Default Array, T20 Style

[opensent]

Is there a Traveller version of the infamous D&D 3.X Default Array? I have to say, I use this alot in my D&D games for NPCs. Is there one for T20?

If not, what would one look like? The array for D&D is: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8. If you sum these and average them, the average is a very generous 12.

Perhaps a Traveller version of the default array would be 15, 14, 13, 12, 12, 12, 10, 8, which would keep the average as 12, and skew toward the mid range of the set. This assumes that PSI doesn't get defined for most NPCs.

Or perhaps 15, 14, 14, 13, 12, 10, 10, 8, which averages 12 also, but narrows down the mid range in favor of extremes.

How would you generate a default array for Traveller?

 

[Malenfant]

What's a "default array", I've never heard that term used before. From the looks of it, is it a set of predefined attribute values for PCs?

 

[opensent]

Default Array is the stats used by WotC to generate PCs, which are then used to playtest encounters and verify the difficulty level relative to PC strength. If they used random numbers each time, encounters might vary wildely, so they used the fixed array each time, ensuring that the encounter play test uses certain baselines.

Here is a snippet from the FAQ:

Why is my party having such an easy time with encounters of an appropriate Encounter Level or Challenge Rating? (link)
Simply speaking, your party is more powerful than the ones the CRs were playtested with. Your party might have more members than the standard party of four, or they might have higher stats, or they might have more magic items. The Challenge Ratings were assigned based on a party of four PCs with stats generated from the Default Array (see "Ability Scores Generation" in Chapter 2 of the DMG) and an amount of gear as outlined in Table 2-24 in the DMG.

It's obvious if your party has more than four members, and a bit of math will tell you whether your party has more than the standard amount of magic items, but how do you determine if their stats are higher than "normal"? The easiest way is to use Table 2-1 in the DMG to determine how much your PCs' stats are worth from the point buy method. Remember to remove the PC's racial stat modifiers before calculating the point total. If a PC's stats are worth more than 25 points, it is more powerful than a PC from the standard party. Though it may not seem like much, a PC with a point buy total of 32 is considerably more powerful than a standard PC.

So basically, it's baseline stats for PC characters undergoing playtesting, in D&D 3.X. Not sure how useful for Traveller, but I use it all the time in D&D.

 

[Flynn]

Personally, Furtive Envoy, I use the standard default array of D&D, with two more 10s thrown in for the two additional stats:

15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 10, 10, 8

I find this works very well, and still captures a good flavor for the game. For Point Buy, this comes out to 29. I give my PCs a 32 Point Buy for initial stats, so it works out pretty well, with PCs getting a slight benefit over Average Joe.

For those interested in specifics, see the Revised SRD, under Monsters as Races, for details on Elite default arrays for PCs and NPCs.

Hope this helps,
Flynn

 

[dancha]

Wow. What a really interesting meta-gaming concept.

Thanks for sharing.
Dan

 

[far-trader]

I know I played with the concept a while back but probably didn't share it. Maybe, since I recall the subject coming up here before, but I'm not sure. In any case I think I'd decided on a 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 for an average of 11.5, filling in the blanks if you will making it easy to remember. I also toyed with adding a 16 to the mix to allow choosing Psi, which boosted the average back to the standard 12.

edit: Oh yes, another reason for going for the 9 Ability Default with a 16 high is to allow player's to actually choose to begin as a Noble Core Class/Career.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by dancha:
Wow. What a really interesting meta-gaming concept.

The neat things about it are it allows player's to shape their character, the character's are all on an even footing at the start (all born equal so to speak), and the character's are a little more varied than most of dice methods generate, unless you want to force 3d6 rolls on you player's.

Funny thing is the last time I had a player generate a character I gave him the choice of Standard as above or rolling, he rolled and got worse than Standard

He didn't complain though, he knew the risk vs reward.

 

[far-trader]

Oh, and welcome aboard Furtive Envoy

 

[opensent]

Originally posted by far-trader:
Oh, and welcome aboard Furtive Envoy

Thanks!

---

Like I said, I use it more for NPCs than PCs (I normally use Point Buy with PCs) because NPC encounters can quickly go askew if they are rolled randomly.

Someone you wanted to be a bit player suddenly has massive stats, or equally worse, somewone who was supposed to be impressive, now has an 11 as their highest stat.

Sure, as the GM you can just change whatever you like, but these stats give you a baseline to work from.

I've found in certain games in the past, I over estimate my Players, and things come out badly for them. This helps me be moderate NPC power to some degree and not have to resort to out and out fudging of die rolls. If they are having an off night and not using their heads, adding an opponent who has a 17 in Str and 16 Con to the mix never seems to help.

Interestingly enough, in 76 gunmen, the default array for many of the characters at the Green level of experince goes something like this: 12 11 11 11 10 10 10 10. Perhaps I've answered my own question, however bland the answer might be.

 

[aramis]

We (my playtest group) looked at default array's. It raised arguments for us.
My favorite is:
16, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 For PC's and Major NPC's

and
15,13,11,11,10,10, 8, 6 for NPC's.