Ad20r:Stat Generation

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''TODO'':
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* Start running statistical and probability analysis on all the variants to help balance costs.
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* Balance costs.
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* Come up with more card-based variants (and balance ''their'' costs), including ones that use unusual decks.
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== Basics ==
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As usual for the d20 system, there are six core stats:
As usual for the d20 system, there are six core stats:
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Charisma (Cha)
Charisma (Cha)
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The values of these abilities range from 0 to infinity, with a normal human range from 3 to 18. The normal human maximum is 24, but superhuman or supernatural characters may have higher ratings. A value of none for an Ability Score, which is different from 0, is a special case appropriate for specific character ideas.
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The values of these abilities range from 0 to infinity, with a normal human range from 3 to 18. The normal human maximum is 24, but superhuman or supernatural characters may have higher ratings. A value of none for an Ability Score, which is different from 0, is a special case appropriate for specific character ideas and/or creatures.
There are several ways to roll your stats; each costs a different number of Character Points. Choose an appropriate method.
There are several ways to roll your stats; each costs a different number of Character Points. Choose an appropriate method.
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If the GM has specified a method, you need to go with that one. (He'll probably have set your alloted Character Points downwards to match, but double-check!)
If the GM has specified a method, you need to go with that one. (He'll probably have set your alloted Character Points downwards to match, but double-check!)
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In general, players should expect to spend 25-30 character points on their stats.
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In general, players should expect to spend 25-30 character points on their stats. Players who spend less may be significantly weaker, unless they turn out to be ''very'' lucky.
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== The Gygax ==
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Don't forget that your Race might modify your stats any which way.
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Also, many but NOT all of the rules here limit the rolls to 18. For those that don't - ''no stat roll as of the end of this step may ever exceed 24. Preferably none of them should after racial modifiers either.''
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Any "modification" that does nothing to change the real odds (i.e. in drawing card variants, putting the cards face down and then pointing out which you wish to pick) are free. In fact, if the GM likes the added drama, he can given opt to give you a bonus character point or two for it.
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== Roll-based methods ==
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=== The Gygax ===
''COST'': 10 Character Points
''COST'': 10 Character Points
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If the total bonus is less than +2, you may reroll the lowest stat. Repeat, with whichever stat is now the lowest, until your total bonus is at least +2.
If the total bonus is less than +2, you may reroll the lowest stat. Repeat, with whichever stat is now the lowest, until your total bonus is at least +2.
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== The Selection ==
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=== The Yahtzee ===
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''COST'': 12 Character Points.
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Roll 3d6 then assign it to any one stat. Then repeat for a second, third, etc. until all six are full.
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Kinda like how in Yahtzee, you have to decide if a good roll goes in that row of the score sheet, or save that row to see if you can get an even better one for that row later. Thus the name.
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=== The Selection ===
''COST'': 15 Character Points
''COST'': 15 Character Points
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If the total bonus is less than +2, you may reroll the lowest roll, ''before assigning stats''. Repeat, with whichever roll is now the lowest, until your total bonus is at least +2.
If the total bonus is less than +2, you may reroll the lowest roll, ''before assigning stats''. Repeat, with whichever roll is now the lowest, until your total bonus is at least +2.
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== Point Buying ==
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=== The Tight Drop ===
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''COST'': 12 Points
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Roll 7d6. Starting each stat at 8, place up to three of the rolled dice on each score (that score can't exceed 18.)
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If the total bonus is less than +2, you may reroll the lowest single die (pick one if there's a tie). Repeat, with whichever die is now the lowest, until your total bonus is at least +2.
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=== The Open Drop ===
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''COST'': 15  Points
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Roll 21d6 (Suggested: All 18 at once, i.e. one giant pile). Put at least three and at most six dice out of the pile on each stat. No score may exceed 18.
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=== The Doubled Full Set ===
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''COST'': 12 points
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Roll one of each standard RPG die - a d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, and d4. Put one die on each stat, whichever order you want.
