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And now for a completely superficial and arbitrary question sure to nevertheless end in flames:

Which order of D&D stats do you prefer?

Hulks and Horrors and Arcana Rising used the old order: STR, INT, WIS, DEX, CON, CHA.

But to be honest, I'm so ingrained with the D20 order grouping the physical and mental stats together, I sometimes forget H&H even uses anything else.  I'm considering changing it in AR because of this.

What do you like?

Cross-posted from G+ but this is totally different because this has a poll.

The original order is Str, Int, Wis, Con, Dex, Cha.

However, the proper order is to announce "I am rolling for _______" and then roll, and whatever number you roll is the rating for whichever stat you name.

Remember: "3d6 in order" doesn't require a specific order; it just requires that there must *be* an order.

Doesn't concern me in the slightest, though if I had my druthers I'd replace Wisdom with "Wits".

I could be wrong, but I'm almost certain the divide is actually 2e AD&D.

Its been a long time since I played 2e though, so I could just be misremembering, but I was pretty sure that they used the Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha ordering.

(I actually prefer having the physical and mental stats grouped, so I voted the "d20" way).

Quote from: Emperor Norton;679884I could be wrong, but I'm almost certain the divide is actually 2e AD&D.

Its been a long time since I played 2e though, so I could just be misremembering, but I was pretty sure that they used the Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha ordering.

(I actually prefer having the physical and mental stats grouped, so I voted the "d20" way).

You're absolutely right!
(I'm kinda divided on the issue and can't really decide. There should be an "undecided" option!)

Quote from: Emperor Norton;679884I could be wrong, but I'm almost certain the divide is actually 2e AD&D.

Its been a long time since I played 2e though, so I could just be misremembering, but I was pretty sure that they used the Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha ordering.

(I actually prefer having the physical and mental stats grouped, so I voted the "d20" way).

You might be right. I confess my edition history with respect to these minutia is limited. ;)

There is also 4e ordering:

Str Con Dex Int Wis Cha

Which was just switching around Con and Dex but made sense in the context of 4e (Best of Str/Con goes to Fort, best of Dex/Int goes to Refl, best of Wis/Cha went to Will)

Not really important, but just thought I would mention it.

Basically, order and its context in the game itself sometimes go hand in hand.

STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA
is the way I like it. Can't say why. Just seems the correct order.

Comeliness, Charisma, Machismo, Mysticism, Dumb Luck, Drunkenness

Stat order is not something I have ever really worried too much about.

I like grouping physical and mental together, so d20 form. Mind you, that predates d20 by years. :D

I like the classic order; the prime requisites for the basic four classes are up front.

The d20 versions (or 2E, I think) probably makes more sense, but I'm so used to the classic version it's what I prefer and think in.

I prefer the "new" version: all the physical stats grouped in the front, all the non-physical ones in the back.

Now, sure, that's not much in the way of reasoning; but it's still more than what the classic version has - "only a little" is still more than "none at all".

It's pre-d20, at least 2e old.

I always went with Str-Int-Wis-Con-Dex-Chr. Did this from original D&D up to 2nd ed.

I prefer them grouped physical and non-physical. The original ordering was based on what counts as prime requisites for the 3 base classes.

Never seemed to matter much to me, but in my formative D&Ding we made do with homemade character sheets.  Took years for me to realize that there was an official order, and I don't remember what that was.

This might be a strange thought, but there's something almost dialectical about the original order of stats:

- A hero needs to be strong.

- Yeah, but he needs to be intelligent, too.

- Intelligence is nothing without wisdom and common sense.

- You can have all that, but if you're not quick, you're dead.

- Ah, but a hale and healthy hero can shrug off any blow.

- But a hero really isn't a hero if he isn't a leader of men!

I dunno, it struck me that way back when I was thinking a lot about stats for a homebrew I was writing back in the '90s.

I like the classic ordering for the same reason I like QWERTY keyboards over Dvorak keyboards. Sure the latter is more "logical" but QWERTY is ingrained and instinctual for me at this point.

