My group for an upcoming campaign is almost all new players with little to no experience in anything more then a couple 1 shots. I was going over some of the basics of character creation and all, and we were rolling out scores for them for test characters and all, and they seem to have been cursed that night with rolls and some expressed a bit of apprehension when it came to them and asked if there was a different way they could be done. This got me thinking about it, and it came to one of the few things I liked from Pathfinder 1E, archetypes, but not for classes per say, but ability scores.
Instead of rolling 3d6 and going from there I thought about how people get labeled over their attributes and how this could be brought into the game. What follows is a 2nd draft of an idea for ability score archetypes. These are all pre-racial adjustments, so after chosing one, then would then adjust them accordingly and that would be their starting scores.

Strong: 16, 9, 12, 9, 10, 9
Agile: 9, 16, 10, 10, 12, 9
Hardy: 12, 9, 16, 9, 10, 9
Clever: 9, 10, 9, 16, 12, 9
Wise: 9, 9, 10, 12, 16, 9
Charming: 9, 10, 9, 10, 12, 16

I kinda like this idea for starting characters who mayhaps be new, cause it will give them an idea of how their scores affect their characters more then just Strength means you hit harder, plus it would help them sculpt the idea of their character for RP.

Thoughts, ideas, feedback always welcome.

Hm, there are two separate concepts here:

1. Using a "standard array" for ability scores. This part alone solves your player problem: every character gets the same scores. Usually with this method the scores are arranged to taste by the player, placing each score in whichever ability they like.

2. Using specifically placed standard arrays for archetypes. I think there is potential in associating ability scores with archetypes, but allowing only specific arrangements of the standard array seems unnecessarily limiting. That secondary ability (the 12 score) can provide a lot of flavor. For example, a player might want their character to be "Strong -- and pretty handsome", rather than "Strong -- and pretty tough."

Quote from: Zalman on April 20, 2025, 07:51:57 AMHm, there are two separate concepts here:

1. Using a "standard array" for ability scores. This part alone solves your player problem: every character gets the same scores. Usually with this method the scores are arranged to taste by the player, placing each score in whichever ability they like.

2. Using specifically placed standard arrays for archetypes. I think there is potential in associating ability scores with archetypes, but allowing only specific arrangements of the standard array seems unnecessarily limiting. That secondary ability (the 12 score) can provide a lot of flavor. For example, a player might want their character to be "Strong -- and pretty handsome", rather than "Strong -- and pretty tough."

I see where you are coming from with it, but when I was working this idea out I wanted there to be some kind of "balancing" factor to it. If you're someone who's always used strength to your advantage (a strong hero), brains might not be a priority and the like. Or someone who's spent years in study, IE Clever (I may replace that wording), isn't going to be a star at physical endeavors.
But with what you added at the end, I was milling over giving the players 2 additional points to add to any 2 scores, but ones that their race didn't adjust in one way or another.