RPG Design Patterns

Provide a means to generate attributes values within a game environment through the use of die rolls or other random means.

Rolled Attribute, Fortune-Based Gauge, Generated Gauge

Attribute, Conflicted Gauge, Point Spend Attributes, Resource, Trait

The Random Attribute pattern is a specialization of the Attribute pattern where attribute values are generated by some random means, usually dice rolls. The purpose of attributes is sufficiently covered in the Attribute pattern, though, so we won’t go into the motive of adding attributes to a game. This discussion focuses on the motivations and concerns of determining attribute values randomly.

This pattern has fallen out of favor in most modern games, although it does tend to crop up from time to time. (That doesn’t make the pattern inherently inferior to the alternatives, just out-of-fashion. Its use or avoidance should depend purely on your design goals.) A game designer might use this pattern if he felt that players needed to feel that they are “adopting” a character that “already exists” in the game world rather than having been dreamed up by the player himself. The attribute values are generated randomly to emphasize the fact that the player has no control over his character’s make up. Life is random and so is your character.

A game might use random attributes to minimize the number of decisions a player must make and/or to reduce the number of concepts a player must grasp in creating his character before play begins. “You have these seven attributes. Don’t worry about what they mean right now, just roll 4d6 and write down the total for each.”

Use the Random Attribute pattern when you want to provide a fast and easy way to generate attributes and other gauges for characters with little or no player input.

If you use this pattern, you should be aware of the reasons you have decided to do so. The means by which gauge values are set has a profound influence on the playability of any role-playing game. If you are using the pattern merely because you have seen it in other games and are familiar with it, take some time to familiarize yourself with other ways to assign gauge values (such as the Point-Spend Attributes pattern). You may find the alternatives to be more suited to your game and it would be well worth your time to understand them.

The primary benefits of generating attribute values randomly is to speed character generation and reduce the amount of knowledge a player must know about his character before starting play. If your game is designed for “one-shots,” or games which end in single sessions where players are unlikely to repeatedly play the game, the time needed to create a character is an important consideration. Most players don’t want to learn a lot of complex rules without some reasonable expectation of a future payoff. On the other hand, if the gauges are to have any meaning at all, the players will eventually have to learn their purpose anyway.

Role-playing games that last many sessions are likely to be harmed by randomly rolled attributes rather than aided by them. The Random Attribute pattern does a poor job at gearing a character toward a particular concept. The best the pattern can do is produce random character stats. Since the entire purpose of any role-playing game is for the players to have fun, the adoption of any pattern that does a poor job of enabling the fun to ensue is dubious.

Some games try to gear randomly rolled attributes toward character concepts by first requiring the players to decide on a character “race” or “class” (see the Class pattern). The rules for attribute generation are then focused on producing attributes that are appropriate for that profession. Such systems at least have a better chance of creating playable characters, but completely destroy any arguments about using the pattern to “simulate” a character that “already exists.” After all, if a player chooses a character’s profession using such a system, then he has provided input into his attributes as well.

Some games try to mitigate the Random Attribute pattern’s limitations by allowing players to randomly generate sets of numbers and then have them assign those values to whatever attributes they choose. If your primary motivation for using Random Attributes is to speed character creation, these kinds of modifications immediately lose the benefits provided by the pattern. In order to decide how attribute values are to be assigned, a player must understand the meaning of the gauges and must take time to apportion the values to match his goals. No more time needs to be spent on assigning gauge values using the Point-Spend Attribute pattern, and the player gains far more control over his character using that kind of system.

Other games allow players to generate multiple “sets” of attribute values and pick the best set for his player to use. Again, this wastes a huge amount of time and negates the primary argument of using the pattern in the first place.

In using the Random Attribute pattern, you should keep your primary goals in mind because it is very easy to create rules that compete with the pattern’s main benefits.

Manipulating the attribute values fights against both the “simulation of reality” and “speed of character generation” goals. So, perhaps the best option is to keep it simple:

1. Decide on what attributes the game is going to use;
2. Select the attributes whose values are going to be randomly generated;
3. Figure out how those attribute values are going to be generated (are they going to be generated differently depending on class or race?);
4. Have players generate the attributes sequentially and take whatever results they get the first time.

After a character is initially generated, you may want to allow modification of character attributes over time to allow for player input as play continues. This can help to alleviate concerns about players being stuck with unplayable characters. (Once again, though, if you decide player modifications are necessary, you might be better served with the Point-Spend Attributes pattern instead.)

A game might define attributes of Strength, Health, Dexterity, and Intelligence to all characters. Attributes could then be assigned by repeatedly rolling 5d6, summing the dice, and applying the results to each attribute.

Dungeons & Dragons v.3.5 has 6 primary attributes of Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. These are generated by rolling 4d6 six times. In each case, the lowest die is disregard and the remaining 3 are added. The sums are recorded on a piece of scrap paper. Once they are generated, the player may assign the numbers to each attribute however he wants. The numbers are then modified based on the character’s race as chosen by the player. If the generated numbers end up being too low (based on defined criteria of what “too low” means), the player is allowed to re-roll his scores. Players are periodically given bonuses to add to their character’s attributes as they gain levels (see the Level pattern). Point-spend generation is also standard in many versions, particularly the national tournament level.

RIFTS has 8 primary attributes of Intelligence Quotient, Mental Endurance, Mental Affinity, Physical Strength, Physical Prowess, Physical Endurance, Physical Beauty, and Speed. Each attribute is generated by rolling 3d6 and summing the values. If the result is a 16, 17, or 18, another d6 is rolled and the result is added to the total.

Warhammer Fantasy Role Play has 14 “Characteristics” of Movement, Weapons Skill, Ballistic Skill, Strength, Toughness, Wounds, Initiative, Attacks, Dexterity, Leadership, Intelligence, Cool, Will Power, and Fellowship. Attributes are generated randomly using different formulas based on the character’s race, which can be Man, Elf, Dwarf, or Halfling.