Topic: Stat sequence: rhyme? reason?

A friend was telling me his idea for a system that lets you arrange the order of your stats before rolling them up (and gave different dice to each stat), and, regardless of what I think about the idea, we got to talking about the traditional D&D running order for stats, and wondering about the effect of putting the physical stats up front, following with the "smart stats," and ending with CHA. What if CHA had come first for all these years? Etc.

Is there any particular reason the ordering of stats in LotFP deviates from the traditional D&D running order?

Campaign blog: http://deadlake.wordpress.com
Other, rarely updated blog: http://tigerchamber.wordpress.com

Re: Stat sequence: rhyme? reason?

Putting them in alphabetical order gives a bit of logic to it without assigning importance on a design level, and also causes a bit of a small shock for those used to seeing the stats in a specific order.

Re: Stat sequence: rhyme? reason?

Thanks, Jim! I figured the shock was a part of it. That all makes perfect sense.

Campaign blog: http://deadlake.wordpress.com
Other, rarely updated blog: http://tigerchamber.wordpress.com

Re: Stat sequence: rhyme? reason?

Anything different has a profound impact on select neckbeards in various corners of the internet. It amazes me how some of them can act like you've killed their child when you release a new game that has differences from an old game.

I mean, if there weren't differences, what would the point be?

Sorry for derailing the thread with my mini-rant, and none of my ire is directed at the original poster, but I've had this one on my mind for a while and this topic brought it to mind...