Dislike rolling for stats, 75 point distribution.

Vallmyr

So I really, really dislike rolling for stats. It's probably my least favorite part about my favorite games.

Well I saw in the 2e AD&D there was a method of character generation in Player Options: Skills & Powers.

"Method VII:
A total of 75 points may be divided among the 6 ability scores, none lower than 3 or higher than 18."

I see 75 is the minimum for BG/IWD and I realize for many of my stats I'll not be receiving a bonus at all. Should I use this method to avoid rolling?

Zaghoul

Let Auto Roller do it for you, if your platform allows it. It works quite well for the most part. I just finished a run no long ago with a 73 stat total (as an ogre). The only stats I had bonuses for on a wizard slayer were Str & Con. I really didn't miss anything and it made it more interesting when I did come across the various Dr.Seuss Tomes of Increase..

DrakeICN

Unless you are priest, wisdom is useless. Intelligence is also useless, for the most part, even for mages, as long as it is 9 or higher. Mages have a slighlty harder times learning scrolls... but you can buy the red potion (in BG1), and keep collecting rare scrolls and learn them all in one go. There are probably some similar item for bg2, cant remember off hand. Only fighters need con higher than 16.

Charisma is not useless, it gives you better rewards, and some dialogues are hidden (I think) if you are repulsive. However, it is not THAT useful, in the grand scheme of things.

So, you can consider 18 str and dex (or 19 if halforc or elf) and 16 con an 9 int 3 wis 3 cha a mimum, which is only 67, giving you eight points to go. You can also put strength or dex ridiculously low, like 3, if you do not have a specific equipment plan in mind, because there are some items that put str at 18 or 19 permanently (or at least as long as they are equipped) and also in BG2 a ring of charisma, that raises charisma to 18.

Another trick is to pick a class with high requirements, like paladin, shadowdancer or enchanter. You can never roll below the minimum requirement for your class, so if the computer rolls 3 in charisma for an enchanter, it will automatically be raised to 15. When it does this, it will not subtract from the other rolls, it is just a give away. Thus, having high requirements is like rolling with loaded dices, kind of.

Edit: You can also play as a shapeshifter, The werewolf form has 19 str and 16 dex, and you can change at will (for example because you run out of spells) and the claws counts as +2 enchanted weapons for determining what you can hit. Unfortunately, the greater werewolf form does not make the claws into +4 enchanted weapons, like it is supposed to, and a lot of enemies are immune to normal weapons, so shapeshifters start dragging behind other classes in BG2... but once you get HLA levels you can turn into elementals.

Mages also have some shapeshifting forms, but they are all time limited.

2:ond edit: But do note that werewolf claws benefit from that monk bracer that gives +4 dmg and +4 to hit for unarmed combat. To bad the attacks still are not magical though...

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Vallmyr

I actually do have the SoB stat revision installed since you suggested it prior. Also I like that stat set up. Thank you.

Pokota

subtledoctor said:

Lately I've been doing something like this: depending on your character (and class), choose a stat you are great in, a stat you are very good in, and a stat you are pretty good in. Then use these stats:

17 - 16 - 15 - 9 - 9 - 9

Arrange them however you like. That's a 75 roll, and it lets you shine in one or two areas, without being silly. Stat boost Tomes and such will be generally meaningful, or at least half of them will.

This arrangement also has the benefit of being generally dual-classable, if you're into that specific brand of munchkinry.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Grum

http://webpages.charter.net/tedsarah/Pathfinder/utilities/pointBuyCalc.htm

Baldurs Gate is epic. So 25 Point Buy. Let's try a fighter. With +2 for strength...

Str (18) Dex (15) Con (15) Int (9) Wis (12) Cha (10)

79 Point Buy.

Vallmyr

subtledoctor said:

Yeah but then you're a min-maxed munchkin.

Lately I've been doing something like this: depending on your character (and class), choose a stat you are great in, a stat you are very good in, and a stat you are pretty good in. Then use these stats:

17 - 16 - 15 - 9 - 9 - 9

Arrange them however you like. That's a 75 roll, and it lets you shine in one or two areas, without being silly. Stat boost Tomes and such will be generally meaningful, or at least half of them will.

Oh, and use Item Revisions to change equipment like the Gauntlets of Dexterity from setting a stat to 18, to boosting them by 1 or 2. It plays much better.

Finally, consider using my Scales of Balance mod to give more, and more broadly useful, bonuses to stats that don't matter in vanilla, and to give real penalties for low stats.

I think one edit to this method is ill then add and subtract for racial modifiers.

So like for a gnome Illusionist/thief I might stat them

Strength: 9
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 9
Intelligence: 18
Wisdom: 8
Charisma: 15

To reflect the +1 int, -1 wis

FinneousPJ

@Vallmyr Yes, that's how the racial bonus is supposed to work IMO

Vallmyr

For that standard distribution what would you do for rangers or paladins that have high base statistics?

FinneousPJ

@Vallmyr What do you mean?

DrakeICN

subtledoctor said:

Oh, and use Item Revisions to change equipment like the Gauntlets of Dexterity from setting a stat to 18, to boosting them by 1 or 2. It plays much better.

How is that? Then they become next to useless for a char with low stats but kind of ok (if it was not for other items that are better) for a char with high stats. Instead of equalizers they just make the already powerful more powerful.

Vallmyr

Like uh

Rangers are required to have

Strength: 13
Dexterity: 13
Constitution: 14
Intelligence: 3
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 3

so you can't apply the 17, 16, 15, 9, 9, 9 stat distribution to that character.

semiticgoddess

Bear in mind that while only warriors get HP bonuses at CON above 16, halflings, dwarves, and gnomes get an extra +1 to saves vs. spell and wands if they have 18 CON instead of 16 (and dwarves and halflings, if not gnomes, also get +1 to saves vs. death).

High Wisdom is also useful for mages who want to cast Wish, but don't want to hoard Potions of Insight for every time they plan on using Wish.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

FinneousPJ

@Vallmyr @subtledoctor IMO you should keep the 9 minimum req making it 15 15 14 13 9 9 and creating an actual downside to picking a class with high reqs, as it shouls be

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.