When making my first characters I was struck by the fact that you can't allocate roll results to particular stats (unless you used the point distribution system). I personally like random stat generation but you should be able to roll 9 times then place them where you think them to be appropriate for the character you are trying to make. Without this you may want to make a heavy gunner or weapon specialist who ends up with BS 24 and Fellowship 38, so you tell yourself, guess I'll be a sergeant and try the shooter types next time.

Also, I think in general people generally pick a class before they roll stats, simply change pages 37-39 so that Stage 1 is Choose Specialty and Stage 2 is Generate Characteristics.

Well it has been this way since the very beginning and has never changed as far as I know.

Personally when I'm GMing you can either roll 10 times 2d10 and pick the 9 highest and allocate them as you want or go with point buy.

I'd like to point out that you're supposed to choose a Specialty after you roll the stats. This way, you have a choice of picking a type most suited to the stats you rolled, or stick with a non-optimal choice if you're so inclined. Also, the specialty itself gives you a boost to a relevant stat, so most of the time you're not entirely hopeless.

Then, there's always the point buy method. This way you can always play a character with optimally allocated stats.

Musclewizard said:

From the very beginning being? I haven't played that other related games are they the same way. It just seems odd to me after years of D&D and Pathfinder, that you would encourage players to roll the dice and get excited about the augury seen in the results, rather than bringing a character concept to fruition. If I'm swimming upstream it is more a sommantic issue which I can resolve by doing as you suggest but it just seemed strange.

@Rhoaran

Yup, the "roll in order, reroll one" has been in place since Dark Heresy. I know no group that uses it that way, but that's the way it is right now.

Rhoaran said:

I think there wasn't even (official) point buy in DH (at least not in the core rulebook).

But I want to mention something other, which drawed my attention. Yes the random characterics generation could always screw up you concept, but in Dark Heresy you had your home world to soften your weaknesses or build up you strengthes. Later background options for the same effect. Rogue Trade had the wonderful origin path to customize your character and allowed to be a good marksman even with a crappy BS after rolling for the characteristics. Deathwatch had at least the chapter to do that a little bit. In theory the same could apply to the regiment, but it is the same for everybody so that feels not like the right option. At least as long as the two chosen characteristic of the hime world are the same for everybody as it seems to be going by the example regiments. I just allowed to reallocate three points from one characteristic to another, two times without the possibility to choose the same characteristics twice as compromise. Well and the player who wanted to play a heavy gunner had a BS of 29. The specialisation didn’t helped in that case.

Cifer said:

Well, I don't use it all the time, but I do for some campaigns, and it often gives interesting results.

Honestly, I really dislike the "roll and assign" method. Only people I've seen genuinely enjoying it are munchkins who already have their perfect build in mind, but hope to roll some more above average stats to be even better all around. I'm usually a fan of point buy myself, but when you want randomness, be actually random.

Cifer said:

This. The rules are an exercise in rule 0. Players who know the game is about having fun will have no issue allowing you to select where to put your stats.