Campaign Ground Rules

[Nifft]

Ack, terrible point buys. I really don't understand why most DMs want their PCs, the heroes, the protagonists, the foci of the story, to be just a notch above average at most.

"Average" members of any race are 12 point buy -- they have all 10s. Or, they have 13-12-11-10-9-8. Only the exceptional ones get the "elite" point buy (25 points).

How can you say 25 is just a notch above average? It's "elite"! (By definition.)

Most races with a Level Adjustment are balanced around the idea that stat boosts are not easy to get. With 25 point buy, you may find that an Aasimar is actually worth his LA +1.

- - -

Finally, while you may prefer to have stats that make you head and shoulders just-plain-better than everyone else, there are other game styles out there -- many folks find it more satisfying to rise up and beat the odds with brains and hard work, rather than starting ahead of the game from the get-go.

No insult to your game style, just recognize that it's not the only one out there.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Nifft]

-Certain non-Core WotC/Paizo material/variants available upon request (PHB II, DMG II, Races of series, Complete series, Environment series, BoED, BoVD, Miniatures Handbook, XPH, MoI, ToM, ToB, Dragon Compendium Vol. I, Dragon/Dungeon, UA etc)

I'd watch out for Dragon stuff, and I'd also be careful about BoVD / BoED stuff.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Baby Samurai]

"Average" members of any race are 12 point buy -- they have all 10s.

All standard monsters and "average" people start with 15-point buy: 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10.

 

[shurai]

I like the skill simplification thing, personally, but some of your combinations make suspension of belief harder. For instance, Bluff and Forgery don't have much to do with eachother -- one is a social skill, while the other is about having an adroit writing-hand. What ability score would the skill be based on? I'd jigger it around like this:

* Influence (Bluff + Diplomacy + Intimidate)
* Insight (Gather Information + Sense Motive)
* Scivening (Forgery + Decipher Script)

But I like these as they are:

-Acrobatics (Balance + Escape Artist + Tumble)
-Athletics (Climb + Jump + Swim)
-Perception (Listen + Search + Spot)
-Stealth (Hide + Move Silently)
-Use Device (Use Magic Device + Use Psionic Device)

Except I'd change the name of one of them:

* Tinker (Disable Device + Open Lock)

I rationalize Influence by saying that all three often involve some amount of deception and some amount of using one's force of personality to manipulate another person, though in truth sometimes the manipulation can be using debate rather than lies or fear.

The other problem I forsee is figuring out who should get what for class skills. For instance, does the fighter get Persuasion/Influence or not? The stereotypical warrior is scary but not known for powers of debate. I'd be in favor of drop-kicking the entire mechanic (ie everyone has everything for class skills) but that tends to annoy people.

Thoughts?

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

I actually USE that 38 point spread - 18 16 14 12 10 8; as My "elite" array assigning a +1 CR for any monster out of the MM that uses it w/o class levels.

I give the Players the 5d6 method, 2 sets + the Elite Array above for character declaration.

IIRC - 32 point buy can get you 16 16 14 12 10 8.

IMHO point buy overtaxes those high ability scores. I have seen some really high stats rolled naturally, and don't find them "unbalancing" at epic magnitudes. I also EXPECT my players to powergame to a certain extent. I don't have many players that want to "play against type" very often, they want to go with the system - and see just what their REALLY powerful characters can do as they progress.

 

[Nifft]

All standard monsters and "average" people start with 15-point buy: 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10.

Not quite. I glossed over this, but all standard monsters are assigned those stats. They don't actually get point buy -- those stats are the end result.

The proof is trivial -- look at the ogre, who has exactly four hit dice. To which stat did he assign his 4 HD stat bump? Answer: none. He's not generated like a character. Thus, thinking that his stats are as valuable as a 15 point buy (which could have netted him a 13 + 1 point at level up = 14. (Instead of three stupid 11s, which are rather a waste, wouldn't you say?)

Cheers, -- N

 

[Destil]

Ack, terrible point buys. I really don't understand why most DMs want their PCs, the heroes, the protagonists, the foci of the story, to be just a notch above average at most. Even 32 point buy, while decent, is highly constraining to PCs. Either be fairly good at one or two stats and suck horribly at everything else, or just be a touch above mediocre in everything. Bleh.

"Average" members of any race are 12 point buy -- they have all 10s. Or, they have 13-12-11-10-9-8. Only the exceptional ones get the "elite" point buy (25 points).

How can you say 25 is just a notch above average? It's "elite"! (By definition.)

Most races with a Level Adjustment are balanced around the idea that stat boosts are not easy to get. With 25 point buy, you may find that an Aasimar is actually worth his LA +1.

They also get PC classes. Your average orc is a warrior (not fighter) and rolled 11 11 11 10 10 10.

Also things like the 13+ int required on expertise becomes a decision for fighter types. (Though though the 19+ requirements on mid-level archery / two weapon fighting feats is mistake in my opinion and not consistent with the DMG's 25 point buy standard.)

For reference 4d6, drop the lowest will give you a statistical average of 28.5ish points.