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Then roll a second set, and add the results to each stat - again, whichever order you wish. However, totals over 18 become 18, and no stat can be below 8. If, after the second set of rolls, there's no way to make all stats be at least 8, then redo the rolls from the top.
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=== The Random Bonuses Gygax ===
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''COST'': 16 points
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Set all six stats to 10, then roll 6d6.
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:For a 1, add 2 to Strength.
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:For a 2, add 2 to Dexterity.
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:For a 3, add 2 to Constitution.
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:For a 4, add 2 to Intelligence.
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:For a 5, add 2 to Wisdom.
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:For a 6, add 2 to Charisma.
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Most modifiers won't point-balance with this variant.
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=== The Random Bonuses Selection ===
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''COST'': 20 points
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Set all six stats to 10, then roll 6d6.
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For each of the six possible die values, pick one of the six stats. Add two to that stat for each time that number came up on the dice.
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Most modifiers won't point-balance with this variant.
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=== The Gygax Grid ===
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''COST'': 15 Character Points
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Roll 3d6 ''36'' times, and put them on a 6*6 square grid, in order (i.e. first six are first row, second six are second row, etc.).
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Pick any one row, column, or diagonal, in either direction, and put the six rolls in order for your stats.
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=== The Selection Grid ===
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''COST'': 20 Character Points
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Roll 3d6 ''36'' times, and put them on a 6*6 square grid, in order (i.e. first six are first row, second six are second row, etc.).
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Pick any one row, column, or diagonal, in either direction, and put the six rolls into your stats in whichever order you want.
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=== The Tic-Tac-Toe Grid ===
''COST'': 20 Points
''COST'': 20 Points
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Use a 32-point Buy as per the standard Point Buy rules. Additional points are 1 CP each. Rolling-related options are not allowed.
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Fill the empty squares in this table by rolling 3d6:
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{|border=1
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!X !!Intelligence !!Wisdom !!Charisma
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|-
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|Strength|| || ||
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|-
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|Dexterity|| || ||
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|-
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|Constitution|| || ||
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|}
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Select a value from the matching row or column to represent that stat; you must select 6 of the 9 spots, or pay 6 character points for each spot selected twice.
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=== Dice Buying ===
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''COST'': 20 Points
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You have 64 'pooling points' to split between dice (and can buy more for 1 Character Point for 2). Put a number of 'pooling points' into each stat equal to a specified number of dice - then roll that many dice and keep the highest 3 of them for each. ''No rolling until you've assigned all Pooling Points.''
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(Every 2 pooling points left over refunds 1 character point. Single remaining points are lost; Generous GMs might give you 1 extra skill point to make up for it.)
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{|border=1
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!Pooling Points spent !!Dice Rolled
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|-
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|4||3
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|-
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|9||4
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|-
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|12||5
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|-
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|15||6
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|-
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|17||7
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|-
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|19||8
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|-
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|20||9
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|}
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== Card-Based Methods ==
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Before getting into using cards as a dice replacement, make sure you're using a standard Poker deck. (Possible sub-variants for Tarot Decks and 5-Dimension playing cards coming in a future version.)
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You need to select a Rolling Method and then an Assignment Method for cards.
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=== Rolling Methods ===
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==== Balance-Enforced "4d6" ====
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''COST'': 8 Points
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Take the Ace through 6 out of each suit, and shuffle the resulting 24 cards. Dole them out into six sets of four, and treat each group of four as the dice of a roll 4d6 drop one. (Make sure you put them in a clear order BEFORE LOOKING AT THEM if you're using the Gygax assignment method!)
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==== Balance-Enforced "3d6" Eight Times ====
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''COST'': 8 Points
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Take the Ace through 6 out of each suit, and shuffle the resulting 24 cards. Dole them out into eight sets of three, and flip them in order. Take the lowest two totals out.
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==== Balance-Enforced "3d6" ====
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''COST'': 4 points
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Take the Ace through 6 of ''only three'' suits. Dole them out into six sets of three, and flip each set in order.
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==== Balance-Semi-Enforced "2d10" ====
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''COST'': 5 points
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Take one complete suit, and deal six sets of two from it. With Ace=1, Jack=11, Queen=12, King=13, produce the totals - any total over 18 is dropped to 18.
