D&D 5E Ability Score Point Cost − what does a 16 cost?

[Yaarel]

The standard array for ability scores costs a total of 27 points.

(15 14 13 12 10 8)

A race ability score improvement with +2 and +1 can turn this base array into the following adjusted array.

(16 16 13 12 10 8)



For the same 27-point budget, it is possible to by other ability scores.

For example.

(16 13 12 10 10 8)

A race improvement can turn this base array into the following adjusted array.

(18 14 12 10 10 8)



Ability Score Point Cost

[B]Ability Score:[/B] Cost
[COLOR=#ff8c00]
[/COLOR][B]18 (+4):[/B] 50 points
[B]17 (+3):[/B] 23 points
[B]16 (+3):[/B] 14 points

[B]15[B] (+2)[/B]:[/B]  9 points
[B]14[B] (+2)[/B]:[/B]  7 points
[B]13[B] (+1)[/B]:[/B]  5 points
[B]12[B] (+1)[/B]:[/B]  4 points
[B]11[B] (+0)[/B]:[/B]  3 points
[B]10[B] (+0)[/B]:[/B]  2 points
[B] 9 (−1):[/B]  1 point
[B] 8 (−1):[/B]  0 points

List of 27-Point Arrays

For players who want to roll randomly, here is a list of (almost) 100 arrays.

Roll d100.

Random − and balanced.

[FONT=Courier New][B]27-Point Array      •   d100[/B]
13 13 13 12 12 12   •    1
13 13 13 13 12 11   •    2
13 13 13 13 13 10   •    3
14 12 12 12 12 12   •    4
14 13 12 12 12 11   •    5
14 13 13 12 11 11   •    6
14 13 13 12 12 10   •    7
14 13 13 13 11 10   •    8
14 13 13 13 12  9   •    9
14 13 13 13 13  8   •   10
14 14 12 11 11 11   •   11
14 14 12 12 11 10   •   12
14 14 12 12 12  9   •   13
14 14 13 11 11 10   •   14
14 14 13 12 10 10   •   15
14 14 13 12 11  9   •   16
14 14 13 12 12  8   •   17
14 14 13 13 10  9   •   18
14 14 13 13 11  8   •   19
14 14 14 10 10 10   •   20
14 14 14 11 10  9   •   21
14 14 14 11 11  8   •   22
14 14 14 12  9  9   •   23
14 14 14 12 10  8   •   24
14 14 14 13  9  8   •   25
15 12 12 12 11 11   •   26
15 12 12 12 12 10   •   27
15 13 12 11 11 11   •   28
15 13 12 12 11 10   •   29
15 13 12 12 12  9   •   30
15 13 13 11 11 10   •   31
15 13 13 12 10 10   •   32
15 13 13 12 11  9   •   33
15 13 13 12 12  8   •   34
15 13 13 13 10  9   •   35
15 13 13 13 11  8   •   36
15 14 11 11 11 10   •   37
15 14 12 11 10 10   •   38
15 14 12 11 11  9   •   39
15 14 12 12 10  9   •   40
15 14 12 12 11  8   •   41
15 14 13 10 10 10   •   42
15 14 13 11 10  9   •   43
15 14 13 11 11  8   •   44
15 14 13 12  9  9   •   45
15 14 13 12 10  8   •   46
15 14 13 13  9  8   •   47
15 14 14 10  9  9   •   48
15 14 14 10 10  8   •   49
15 14 14 11  9  8   •   50
15 14 14 12  8  8   •   51
15 15 11 10 10 10   •   52
15 15 11 11 10  9   •   53
15 15 11 11 11  8   •   54
15 15 12 10 10  9   •   55
15 15 12 11  9  9   •   56
15 15 12 11 10  8   •   57
15 15 12 12  9  8   •   58
15 15 13 10  9  9   •   59
15 15 13 10 10  8   •   60
15 15 13 11  9  8   •   61
15 15 13 12  8  8   •   62
15 15 14  9  9  8   •   63
15 15 14 10  8  8   •   64
15 15 15  8  8  8   •   65
16 12 12 11 11 11   •   66
16 12 12 12 11 10   •   67
16 12 12 12 12  9   •   68
16 13 10 10 10 10   •   69
16 13 11 10 10  9   •   70
16 13 11 11  9  9   •   71
16 13 11 11 10  8   •   72
16 13 12 10  9  9   •   73
16 13 12 10 10  8   •   74
16 13 12 11  9  8   •   75
16 13 12 12  8  8   •   76
16 13 13  9  9  9   •   77
16 13 13 10  9  8   •   78
16 13 13 11  8  8   •   79
16 14 10 10  9  9   •   80
16 14 10 10 10  8   •   81
16 14 11 10  9  8   •   82
16 14 11 11  8  8   •   83
16 14 12  9  9  8   •   84
16 14 12 10  8  8   •   85
16 14 13  9  8  8   •   86
16 15  9  9  9  9   •   87
16 15 10  9  9  8   •   88
16 15 10 10  8  8   •   89
16 15 11  9  8  8   •   90
16 15 12  8  8  8   •   91
17  9  9  9  9  8   •   92
17 10  9  9  8  8   •   93
17 10 10  8  8  8   •   94
17 11  9  8  8  8   •   95
17 12  8  8  8  8   •   96
Roll Again          •   97-00

[/FONT]

 

[Yaarel]

Here is the math behind the point method to customize an ability score array. For example, to buy a 16 costs 14 points.

