some statistics on ability rolls - and a mea culpa on rerollitis
Ygramul
Member Posts: 1,060
BG uses a total minimum for ability rolls of 75.
We are used to powergaming so much so that a roll of 75 is shunned -- it is used in the extreme challenge runs.
However, a roll of 75 (for a 6 x 3d6 dice roll) is actually about the top 4% of all possible rolls. The median is a mere 63.
Basically, the engine forces us to play the cream of the cream among humans.
Now, let's look at a Sarevok's stats:
(as of BG1) 18+17+17+14+12+13 = 91
(as of BG2) 18+17+18+17+10+15 = 95
[and an exceptional strength score of 100 for both cases]
Assuming that you are brothers and all, you wanna roll identically high stats as Godchild:
For BG1 stats (91 total) this is about 0.003% odds.
Yes. That 91 roll you have has a chance of only 3 in 100,000.
(Of course, you see it more often than re-rolling 100,000 times, because (i) the engine discards already mediocre and bad rolls and (ii) many classes have minimum stat requirements which further skew the odds in your favor.)
For BG2 stats (95 total) the odds are about 1 in a million, literally.
=====
Here is my own mea culpa for a new run I will engage:
Assume that I AM a godchild. At least as good as Sarevok. A worthy challenger to a God's portfolio, at least in potential.
I will run the RNG and take the FIRST roll that returns better or equal to 91 in total (matching Sarevok in BG1).
Re-arrange stats as I wish, matching the 6 rolls to the abilities (but no minmaxing! - so no CHA as a dump stat etc.)
(Here is a pseudo-code that generates such rolls if anyone wants to use. Or you can simply re-roll in game and redistribute in EEkeeper.)
roll[] := Table[
Random[Integer, {1, 6}] + Random[Integer, {1, 6}] +
Random[Integer, {1, 6}]
, {k, 6}];
sumroll[r_] := Sum[r[[k]], {k, 6}]
For[k = 1, k < 1000000, k++,
rt = roll[];
st = sumroll[rt];
If[st >= 91, Print[st, " ", rt]; tc += 1];
];
Print[tc];
We are used to powergaming so much so that a roll of 75 is shunned -- it is used in the extreme challenge runs.
However, a roll of 75 (for a 6 x 3d6 dice roll) is actually about the top 4% of all possible rolls. The median is a mere 63.
Basically, the engine forces us to play the cream of the cream among humans.
Now, let's look at a Sarevok's stats:
(as of BG1) 18+17+17+14+12+13 = 91
(as of BG2) 18+17+18+17+10+15 = 95
[and an exceptional strength score of 100 for both cases]
Assuming that you are brothers and all, you wanna roll identically high stats as Godchild:
For BG1 stats (91 total) this is about 0.003% odds.
Yes. That 91 roll you have has a chance of only 3 in 100,000.
(Of course, you see it more often than re-rolling 100,000 times, because (i) the engine discards already mediocre and bad rolls and (ii) many classes have minimum stat requirements which further skew the odds in your favor.)
For BG2 stats (95 total) the odds are about 1 in a million, literally.
=====
Here is my own mea culpa for a new run I will engage:
Assume that I AM a godchild. At least as good as Sarevok. A worthy challenger to a God's portfolio, at least in potential.
I will run the RNG and take the FIRST roll that returns better or equal to 91 in total (matching Sarevok in BG1).
Re-arrange stats as I wish, matching the 6 rolls to the abilities (but no minmaxing! - so no CHA as a dump stat etc.)
(Here is a pseudo-code that generates such rolls if anyone wants to use. Or you can simply re-roll in game and redistribute in EEkeeper.)
roll[] := Table[
Random[Integer, {1, 6}] + Random[Integer, {1, 6}] +
Random[Integer, {1, 6}]
, {k, 6}];
sumroll[r_] := Sum[r[[k]], {k, 6}]
For[k = 1, k < 1000000, k++,
rt = roll[];
st = sumroll[rt];
If[st >= 91, Print[st, " ", rt]; tc += 1];
];
Print[tc];
5
Comments
{16,18,15,13,15,15}
... you can arrange it as
18 16 15 15 15 13
and roll for exceptional strength etc.
Loser hits a kobold for 1 damage. OOHH, Loser has hit at last!
I do believe that an expert can no-reload finish BG/BG2 with a puppy wielding wet sock -- if the party is played well to compensate.
I don't think *I* can - yet.
It takes all I can do survive even with my optimized builds... *sigh*
Good luck @meagloth
It's easy enough to assemble a balanced 5-NPC party which contains all the essential skills to win, so you could then add any protagonist (any class, any stats) to the back of the party and keep him/her well away from the action, basically just tagging along behind at a safe distance. I don't think I'd find it much fun to play that way, but I'm sure it's do-able.
Therefore, if you know the game well enough to succeed in a no-reload game, then you can probably succeed with any protagonist at all.
do a FRONTLINE character!
(Party or solo.)
That is the real test: can you survive being targeted constantly. (Strategic retreats are fine, of course.)
suffice to say, paladins were rarely rolled up.
Of course, now "balance" is regarded an undisputable necessity, especially for multiplayer. Because "win". That's why.
But D&D, wasn't about "win". It was INTENDED to be about cooperating against dire odds.
My current OCD about my BG no-reload runs is such that I only take fairly rolled stats:
i.e. I don't re-arrange ability stats at all!
I sometimes give in to powergaming (see my above contradictory post) -- but then I delete the character before Nashkel...
"I sometimes give in to powergaming -- and then my character deletes Nashkel..."
You know, unless you use eggs.
You can avoid fights in Candlekeep, and then use Korax to safely farm basilisks for some quick levels.
Gauntlets of dex = 18 dex. Girdle of giant strength = 19+ strength. Girdle of fortitude = 18 con (use it then swap it for the strength belt).
Admittedly the only strength girdle in BG1 is on the Rasad sidequest, but bows are the weapon of choice in BG1 anyway, and strength is irrelevant for these.
All told, less than great stats are a huge drawback. At level 1, you miss a LOT with a 17 str, even with specialization. If you actually fight with a str penalty, watchout for a gibberling. Stats matter very little in bg2 (gauntlet, girdles and the ring allowed you to be a 19, 18, 18, 3, 3, 18 very early. This is great for a fighter, since you can also buy the glasses of identification, which replace wis and ints main functions. Just remember not to melee Mindflayers!), but are pretty helpful in bg1.
One wishes that items were *added* to stats (3rd edition style) instead of *setting* them (2nd edition) thereby rendering any difference between, say, DEX=3 and DEX=17 meaningless (if you put on Gauntlets of Dexterity).