TLDR: what it says on the tin. But this time it's a kind of fun sub-game around rolling 'down the line' (stats in order).
Art by William McAusland, used by permission.
Roll 2d6 for each of the six stats, one at a time. You can choose the order, but name each one before rolling. With each roll, assign a third number from an array of fixed outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. You can use each number in the array only once and can add only one number to each roll. Complete each stat before rolling the next one. No retracing your steps!
Example:
STR: 5+4=9, +3 = 12
DEX: 5+5=10, +1 = 11
INT: 4+3=7, +2 = 9 (This is where things turn. I was hoping for a wizard but using up my 6 would only get me to 13, so I punted.)
WIS: 5+3=8, +6 = 14 (Cleric?)
CON: 5+1=6, +5 = 11
CHA: 6+3=9, +4 = 13
Let’s try it again but go for a Thief. Back up plan is a Dwarf or Magic User. Let's go for DEX first. Then CON (Dwarf), then INT (Magic-User).
DEX: 3+1=4 (shit!), +4 = 8 (punt)
CON: 4+2=6 (groan), +2 = 8 (punt, come on intelligence!)
INT: 6+5=11 (bingo), +6 = 17 (wizaaaaard)
STR: 3+3=6, +3 = 9
CHA: 4+3=7, +5 = 12
WIS: 5+4=9, +1 = 10 (whew, saving that 1 for last could have turned out badly)
This is a fun kind of mini game. It gives the player some control, perhaps increases chances of an 18, but also makes two or more 18s impossible. In fact, if you rolled boxcars six times your stats would be 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13. Snake eyes characters would be 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. Ugh. So there’s still a chance a GM would allow a re-roll. Let’s say if your stats total 55 or less you die during character generation (Traveller style). We’ll call it the “I can’t drive 55” rule. Odds are 90% for a player to roll a total of 56 or better based on 12d6+6+5+4+3+2+1, so you are only avoiding the bottom 10% of characters.
INT: 4+3=7, +2 = 9 (This is where things turn. I was hoping for a wizard but using up my 6 would only get me to 13, so I punted.)
WIS: 5+3=8, +6 = 14 (Cleric?)
CON: 5+1=6, +5 = 11
CHA: 6+3=9, +4 = 13
Let’s try it again but go for a Thief. Back up plan is a Dwarf or Magic User. Let's go for DEX first. Then CON (Dwarf), then INT (Magic-User).
DEX: 3+1=4 (shit!), +4 = 8 (punt)
CON: 4+2=6 (groan), +2 = 8 (punt, come on intelligence!)
INT: 6+5=11 (bingo), +6 = 17 (wizaaaaard)
STR: 3+3=6, +3 = 9
CHA: 4+3=7, +5 = 12
WIS: 5+4=9, +1 = 10 (whew, saving that 1 for last could have turned out badly)
This is a fun kind of mini game. It gives the player some control, perhaps increases chances of an 18, but also makes two or more 18s impossible. In fact, if you rolled boxcars six times your stats would be 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13. Snake eyes characters would be 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. Ugh. So there’s still a chance a GM would allow a re-roll. Let’s say if your stats total 55 or less you die during character generation (Traveller style). We’ll call it the “I can’t drive 55” rule. Odds are 90% for a player to roll a total of 56 or better based on 12d6+6+5+4+3+2+1, so you are only avoiding the bottom 10% of characters.
Option! The ≤55 character, instead of dying, becomes the first retainer of your new character. Give the character a basic load out, a dumb name like Toad or Donk, a red tunic and a death wish. See how great you can make their death in game!
