bonuses go up too fast IMO. TSR's shallower curve made it more reasonable to play with lower stats.

I would argue the opposite. High stats are absolutely not needed in 5e. We cap stats at 18 and are thinking of capping them at 16 for our next campaign. There is a psychology of feeling like you need higher and higher stats, but that is not necessary in 5e IME.

Actually, the game works better for us with lower stats as it makes it feel a bit more OSR-like.

 

[MuhVerisimilitude]

I use an alternative system that combines point buy and rolling. You roll a 1d6 to select an ability score at random. This now becomes your MAX ability score. You then proceed to use point buy like normal, except the catch is that when you build the character your MAX ability score must be the highest score, or tied for the highest.

This means that the die rolls do not dictate how good you are, but the direction of your build.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I would argue the opposite. High stats are absolutely not needed in 5e. We cap stats at 18 and are thinking of capping them at 16 for our next campaign. There is a psychology of feeling like you need higher and higher stats, but that is not necessary in 5e IME.

Actually, the game works better for us with lower stats as it makes it feel a bit more OSR-like.

I'm not say the game needs higher stats. I'm saying the benefits of higher stats in 5e are so strong and pervasive that it is very difficult not to succumb to pressure and push for them as a player.

 

[dave2008]

I'm not say the game needs higher stats. I'm saying the benefits of higher stats in 5e are so strong and pervasive that it is very difficult not to succumb to pressure and push for them as a player.

My point is that since higher stats are not needed in 5e there is less pressure to strive for them. We find that a 16 (+3) in any stat is more than enough for PCs all the way up to level 20. So what is the point of grabbing higher stats?

Of course I forgot to mention that we play with no ASI, only feats. So that removes a lot of the pressure to push for higher stats (in play). However, we came to that decision after realizing that having a +5 vs a +3 in a stat didn't really matter much.

 

[Micah Sweet]

My point is that since higher stats are not needed in 5e there is less pressure to strive for them. We find that a 16 (+3) in any stat is more than enough for PCs all the way up to level 20. So what is the point of grabbing higher stats?

Of course I forgot to mention that we play with no ASI, only feats. So that removes a lot of the pressure to push for higher stats (in play). However, we came to that decision after realizing that having a +5 vs a +3 in a stat didn't really matter much.

No ASI is a huge difference, and one I dearly wish I could convince my players to adopt.