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=== Assignment Methods ===
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==== Gygax Assignment ====
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''COST'': 4 Points
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The six end sets you got will have been placed in a random order. Assign them in order.
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==== Selection Assignment ====
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''COST'': 7 Points
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Assign each of the six end sets to one of the stats, in whichever order you want.
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== No-Roll or Weird methods ==
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=== Point Buying ===
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''COST'': 20 Points
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Use a 32-point Buy as per the standard Point Buy rules. Additional points for the point buy are 1 CP each.
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=== Simplified Point Buying ===
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''COST'': 25 Points
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You have 75 points. Put them into all six stats, with none being below 3 or above 18.
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== Stat Block ==
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=== Stat Block ===
''COST'': 15 points
''COST'': 15 points
Put the following six numbers into your stats, in whichever order you wish:
Put the following six numbers into your stats, in whichever order you wish:
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8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15
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8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15
(Alternate blocks may be available at the GM's option.)
(Alternate blocks may be available at the GM's option.)
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=== Playing Poker With Your Stats ===
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''COST'': 25 points
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Set all six stats to 12 points. Then, play any choice poker (with your points out of each set as the betting chips) with the GM (who has one stack of 60 points)! Minimum five hands, maximum however many hands your GM can stand, minimum bet 1, maximum bet 6, and you can only bet out of one stack during any one hand.
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Should there be a primary GMPC, the GM plays equally to a character, betting their GMPC's stats instead of a flat stack!
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The GM is encouraged to consider how often they fold as a factor of how nice they're being - folding more is nicer, naturally.
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For true insanity, have ''everyone'' (including the DM) playing each other for everyone's stats. (The GM should expect to ''have'' to use one or more GM modification options when this is done...)
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(Obviously, any other betting game would work... And actually using this would generally be insane. But fun!)
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=== Minesweeper, Beginner ===
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''COST'': GM's Ruling (Recommended: Do so AFTER seeing the results)
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As per Point Buying, EXCEPT, in full view of the GM, you load up a game of Minesweeper on Beginner difficulty. The total of all numbers revealed is the number of points you have to work with.
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=== Minesweeper, Intermediate ===
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''COST'': GM's Ruling (Recommended: Do so AFTER seeing the results)
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As Simplified Point Buying, EXCEPT, in full view of the GM, you load up a game of Minesweeper on Intermediate Difficulty. Click a tile; if you die, restart and click again.
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Once you've gotten a successful click, keep going; the total of all numbers revealed is the number of points you have to work with.
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For mild generosity, add 3 to all stats before you start.
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== For Players who know their GMs trust them a LOT ==
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''COST'': 30 points
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Write whatever you damn well please in all six scores (minimum 3, maximum 18, before racial mods). If the GM will let you get away with those numbers, ''there you go!''
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== More Obscure Custom Variants ==
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''COST'': GM's choice
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Found a variant that you can't cook up between what's here and the modifiers provided? (I spent a few hours looking up a ton...) Get the GM's ruling on the cost (He's got a ton of metrics to use here!) and go for it! (GM, feel free to make the cost a little higher than what you would think it'd be if it were in here, as munchkin insurance.)
== Modifiers ==
== Modifiers ==
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Either before or after you make your rolls (GM's choice, he may even allow both, or allow afters at an additional point of cost), you can add modifiers to improve the rolls.
Either before or after you make your rolls (GM's choice, he may even allow both, or allow afters at an additional point of cost), you can add modifiers to improve the rolls.
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Add a die to all rolls, the lowest is dropped = 5 points.
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Not all options will be compatible with all base types. Use some discretion, and ''detail how you got the rolls - which variant, which modifiers, applied when -'' for the GM.
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Add a die to all rolls, no die is dropped = 8 points.
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Switch the base roll from 3d6 to 5d4 = 5 points. (Additionals become 3 and 5, for dropped/not dropped)
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=== Enhance Rolls ===
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Add a full roll, then drop the lowest = 5 points. (If using the Gygax, shift the rolls below the removed roll up.)
