Ranking the Best and Worst Ability Score Generation Methods in D&D

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Standard-array is really just a simplified subset of point-buy.

I use a different dice roll concept: 2d6+6 no dropping, min is 8, max is 18. Avg stat could be 13.

I personally prefer standard array since it allows for tertiary stats to have some impact. It also forces some creativity with the stat allocation when adding in the racial scores (traditional racials, not Tasha's method). Point buy is neat but it encourages people to abandon all but their two primary stats, leading to some polarized characters.

As an old school guy, I love rolling my stats. If I get low rolls I play it. I once had a character whos highest stat was 11, he became the warriors squire and torch barer. He cooked and did the crap work that the "Heroes" couldn't be bothered with. Then he ended up doing the ultimate sacrifice that save everyone and we had two players shed tears over his loss. It's all how you play. But I have about twenty years of gaming behind me so that helps.

Doing 3d6 in order back in the day, yielded a character with a 9 in charisma has his highest stat. The player "roleplayed" the low wis and int as the character just rushing into battle basically as a way to kill the character and rollup a new one.

Everyone always wants to roll, but then we have a few players with super powerful stats, and ones with weak stats. It doesn't matter how strong the players as a collective are, the DM can balance an encounter to fit to them, the only thing rolled stats actually do is make the player strength vary in comparison to eachother.

Dungeon Coach had an idea. You roll 4d6 drop lowest 5 times. You add the totals together and subtract from a max total, for example 72. That answer is the 6th stat number. His video explains it much better though, as well as provides ways to help if a player ends up with a super low number.

I like standard array because it guarantees a balanced character that the player can improve as they go and see a tangible change as they do.

I don’t particularly like the standard array given by the book. However modified standard arrays can be very useful for DM’s who want to set a certain power level.

4d6 Drop lowest, assign where they like. Then calculate the PBE of the rolls. If above point buy max, that's their stats. If below point buy max, that's their stat baselines, and can spend their remaining PB points how they like.

I can't remember where I heard it (I think it was Taking20), but the argument in favor of Standard Array is that it encourages the player to think about character flaws and how they'll express them in the game while still allowing them to have the strengths they originally wanted. And it makes sense to me. Everyone thinks about how amazing their character is going to be at X or Y thing in roleplaying ("I'm big and strong" OR "I'm super wise"), but they rarely consider weaknesses or disadvantages outside of pure mechanics ("I rolled a 9 in STR" OR "I dumped INT").

I really love the simplicity of standard array. It's not that I don't understand the other methods. I just like how it gets you past this stage of character creation really quickly to spend time more on concept and background. While standard array conceptually sounds like all the characters are "samey" I've never once sat at a table and thought everyone was the same, or even similar, because of standard array. The firbolg cleric, halfling rogue, and tiefling bard I play all feel sufficiently capable and distinct to me.

I have been playing for 24 years, and I love watching your vids. I love getting the flashes of nostalgia and seeing new aspects to the different game that exists today. I don't agree with everything you say or feel about the game, but I don't even agree with MYSELF 100% of the time. That being said, I always admire your commitment to reminding people that the only 'right way' to play is to be having fun.

You just know fat cat rolls 4d4+4 for character creation. Lots of numbers means lots of math which we now know to be weaknesses of Luke.

I once had my players roll all their stats into one giant stat pool. Then I let them talk to each other about who gets which numbers. If you can convince them to do it like this i recommend it. It makes a group mentality. i make them chose classes after this. you can sweeten the pot by taking the lowest roll out and making it 18.

I have the worst luck trying to roll for stats, 4d6 drop the lowest got me a 3 in one of my stats, that's right all 1s lol! Thankfully my dm let me use point buy instead, so now I personally just use point buy for all my characters, it's balanced and reliable.

I was introduced to point buy when I joined an Organized Play campaign in 3.5. Ever since I have used Point Buy in all my campaigns. It was especially useful in 4E, where the math was so broken that if you didn't have a 16 before adding your racial ability score bonuses, you would find monsters impossible to hit. In 5E, I prefer Point Buy because it puts players on an even footing, and gives their PCs room to grow in power. The Standard Array forst showed up in 3.X in the DMG. It was intended for NPCs and Monsters, and was called the Standard Array to distinguish it from the Elite Array, meant for Boss Monsters and important NPCs.

The main advantage of Standard Array is that it keeps things 'competitive', allowing all the players to be of relatively the same power level like they are in a fighting game.

Standard array: page 13 of Players Handbook during explanation of the game. It's not labeled as such (part of a paragraph), but its in the first few pages of the book.