Why I keep it low...

[Clovenhoof]

In one D&D game I participated in, they had a very generous character generation method: roll 3d6 _18_ times and pick six, arrange to taste.
This resulted in sufficiently strong individual characters so that no player bothered to peek on his neighbour's character sheet to see if he got shafted. Also, the method generates sufficiently distinct results to avoid the "template" feeling that Point Buy might create. And 18s still were very rare, but pretty much everyone had one or two 16s or maybe a 17.

(On the other hand, the DM proved to be very stingy with loot and ignored the D&D wealth-by-level rules, which was offset by the high abilities at low levels but eventually started to suck in the long run, since D&D simply is very gear-centric)

 

[Sting52jb]

Why does every one insist that D&D is a high magic, magic item centered game? I've been DM'ing 3.0 and 3.5 D&D since it came out and I've never even given a +1 magic sword out in a single adventure for a character under level 8.

The game only needs to be like that if you insist on playing adventures that require you to have that garbage. I don't allow many of the magic spells as i don't care for them. And if a pre generated adventure has some thing in it that requires some extreme magic item i just change it. That is the beauty of D&D you can tailor fit the game to you style.

As for Character Generation I use the role 4 d6 drop the lowest one. all characters get this choice and can place the stats where they want them. If some one rolls really good then they get really good stats. if Some one has more then 3 stats under 10 they get one re-roll. I've never had complaints from either experienced gamers or brand new gamers.

 

[Clovenhoof]

Why does every one insist that D&D is a high magic, magic item centered game?

Um, because it is, and has been designed that way? Ever risked an eye on Table 5-1 in the DMG, wealth by level?

The game pretty much breaks down at mid to higher levels without some minimum allotment of magic items, especially AC gear. There is no level-inherent AC progression, so even a level 20 character with nonmagical gear still has the same crappy AC 21 of a level 2 character. Which means that any opponent of even remotely appropriate challenge rating will mash the PC to pulp. Which in turn means that the PCs are doomed to fight the ever identical stupid Orcs, Zombies and low-CR monsters for all eternity. There are only so many creatures that a PC without AC boost can deal with.