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* (5 points) Add a die to all rolls, the lowest is dropped.
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(Gygax Only) Swap any two stats = 2 points.
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* (8 points) Add a die to all rolls, no die is dropped.
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Add a flat +2 to a stat of choice = 2 points.
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* (1 point) Reroll any one die out of the entire pile.
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Add +2 to three randomly-selected stats = 4 points.
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* (3 points) Roll one die and add it to one other roll (no die dropped).
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* (5 points) Switch the base roll from 3d6 to 5d4. (Additionals become 3 and 5, for dropped/not dropped)
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* (5 points) Switch the base roll from 3d6 to 1d20, where a 19 is a 17 and a 20 is a 18. Reoll 1s and 2s. (Additionals are simply adding d6s on top, and cost as usual. No drop-involving modifiers allowed unless at LEAST 2d6 are involved.)
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* (4 points) Add a full roll, then drop the lowest of all rolls. (If using the Gygax, shift the rolls below the removed roll up.)
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* (6 points) Select one stat, and "Prime" it's roll - 1s become 6s and 2s become 5s. Apply this to ''all dice'' of the roll, then recalculate the top 3 (or 4, etc. if applicable).
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* (8 points) "Half-Prime" all rolls - 1s get rerolled until they stop being a 1.
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* (10 points) Replace one die out of each roll with a 6 - so instead of rolling 3d6, you roll 2d6+6, for example.
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=== Directly Improve Results ===
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* (2 points) Add a flat +2 to a stat of choice.
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* (4 points) Add +2 to three randomly-selected stats.
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=== Other ===
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* (10 points) Have the GM roll the same rolls as you in matched-pair rolls, applying the same modifiers and everything. If your rolls beat or tie theirs at least four times, take the higher roll from each pair, otherwise, redo all rolls.
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* (SPECIAL) Choose two variants above that make sense to split in half, one way or another, so that it's used for only three stats. Use one for three stats, and one for the other. Total cost = Average of the two (including the modifiers applied to each), plus 1.5, then round up to the nearest full point. (''This one requires heavy GM intercession, and he may raise the 1.5 to a higher value at his discretion.'')
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* (2 points, Gygax Only) Swap any two stats.
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* (10 points, Selection Only, SPECIAL) Balance the dice pool - that is, out of ALL the dice, there are an equal number of 6s, 5s, 4s, 3s, 2s, and 1s, and you sort them to create the rolls as you please = 10 points. There must be a multiple of 6 dice involved.
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* (Variable, Card variants only) Add one Joker to the pile of cards drawn from for the Roll. A Joker is a 7, and if the total of that draw exceeds 18 as a result, then remove a number from that pile sufficient to bring it to 18, and add it to the lowest draw. (Costs 3 for all d6 variants, 3 for the d10 variant but the Joker is a 13)
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* (GM-defined point cost) Do something that isn't quite like any modifier listed here. (Or get a bulk discount on buying the same modifier a lot.)
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* (-10 points) You must complete the character, minus name and story hooks. If you don't like the end results, you may hand the entire sheet to the GM for him to use as an NPC in this or other campaigns, and then redo theh whole thing again. (This variant may only be selected if rolls and significant risk are involved, and only ''before'' making the rolls. Further, the GM has to explicitly approve its use.)
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== GM Modification Options ==
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== If The GM Is Nice... ==
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=== If The GM Is Nice... ===
If the GM is feeling nice, he can throw in round-ups.
If the GM is feeling nice, he can throw in round-ups.
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The goal here is to bring everyone up to a comparable standard of Character Points spent to stats provided. If someone spent a lot more CP for a higher bonus, they shouldn't be included in this.
The goal here is to bring everyone up to a comparable standard of Character Points spent to stats provided. If someone spent a lot more CP for a higher bonus, they shouldn't be included in this.
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== If the GM Is Mean... ==
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=== If the GM Is Mean... ===
If the GM is feeling like people are overpowered, he can throw in round-downs.
If the GM is feeling like people are overpowered, he can throw in round-downs.
