While thinking about stats ...

[musashi]

I was thinking to myself how odd it feels when I make a description of a character assuming something (like strength for example) is going to be pretty good, but the code ends up rolling it low and you've got "the tall, muscular man" who actually has poor strength going on ...

What if the chargen told you what stats you rolled before asking for a description?

[mansa]

You can set what stat priorities you want to have during character creation.

[Nusku]

Probably the easiest way around this is not to base your character description on a potentially fickle stat roll, or just accept that sometimes, appearances can be deceptive. I watched an episode or two of "America's Toughest Jobs." I admit: I liked it. But that's besides the point. One of the contestants is a very muscular bodybuilder. And yet when it comes time to actually doing these jobs where it seems like having a nice, muscular build would help you out... the guy was a total wuss.

[Shiroi Tsuki]

You can set what stat priorities you want to have during character creation.

I agree - and more elaborately think that if you're writing yourself up as a big buff Amos, or as a skinny and wan Malik, you ought to seriously consider prioritizing your stats not by what you think would be most useful, but by what you think your character should have as stats based on their background.

[Archbaron]

I think that moving away from randomized stats and picking up a stat allocation system would be the best thing ever. A crappy stat roll ruins a character concept. Something completely out of your ability shouldn't do that. On any new character, I always hold my breath until the stat roll. It's only then that I know what exactly the character will be capable of.

[jhunter]

I think that moving away from randomized stats and picking up a stat allocation system would be the best thing ever. A crappy stat roll ruins a character concept. Something completely out of your ability shouldn't do that. On any new character, I always hold my breath until the stat roll. It's only then that I know what exactly the character will be capable of.

I disagree. I've never had something that I couldn't make work without staff intervention. And in extreme cases, you have that avenue to pursue. Currently we have as much control over stats as I would ever like to see. I personally wouldn't mind if we went back to completely random stats and did away with prioritization, but it's not so bad it's helpful without taking away the random factors involved for the most part.

[Archbaron]

I disagree. I've never had something that I couldn't make work without staff intervention. And in extreme cases, you have that avenue to pursue. Currently we have as much control over stats as I would ever like to see. I personally wouldn't mind if we went back to completely random stats and did away with prioritization, but it's not so bad it's helpful without taking away the random factors involved for the most part.

I don't think that having to make Warriors 30 years old just to secure that above average strength stat is a positive thing. A warrior with even average strength will have difficulties against others of the same class.

I still don't like the randomization.

[fourTwenty]

My only problem is that I seem unable to make an average PC. I don't want him to be great at everything but -something- always ends up coming out like a dump stat. I'd give a little of even VG strength away to not be dumber or slower than a rock.

[Yam]

Bodybuilders train for mass, not athleticism.

[fourTwenty]

Bodybuilders train for mass, not athleticism.

Fighters train for athleticism, not mass.

[Qzzrbl]

Bodybuilders train for mass, not athleticism.

Fighters train for athleticism, not mass.

A little common sense when selecting your stats during creation can go a really long way.

The following is entirely hypothetical.

Now let's say there's a class called "Fighter".

They're fighting machines.

Now think about what stats might get a boost from that?

Stat 1, Stat 2, Stat 3, Stat 4.

You figure that a fighter will get a boost in say... Stat three and stat two, but might get a little reduction in Stat one.

Now if you're going for more "average" stats, don't prioritize those stats you know will get a boost, because that takes away the chance of one of the unboosted stats to get a favorable roll, while the boosts to those sweet stats will compensate for a lower roll.

Now take size into account. What do you think would get a little boost from being smaller, what do you think will get a boost from being bigger?

^Same thing with age.

There's no secret code or algorithm to follow for decent stats.

[fourTwenty]

A little common sense...

If you start a post with this statement you will usually be answered with "No shit."

What I was trying to say is that if you don't really want high stats but don't want a dump stat either your pretty fucked. I've never had a roll where it didn't pretty much dump on something. Prioritized or not. And as previously stated that's the -only- thing I don't like about that stat system.

Sometimes you just want to be an average Amos.

And I don't pick my classes to affect my stats. I pick my classes to reflect my PC's personality and profession.

[Qzzrbl]

A little common sense...

If you start a post with this statement you will usually be answered with "No shit."

What I was trying to say is that if you don't really want high stats but don't want a dump stat either your pretty fucked. I've never had a roll where it didn't pretty much dump on something. Prioritized or not. And as previously stated that's the -only- thing I don't like about that stat system.

Sometimes you just want to be an average Amos.

And I don't pick my classes to affect my stats. I pick my classes to reflect my PC's personality and profession.