I don't really care, but if I were writing down stats I'd use the classic order.

Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;680003I don't really care, but if I were writing down stats I'd use the classic order.

Yes, that would be my position as well.

I like them written in a row rather than a column on a character sheet.  No other real preference.

I remember the original order but have them internalized as str, dex, con etc most likely because I've played more 2e than all other editions combined.

I'm a little offended at having to vote for 'd20' though. :p

Quote from: KenHR;679974This might be a strange thought, but there's something almost dialectical about the original order of stats:

- A hero needs to be strong.

- Yeah, but he needs to be intelligent, too.

- Intelligence is nothing without wisdom and common sense.

- You can have all that, but if you're not quick, you're dead.

- Ah, but a hale and healthy hero can shrug off any blow.

- But a hero really isn't a hero if he isn't a leader of men!

I dunno, it struck me that way back when I was thinking a lot about stats for a homebrew I was writing back in the '90s.

Of course, the original order swapped #4 and #5. I suspect they moved Dex ahead of Con after the thief became a core class, so that all the prime requisites were grouped together; that seems to be the rationale behind grouping Strength, Intelligence and Wisdom. Before the thief, the second triplet was general abilities of use to everyone, and I guess they figured the Con bonus was the most immediately useful of the abilities. Dex comes next, because of the ranged attack bonus, and Charisma, with its less immediate impact, comes last.

Str, Int, Wis, Dex, Con, Cha.

It's a good sequence for rolling 3d6 (or 4d6 drop lowest) in order, because it goes through the primary classes, and at the same time alternates the types of stats instead of lumping them together in two blocks/sequences of rolls.

I dig the "This roll is for xxx" method that talysman mentioned.

I usually write them down in whatever order, but for some reason it seems wrong for STR not to be the first and CHA not to be last - probably to do with the two stats' relative importance to a 12-year-old just starting out with D&D.

The "d20" order, because that is how I remember it from 2nd edition AD&D.

While I'm playing something using the Classic order (and haven't changed it), the D20 order feels more natural and intuitive.

I must be more of a grog than I thought; I voted the "classic" order....

I'm personally used to the D20 grouping of physical, then mental.

I read an article years ago about considering Stat order as how it may affect gameplay. AKA, order of appearance is automatically viewed by people as order of importance. I thought it was an interesting idea, but I wonder if it would have any effect in gameplay. AKA, what if the stat order began with Charisma or Dexterity or Wisdom?

I like it when they are grouped by mental and physical. I do not think it breaks anything to put them alphabetically within that, but I am kind of used to seeing it in D20 order.

The "D20 order" was used in Nethack and Angband which I played before coming to RPGs. Besides it just makes more sense.

I've actually been debating doing a reverse D20 order and putting the mental stats first.  

It IS a game about wizards and magic and shit after all ...

Quote from: talysman;680028Of course, the original order swapped #4 and #5. I suspect they moved Dex ahead of Con after the thief became a core class, so that all the prime requisites were grouped together; that seems to be the rationale behind grouping Strength, Intelligence and Wisdom. Before the thief, the second triplet was general abilities of use to everyone, and I guess they figured the Con bonus was the most immediately useful of the abilities. Dex comes next, because of the ranged attack bonus, and Charisma, with its less immediate impact, comes last.

That's great, and yeah, I forgot that (I rarely open my OD&D set).  Still doesn't alter what I was saying, tho.

IIRC, my 'classic' list from H&H was taken from Basic, of some stripe or other. When discussing the char sheet layout I sent him some links to old B/X D&D sheets, and not knowing D&D well himself he used the same order. I liked the difference and the old school character it lent so the book itself was rewritten to match (though the stat bonus table is still in the D20 order because I forgot to fix that ...)

having started my gaming life with Marvel Superheroes, the Physical stats and Mental stats grouped together made the most sense to me.

Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, Cha

FASERIP for LIFE!

Str, Int, Wis, Dex, Con, Cha.  Any other order assumes an edition of D&D later than AD&D first edition exists.

I really don't care, though I found it interesting that in LotFP they put charisma at the top.