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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Owen K.C. Stephens" data-source="post: 3111288" data-attributes="member: 3190">Not that I'm claiming the following is true of anyone here, nor am I saying it's common or the only reason someone might take a particular side in this discussion.Some DMs, and some players, dislike point-systems because they've experienced games that were ruined by massive imblance between players in the ability to manipulate the points. There are players out there who will take any point system and try to gain advantage out of it. And while a savvy DM can stop that, it requires the DM to carefully go over everything, catch anytyhing the player has managed to slip in, and then confront the player. For some people, that's more effort than it's worth. And yes, there are groups where an "official" product is considered to have more weight, and thus be more likely to be allowed, and thus cause more problems.I think a point-allocation rules set is a great idea, done exactly right. Done wrong, it's a disaster. I doubt it'll ever come from WotC for any 3.x edition, though they could easily go another direction when they do get around to another edition. As it is, the selection of feats and skills (heck, and domains) already allows a high level of customization. The similar d20 mechanic of talents also allows for great customization. I could see a system where all class abilities counted as a feat, talent or special ability, and each class had access to a given number of each as it gained levels.It is worth noting, however, that it is easier to design adventures when a party has more discrete functions. Since a lot of DMs must use commercial adventures, it's helpful they can be written with a combat-type, a sneak-type, a priest-type and a mage-type assumed in party composition. The more customizable characters are, the harder it is to make those kinds of assumptions. If you have a game where everyone may play a mage, because they can spread themselves out to cover a lot of different mage-types, its a problem if the adventure assumes someone is a priest. Such problems can be overcome, but likely won't be as long as customizable classes are a minor optional rule.</blockquote>

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