Just replace "Fighter" with whatever guild, and go from there.

But keep the above example in mind.

Adjust your stat prioritization to class/race/whatever else.

[fourTwenty]

Err, nevermind. I don't believe we're on the same page. Figuratively of course.

What if the chargen told you what stats you rolled before asking for a description?

This is a neat idea. At least, I don't see the harm.

[Qzzrbl]

Err, nevermind. I don't believe we're on the same page. Figuratively of course.

What if the chargen told you what stats you rolled before asking for a description?

This is a neat idea. At least, I don't see the harm.

People will keep scrapping apps until they rolled something good.

I know I probably would.

And then -everybody- would have awesome stats, and anyone who wants to roll -average- will be at a severe disadvantage with the other PCs.

And then everyone would complain.

[musashi]

While I have since decided that this probably wouldn't really be worth doing ... you could just as easily make it so that you couldn't scrap the app once the stats were rolled ... I would imagine anyway.

I mean currently people are still perfectly capable of "scrapping" apps if they don't like their stat roll. You just end up waiting an in game hour and then go run off the shield wall.

Not advocating that behavior, just saying that people will do it reguardless if that's what they feel like doing.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

I think the way it is now is fine. It's not hard to get decent stats across the board. It's not even elite info. Pretty much, it's explained above.

[Qzzrbl]

While I have since decided that this probably wouldn't really be worth doing ... you could just as easily make it so that you couldn't scrap the app once the stats were rolled ... I would imagine anyway.

I mean currently people are still perfectly capable of "scrapping" apps if they don't like their stat roll. You just end up waiting an in game hour and then go run off the shield wall.

Not advocating that behavior, just saying that people will do it reguardless if that's what they feel like doing.

We'd still have the same problem. The only difference would be that you know you have a crappy roll -before- you create your character.

[fourTwenty]

Scrap stats totally. Leave adjustments for races. Elves are faster, dwarves are stronger. But totally dump stats. Give everybody of the same race remarkably close stats and lets leave it all up to skill. Skill baby!

[Qzzrbl]

Scrap stats totally. Leave adjustments for races. Elves are faster, dwarves are stronger. But totally dump stats. Give everybody of the same race remarkably close stats and lets leave it all up to skill. Skill baby!

...No.

It's mostly up to skill at this point anyway.

Pretty much the only -really- important stat is wisdom.

And it's only important because it determines how quickly you learn up your skills.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Hell no.

I will rape Ginka if stats get done away with.

[Riev]

I would likely set fire to many things in the name of Halaster the Lord of Creation if stats were done away with. I have my own ritualized system with the chargen (Candles, skulls, baby deer) the intricacies of which I won't get in to. If I have a low(er) wisdom, or agility, I'm usually ok with it. If I get something like "Average" on the stat I priority, I might end up rerolling, but it depends on the ratio of the other stats.

The curve of skill vs stats looks like an inverted bell curve. Two people with 0 skill, the better stats will likely win. As skill increases, stats won't matter as much, until you get to be "maxxing" out the skill, at which point two people that are master swordsmen will probably be separated only by who might hit slightly harder or moves just a hair faster.

[Qzzrbl]

I would likely set fire to many things in the name of Halaster the Lord of Creation if stats were done away with. I have my own ritualized system with the chargen (Candles, skulls, baby deer) the intricacies of which I won't get in to. If I have a low(er) wisdom, or agility, I'm usually ok with it. If I get something like "Average" on the stat I priority, I might end up rerolling, but it depends on the ratio of the other stats.

The curve of skill vs stats looks like an inverted bell curve. Two people with 0 skill, the better stats will likely win. As skill increases, stats won't matter as much, until you get to be "maxxing" out the skill, at which point two people that are master swordsmen will probably be separated only by who might hit slightly harder or moves just a hair faster.

Which, I dare say, is kinda how it happens in real life.

[touringCompl3t3]

I was thinking to myself how odd it feels when I make a description of a character assuming something (like strength for example) is going to be pretty good, but the code ends up rolling it low and you've got "the tall, muscular man" who actually has poor strength going on ...

What if the chargen told you what stats you rolled before asking for a description?

Yeah, I feel your pain.  Your idea isn't really bad, but other players are likely to have a problem with it, for maturity reasons.

Nice idea though.

[Mood]

...No.

It's mostly up to skill at this point anyway.

Pretty much the only -really- important stat is wisdom.

And it's only important because it determines how quickly you learn up your skills.

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

I call bullshit.

Have you ever played a dwarf warrior with exceptional strength?