The official ability score array (15 14 13 12 10 8) costs 27 points total. With this budget, it is possible to buy a 16 (costing 14 points), even a 17 (costing 23 points). But to buy an 18 (costing 50 points) is beyond the 27 point budget.

Calculations for Ability Score Point Cost

[B]3d6   Freq    1/Freq   x 1/8   Sum     Round Down   Official[/B]
[B]
[COLOR=#0000cd]18[/COLOR]    [/B].0046   217.39   27.17   50.61   [B][COLOR=#0000cd]50[/COLOR]           [/B]
[B][COLOR=#0000cd]17[/COLOR]    [/B].0139    71.94    8.99   23.44   [B][COLOR=#0000cd]23[/COLOR]           [/B]
[B][COLOR=#0000cd]16[/COLOR]    [/B].0278    35.97    4.50   14.45   [B][COLOR=#0000cd]14[/COLOR]           [/B]

[B][COLOR=#0000cd]15[/COLOR]    [/B].0463    21.60    2.70    9.95   [B] [COLOR=#0000cd]9[/COLOR]           [/B]9
[B][COLOR=#0000cd]14[/COLOR]    [/B].0694    14.41    1.80    7.25   [B] [COLOR=#0000cd]7[/COLOR]           [/B]7
[B][COLOR=#0000cd]13[/COLOR]    [/B].0972    10.29    1.29    5.45   [B] [COLOR=#0000cd]5[/COLOR]           [/B]5
[B][COLOR=#0000cd]12[/COLOR]    [/B].1157     8.64    1.08    4.16   [B] [COLOR=#0000cd]4[/COLOR]           [/B]4
[B][COLOR=#0000cd]11[/COLOR]    [/B].1250     8       1       3.08   [B] [COLOR=#0000cd]3[/COLOR]           [/B]3
[B][COLOR=#0000cd]10[/COLOR]    [/B].1250     8       1       2.08   [B] [COLOR=#0000cd]2[/COLOR]           [/B]2[B]
[COLOR=#0000cd] 9[/COLOR]    [/B].1157     8.64    1.08    1.08   [B] [COLOR=#0000cd]1[/COLOR][/B]           1[B]
[COLOR=#0000cd] 8[/COLOR]    [/B].0972      ...     ...    0      [B] [COLOR=#0000cd]0[/COLOR]           [/B]0

[B] 7[/B]    .0694
 [B]6[/B]    .0463
 [B]5[/B]    .0278
 [B]4[/B]    .0139
 [B]3[/B]    .0046

 

[CapnZapp]

You do know you can look up the d20 point buy costs from 3E, if all you want to have is a way to put costs on 16, 17, and 18; right?


Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app

 

[cbwjm]

Point cost way to high. I'd just use an adjust 3e version.
1 point/stat up to 13.
2 points/stat from 14 to 16.
3 points/stat from 17 to 18.

No idea what the totals are since I'm having trouble with basic math at the moment.

 

[TheCosmicKid]

The real question is: what does a 7 cost?

 

[CapnZapp]

The real question is: what does a 7 cost?

I emphatically recommend you don't gain points for dumping stats.

In other words, "0 points", never -1 or lower.

If you want a low score for role-playing purposes an 8 is more than sufficient for any character description. There is never a good reason for having a lower ability modifier than -1, especially if the player wants or expects to be compensated with extra points for his or her other abilities.

Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app

 

[Yaarel]

You do know you can look up the d20 point buy costs from 3E, if all you want to have is a way to put costs on 16, 17, and 18; right?

The 3e point buy costs never felt accurate. The upper scores seem too cheap. Meaning. The 3e costs fail to generate arrays that are equal and fair.

This thread calculates costs of scores that correlate exactly to their rarity. An 18 is so expensive because the chance of rolling a natural 18 is so unlikely.

 

[Yaarel]

I emphatically recommend you don't gain points for dumping stats.

In other words, "0 points", never -1 or lower.

I strongly agree with this.

Dont gain points for dumping stats. It causes characters whose high abilities become broken.



If for some reason a player wants an unusually low score for flavor reasons (such as playing a character that is physically challenged), the closest thing I have seen for balance is, 1 full negative point is worth ½ a positive point. For example, if you reduce an 8 score to a 4, then the −4 points here trades you 2 points to spend elsewhere.

 

[CapnZapp]

The 3e point buy costs never felt accurate to me. The upper scores seem too cheap. Meaning they fail to generate arrays that are equal and fair.

The costs in this thread calculates costs that correlate proportionally to its rarity. An 18 is so expensive because the chance of rolling a natural 18 is so unlikely.

So you aren't really asking then? A better thread title would be "my homebrew ability costs".

I agree with those saying your costs are too expensive, but I'm not really interested in arguing with you about it.

Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app

 

[CapnZapp]

If for some reason a player wants an unusually low score for flavor reasons (such as playing a character that is physically challenged)

I would simply suggest you erase the 8 (-1) and write in 6(-1) or 3(-1) or whatever.

Note the ability modifier (the only thing that matters in actual play) doesn't change.

If the player insists on having a lower ability modifier as well, I would say "Go ahead, feel free. You gain no extra points, though. If you want to play someone less gifted overall that's your call."

The closest thing I have seen for balance is, 1 full negative point is worth zero positive points.



Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app