tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333965379660280891.post788349820610436998..comments2024-03-19T16:13:05.126-04:00Comments on Hobby Games Recce: Normalizing 4D6Peter Schweighoferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04572819535383879995noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333965379660280891.post-22622960319851897942021-10-29T12:22:24.293-04:002021-10-29T12:22:24.293-04:00I'm not sure I need 4d6 when I buy a set of di...I'm not sure I need 4d6 when I buy a set of dice. I would think multiple d20s would have more appeal so players could put the one that is rolling poorly aside, and then have another ready to go. A recent DollarTree polyhedral set I bought came with two d12s. No one needs two d12s but still it was a fun surprise (the other set I bought did not come with any extras).<br /><br />As for character generation, 4d6 does seem to mitigate the issue of so-called "hopeless characters". I have on and off again used the 4d6 method (often combined with other things, like arranging as desired)but, that said, I've seen great characters emerge from rolling 3d6 in order and just seeing how that character comes out in play. <br /><br />I wonder what we miss out on when we don't accept the challenge because it doesn't meet our preconceived ideas of what our character's ability scores should be like. Great characters are, after all, more than the numbers on their character sheets.<br /><br />Thinking about player influence, one thing AD&D does not have (to my recollection) that I believe goes a little way towards player influence on the game, is the "drop 2 points to gain 1" as in Moldvay. There are restrictions of course and you aren't likely to get a hero with above average scores across the board, but it does let players decide how powerful they want their character to be in one area or another.<br /><br />Holmes has an interesting version of the point adjustment that varies point cost by class and the ability to be lowered. I would have used this method undoubtedly had I encountered Holmes first. Holmes goes a step farther in player influence,too, and notes that "At the DM's discretion, a character can be anything his or her player wants him to be" and then gives examples like a centaur and werebear. <br /><br />Admittedly he puts the ultimate decision with the DM, but it still puts the onus for the conversation itself in the realm of possibility for players. It's an opportunity for players to directly shape the kind of game they are playing. Moldvay makes no such mention nor do I recall this possibility being floated in the players handbook in AD&D. <br /><br />Yet, as a concept, it seems to have gotten little traction among players, DM or not. It's almost as if to say "We want to want to be able to design our characters not leave them to chance, but we don't want too many choices". Not to say that limiting choice is a bad thing, but it does make me wonder about what players want (choice in abilities vs nearly infinite variety of character races and classes).<br /><br />Sorry for the long and rambling response! You have gotten me thinking and my brain is running down a few paths at once.John Yhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16465161620134394060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333965379660280891.post-377950235653281772021-10-27T12:55:42.705-04:002021-10-27T12:55:42.705-04:00Thanks for filling in the original edition method....Thanks for filling in the original edition method. Interesting the referee made the rolls, once more demonstrating the gamemaster authority Gygax injected into earlier editions.Peter Schweighoferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572819535383879995noreply@blogger.com