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The goal here is to bring everyone up to a comparable standard of Character Points spent to stats provided. If someone spent a lot more CP for a higher bonus, they shouldn't be included in this.
The goal here is to bring everyone up to a comparable standard of Character Points spent to stats provided. If someone spent a lot more CP for a higher bonus, they shouldn't be included in this.
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== If the GM just wants to balance the numbers... ==
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=== If the GM just wants to balance the numbers... ===
... Then he reads both of the above, sets the mean bonus as the silver standard, and either buffs or nerfs players to it according to the rules above.
... Then he reads both of the above, sets the mean bonus as the silver standard, and either buffs or nerfs players to it according to the rules above.
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== If the GM wants more control... ==
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=== If the GM wants more control... ===
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... Then he can opt to select the exact stat-generating mechanic that all players use (or possibly provide two choices - if he does, both should have comparable point costs). Or, he can simply bar specific ones (the first one to go will usually be "For a player that knows their GM trusts them a LOT" variant, for obvious reasons).
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GMs who like the idea of giving the players some influence over how they roll their stats, but don't wish to use ''any'' other Ad20R content, simply specify a number of Character Points (30 is a good benchmark for a fairly high-power campaign), and note that ''all of them'' must go into stats - ''none'' may go elsewhere. (If someone ends up with one point left, give them a +1 to a stat of their choice to finish it. If they end up with two or more points left, they can buy +2s under the Modifiers to fill it out until they have one or no points left.)
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As always, the GM is free - and encouraged! - to Rule Zero anything in the name of balance or fun.
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== References/Credits ==
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This thread involved some Google searching and forum post gathering. While all have been rewritten and reworded, credit goes where credit's due.
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Then he can opt to select the exact stat-generating mechanic that all players use (or possibly provide two choices - if he does, both should have comparable point costs).
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* The Gygax, the Selection, and most of the results from modifications of them are from various editions of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
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* Any more unusual variant ''not'' otherwise credited comes from [http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-legacy-house-rules/37191-help-finding-alternate-ways-roll-stats.html this thread on the ENWorld forums]. While it is unlikely any user who was involved in that thread will ever read this, thank you - your creativity (or at least the creativity you acquired from others) is welcomed!
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* The idea of using two different variants - three stats on one, three on the other - comes from [http://www.hackslash.net/?p=84 This post on hackslash.net]. (His specific combination of point-buying three stats and Gygax'ing the other three is a strong baseline.)
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* A full analysis of the stat blocks as they apply to the d20 system, and an analysis of the history leading there, is available [http://home.earthlink.net/~duanevp/dnd/stat_generation.htm here], and is a recommended read to anyone with time to read. (Hint: If you're reading these for fun, not for use, do it!) This page also is where the writers found the Trust variant, the Balance the Dice Pool modifier, the idea of card-based variants, the coming-in-a-later-version Racial Matrix variant, the idea of replacing one die out of each roll with a 6, the Randomized Bonuses variants, the Tic-Tac-Toe Grid, and the 'hand the sheet to the GM if you don't like it, but you HAVE to finish it first' ideas came from. (The Open Drop, while it's similar to the Randomly Generated Dice Pool in here, is from the ENWorld thread.)
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** Any combination listed there could be worth using, and most are constructible using the modifiers listed here.
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* Blame Sancdar of the [http://www.animecubed.com/billy/?88372 Billy vs. SNAKEMAN] Colbert Nation pseudo-alliance-like-thinger for the Minesweeper variants.
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* Many variants on variants found above, like the Selection Grid, are the creations of [[User:NekoIncardine | NekoIncardine]] based on what he found in the above sources. He also came up with the Poker one, which inspired Sancdar coming up with the Mindsweeper one. NekoInc has sworn that he will figure out a fully-fleshed way to have people play Reach Mahjong with their stats for a later version!
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* ZeConster (also of the Colbert Nation) and GralaminShieldheart of the #giantitp IRC channel are credited with helping to balance the point costs of the different core variations.

Current revision as of 05:17, 7 August 2010

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