How do you generate your parties?

I thought I'd do a survey to see how people are generating their characters for their parties. I tend to use one of two methods: I either reroll each character several times, aiming for total stats over about 85 and usually a couple of high numbers, or I roll a party and take them exactly as they are rolled (so I roll the stats, don't move any of them, and then decide the class and race based on what I have thrown).

 

I roll and roll and roll and roll and roll and roll and roll and then usually have to roll a few more times.

Does this make me a "Roll Player" instead of a "Role Player"?

 

I admit to 'altering' the primary stat rolls by using the random/point buy exploit- but if I roll a natural 18 or 2 or more 16's or 17's I'm less likely to do it- which is why I re-roll so much...

 

I roll and roll till I get a total roll over 96. This is for my solo (no npc) iron-man playthrough which I've restarted too many times already.

I've learned web is king and hoping I get farther this time. With max HD on NPCs, some mobs have been very tough early on...(died at Sea Hag, Behemoth Frog, Sea Gar last time)

 

Chet, I think it just makes you human!

I think I have only ever had one PC with more than a 96. That must have taken a few rolls yangwenli!

 

When I create a character, I roll the dice. If I'm not happy with the outcome ( being a total amount of bonusses +5 or more ) , I cancel the creation & recreate. On good days, I don't need to recreate too many times, but some days are just terrible :shrug:

 

I used to roll and roll, but since discovering the roll/point buy exploit, I just use that now.

 

Have you given in to the temptation to create the 'All 18 All-Stars' or do you just modify the numbers to reflect pen and paper characters?

 

I am the exact same as nyarlathotep I roll and accept anything +5 or higher total bonuses. I also use this method to decide how many players in my party. All my players are first roll and no rerolls so if I have 3 char created and the 4th has rolls below +4 then party creation is done and I have 3 PCs this gives me anywhere from 1-8 pcs per play through with slightly above average stats the norm. I also tend to keep the stats where they land instead of moving them, this can make for some interesting party combinations of classes for example my current party of 4 consist of 2 sorcerers, one sorcerer/cleric of Boccob and one sorcerer/bard this basically being the make-up based on the stats landing where they may. So by chance I got a lot of high charismas and other stats pretty average or even below average.
Never have used the exploit or point buy system so cannot comment on that.

 

Wow, I'm tempted to try that leave them where they land method.

Gonna be a hard time I think.

 

I can only speak for the first 12 or so levels, but the first level or two can be murderous, but then the next few levels are actually more fun than for maxed out characters as the challenge stays - plus you usually have to do without ideal classes which is intellectually interesting in that you try new things.

 

Definitely makes for some less then normal class make-ups of parties, and can add a new dimension to how you approach encounters and tactics during them.
Also can make you either choose spells you wouldn't normally take like knock (if you usually have a rouge why waste a slot on this spell) or true strike when you know you need to hit and you don't have the greatest BAB.
My dwarf sorcerer/cleric just took Toughness for every feat making him level 5 with 50 HPs and wears leather armor (I take a chance with the miscast for the extra protection).
I had 16 in con and 18 in char and a 15 in wis, 8 in strength and a 6 in intelligence so my making him a dwarf he has a 16 char and 18 con and a dwarf sorcerer/cleric was born who talks and gets the dialog options for a low intelligence half-orc beserker
Also can make you add feats or skills to character classes you wouldn't normally to make up the for short comings such as adding martial feats to Sorcerers or disable device/open locks or survival to non-rogues/rangers.

 

I gave in to that temptation long ago. It just makes things go faster so I can actually get through a full game before Gaear gives us a new version to chew on. Honestly, even with all stars, there are plenty of challenging encounters. Mostly, it keeps the wandering monsters from causing a TPK.

 

I come up with a party concept and then build the characters to match the concept. I have done the "all 18s" thing, that gets boring quick though.

 

I roll until I get at least a sum of 90, or 2 18's, or 3 17+'s...that sort of thing.

It's worth the time as you can reuse them in new parties.