Justisaur's 27-25-23 Ability Score Generation

Post date: Sep 10, 2013 7:28:55 PM

The 27-25-23 method is sort of a 'please all the people all the time method' as it allows some buying (the +2), is close to an array as it always produces characters with 77 total in ability scores, and allows rolling something. Since the total is always 77 I can easily look at a character and see if someone screwed up. Here's the original method:

Roll 3 scores with 4d6 drop the lowest die, #1 bump to 9 if lower, #2 bump to 7 if lower, #3 bump to 5 if lower. Those are 3 of your scores. Subtract #1 from 27, #2 from 25 and #3 from 23, those are your other three scores. Add +2 to one score of 16 or less. Assign as desired.

Organic method:

This is the method I currently prefer. This is intended to create more organic character without having every character of the same architype have placed scores and being too similar, but still allows changing two scores and adding bonuses to make sure you can choose any class without impacting it's power too much. This is also the method I recommend for use with AD&D 1st edition as it is possible to roll a character qualifying for Bard, which isn't possible with the original method.

After rolling your scores as in the original method randomly assign them to abilities. Roll a d6 for the first score as to where it goes, then either a d5(1/2 of d10) or d6 rerolling if you get the same spot, a d4 for the next number d3 for the next number and d2 for the next to last number. After swapping two scores, raise two abilites by 2, not to exceed 18. This balances it better against arranging your scores as desired, and gives a little further customization.

Example of creating a character with the organic method:

Roll #1 I roll a 7, I bump that to 9

Roll #2 I roll a 13

Roll #3 I roll a 16

So my first three scores are 9, 13, and 16.

For score #4 I subtract #1 (9) from 27 to get 18

For score #5 subtract #2 (13) from 25 to get 12

For score #6 subtract #3 (16) from 23 to get 7

so I have 9, 13, 16, 18, 12, 7.

To randomize the placement. using d20 ability score order I do #1 Str, #2 Dex, #3 Con, #4 Int, #5 Wis, #6 Cha

#1 Roll d6 - 4, so 9 goes in Int.

#2 Roll d5 - 3 so 13 goes in Con

#3 Roll d4 - 3, so skip over Con & Int, which puts the 16 in Wis

#4 Roll d3 - 3 , so 18 goes in Cha

#5 Roll d2 - 2, so 12 goes in Dex

#6 only Str left, so 7 in Str.

7 Str

12 Dex

13 Con

9 Int

16 Wis

18 Cha

Not bad for a Cleric or Druid, or Sorcerer. If I go Sorcerer I can put the +2s in Dex and Con. If I decide I want a Fighter, I can switch Cha with Str, then add +2 to dex and Con leaving me with 18 Str, 14 Dex, 15 Con, 8 Int, 16 Wis, 7 Cha, which can be further modified by race.

I've created a sheet to auto roll and randomly arrange for you:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1I0AulR6xfPox-DlfxcoGwualfmKO7rABU7BItE1n798/edit?usp=sharing

Full point buy variant:

Choose the first 3 scores (and thus the last 3 as well) no +2 to a score, As you're already getting point buy don't need the extra +2, and it gives some balancing against the original method. This method was invented by Keith Davis.

Random placement variant:

As in the organic variant roll a d6 for the first score as to where it goes, then either a d5(1/2 of d10) or d6 rerolling if you get the same spot, a d4 for the next number d3 for the next number and d2 for the next to last number. I'd suggest when using this variant alone to use 29-27-25 as your basis and increasing the minimum bumps on the three rolls to 11, 9 and 7, without adding the +2 to a score instead of the original basis to compensate for the lack of choice.

Die Variants:

3d6: You can use 3d6 if you want instead of 4d6 drop lowest, it doesn't make a large difference but gives you more extreme scores.

Zochi/Computer: Aimed at reducing the number of dice and making it really quick, using a computer or zochi die, you roll d10+8 for the first score, d12+6 for the second and d14+4 for the last. If you don't have a a d14 or computer available you can roll d20 dropping anything over 14, or roll 3d6 for the last score. This will give you pretty extreme possibilites compared to the original method.

25-23-21:

Instead of the standard 27-25-23, this is for classic games (0e, Holmes, Moldvey & Mentzer Redbox Basics) that normally use 3d6 without rearranging. Use 25-23-21 with minimums of the first scores of 7, 5 & 3. I recommend using the Random placement variant with it for classic. This creates slightly more powerful characters on average then you'd get with 3d6, but as it doesn't have the possibility of truly exceptional characters, this makes up for it. One can go lower, as low as 21-21-21 (with exact roll) which matches 3d6 for average exactly, but doesn't have the high overall and low overall possibilities, every character with exceptionally high scores will have exceptionally low scores too, a 3 for every 18.

Notes on editions:

0e/holmes/classic: Use 25-23-21 with 3d6 + random placement variant, no bonus to scores.

AD&D 1e: You need to give +2 twice to allow Bards in 1e, or increase the basis to 29-27-25 and drop the plus, though this creates a bit more powerful characters. (Slightly more than 4d6 reroll ones. No where near as much as I remember one game I was in back in the day where it was 4d6, reroll 1s and 2s, and roll practice rolls until you had an 18 for your first score. That's an average of 91.1 points, Something like a basis of 31-29-27 2x+2 would give you that) I recommend the Organic method, though this doesn't allow as much control as the standard 4d6 drop lowest arrange as desired.

3e/4e: This method was originally made when I was playing 3e and found the variation of power between characters too much, even with point buy (due to varying skill of players), and to avoid the same feeling of characters with an array/point buy. I actually did have one game I was in where the wizard died, the DM was using point buy, so the player just made a 'twin brother' of the character with exactly the same scores and build choices as the first.

5e: Characters already get bonuses from race, so you may wish to drop the +2, though doing so may make this method less advantageous than the standard methods.