Rolling stats

[Jerron]

Trying to convert a hard core player to GURPS, I've finally broken down most of his objections.

His last remaining one is that he wants to roll stats like "You're supposed to in a RPing game".

Anyone have any variant rules for rolling stats? I'm using 4E if it makes a difference, but even other edition ideas would help. No sense re-inventing the wheel if some of the people here have already playtested a system for it.

I'm probably going to let him roll, and fast-talk and quick-calculate so he doesn't realize he's paying for the stats exactly as if he had used his own choice to simply pick them. I think he wants a bonus in points by getting them for free, but I'm not going to give him one, and simply skirting the issue seems to be the easiest way to avoid the whole argument.

[Crakkerjakk]

Originally Posted by Jerron

Trying to convert a hard core player to GURPS, I've finally broken down most of his objections.

His last remaining one is that he wants to roll stats like "You're supposed to in a RPing game".

Anyone have any variant rules for rolling stats? I'm using 4E if it makes a difference, but even other edition ideas would help. No sense re-inventing the wheel if some of the people here have already playtested a system for it.

I'm probably going to let him roll, and fast-talk and quick-calculate so he doesn't realize he's paying for the stats exactly as if he had used his own choice to simply pick them. I think he wants a bonus in points by getting them for free, but I'm not going to give him one, and simply skirting the issue seems to be the easiest way to avoid the whole argument.

3d should work fine. Or you could do a red and a black d6, red is positive, black is negative, total them and add them to 10. Ex: red=4, black=2, 4-2+10=12.

[Sam Baughn]

A straight 3d6 would give too much variation and gives you an even spread below and above ten, which doesn't really match what I see in most GURPS characters.

I suggest 6d6, discard the two lowest and one highest, for basic attributes. Modify basic speed by +(2d6-4)/4 and then modify Move, HP, Will, Per and FP by +1d4-1d3.

[RedMattis]

Originally Posted by Perfect Organism

A straight 3d6 would give too much variation and gives you an even spread below and above ten, which doesn't really match what I see in most GURPS characters.

I suggest 6d6, discard the two lowest and one highest, for basic attributes. Modify basic speed by +(2d6-4)/4 and then modify Move, HP, Will, Per and FP by +1d4-1d3.

Second that. If you really want to roll stats then this is a good way to do it.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by Crakkerjakk

3d should work fine. Or you could do a red and a black d6, red is positive, black is negative, total them and add them to 10. Ex: red=4, black=2, 4-2+10=12.

12-13 is more average for a PC than 10. Of you have some Fudge dice, 12+2dF or 13+3dF may work.

Alternately, although it's pretty linear, 9+1d6 gives good PC range results.

[Harald387]

Originally Posted by Jerron

His last remaining one is that he wants to roll stats like "You're supposed to in a RPing game".

White Wolf's Storyteller System, GURPS, Savage Worlds, and even D&D have all come to the conclusion that 'built to concept' is a far better result than 'hosed by dice'. Rolled stats are a bad concept that belong firmly on the list of 'mistakes we made in the 70s that don't bear repeating'.

About the only reason I can think of for wanting to roll stats is being able to get an edge over the other players because you rolled well. Does anyone ever keep the character who rolled 6, 8, 10, 12, 11, 9 for his stats? No.

Just point out that there's not a major roleplaying game on the market today that advocates rolling stats, and that they've all gone to point-buy for a very good reason. Then work with the player to either provide a few more points so he can fit his concept (point debt is a time-honored GURPS tradition, and not unbalancing so long as you don't go too far), or work with him to fit his concept into fewer points (no, really, skill-14 makes you a PERFECTLY ADEQUATE swordsman - you don't need a 20 there!)

[Johnny Angel]

I don't find anything wrong with rolling; I normally still roll stats when playing D&D -yes, even when I occasionally still play 4E, but I'm not sure how you could roll stats in GURPS due to the game being so heavily based on points.


Is he the only one in the group who will be rolling for stats?

[knarf]

If he really wants to roll his stats D&D-style, let him do it. Figure the point cost and give him the remainder to spend on the rest of his character.

[MrTim]

Originally Posted by knarf

If he really wants to roll his stats D&D-style, let him do it. Figure the point cost and give him the remainder to spend on the rest of his character.

What he/she/it said. This keeps his character from overpowering the others. (Or underpowering, if he rolls badly.)

[Maz]

Originally Posted by Harald387

Rolled stats are a bad concept that belong firmly on the list of 'mistakes we made in the 70s that don't bear repeating'.

while Icompletly agree with this, I think there is a bit of fun in random characters, se the old Warhammer Fantasy for a perfect example. Its's sort of forces you to "fight with what you have", which can be fun IMO.

To allow Stat-rolling in GURPS I would demand that either all players do it, or the one who rolls have to pay for the stats they roll (but maybe give them a -10%/-20% discount for the random effect).