equivalancy table

[Flipguarder]

Dropping 2 stats to 7 buys 6 points. How is he managing to get a 26 wis which would cost 60 or more points on it's own? Are you seriously doing a 50+ pt buy game?

His understanding is probably that points AFTER 18 only cost one point each therefore

max normally + 6 extra + racial
18 + 6 + 2 = 26

Very unrealistic

 

[fissionessence]

Jesus, people.

A 7 Intelligence is just as far below average as a 13 is above average. Yet some folks here are acting like you're too stupid to know how to open a door. Come on, guys.

Where on earth do you get that idea?? From the point buy rules? Those are only one of three different methods of character generation, and rolling is NOT "house rules" at all.

Really now.

I think he just meant that assuming we're all using point buy here, you can't have below an 8, and no more than one score can be below 10. Since the OP is discussing a point buy equivalency table, I think it's safe to say that that's the assumed ability score generation method for this thread. However, I do agree that a 7 Intelligence isn't as dumb as some are making out . . . but a 6 Strength really could prevent Climbing depending on the weight and encumbrance of the character. (The actual encumbrance rules should cover this, though, so just pay attention to them.)

Here's a new ability score generation table; I just made it up.

All scores start at 2. Start with 44 points.
Purchased ability score --> Point buy cost
3 --> 1/4
4 --> 1/2
5 --> 3/4
6 --> 1
7 --> 1-1/2
8 --> 2
9 --> 3
10 --> 4
11 --> 5
12 --> 6
13 --> 7
14 --> 9
15 --> 11
16 --> 13
17 --> 16
18 --> 20
19 --> 25
20 --> 31
21 --> 38
22 --> 46

If I did my math right, this table should buy the same ability scores as from the PHB, except that you can go lower and higher. Note that even if you left five scores at 2, you still couldn't afford a 22.

I recently built a 3.5 character with point buy, and I felt bad leaving two scores at 8. Lowering them down to 7 in order to buy a 24 (as in the case of the OP's druid) is crazy, and I can't believe the DM would allow that (especially the part about buying up to a 24!!!)

~

 

[Trevelyan]

We're rolling up new characters for a 4th ed campaign. We're using a point buy system, and one of the characters (a druid) is dropping his stats to 7 to game the system.

Where on earth do you get that idea?? From the point buy rules? Those are only one of three different methods of character generation, and rolling is NOT "house rules" at all.

Really now.

Take a chill pill and read the OP. Since the OP is explicitely talking about point buy chargen I didn't feel the need to qualify my response by stating that I too was talking about the point buy rules.

 

[lukelightning]

JA 7 Intelligence is just as far below average as a 13 is above average. Yet some folks here are acting like you're too stupid to know how to open a door.

Well, the opening the door situation depends on your other stats.
Int 7, Str 18? Kick the door down.
Int 7, Dex 18? Even just randomly fiddling with the door you open it.
Int 7, Cha 18? Lucky you! Other people open doors for you!

 

[RangerWickett]

Considering that, no offense to the fine people here but, many gamers I meet at cons tend to have 3 or 4 stats that I'd peg below an 8, let's not be too critical on someone playing a character who eats so much he needs a wheelchair to adventure, and who is too busy learning magic to bathe.

 

[Ryujin]

Well, the opening the door situation depends on your other stats.
Int 7, Str 18? Kick the door down.
(but those doors frequently lead to long drops, or have hungry displacer beasts behind them)
Int 7, Dex 18? Even just randomly fiddling with the door you open it.
(but you somehow miss the obvious crossbow, with a string tied to the doorknob)
Int 7, Cha 18? Lucky you! Other people open doors for you!
(but the door leads to that person's bed chamber, or the offices of a pyramid scheme to "kill orcs for fun and profit")

Not always, but on balance.

 

[DracoSuave]

Jesus, people.

A 7 Intelligence is just as far below average as a 13 is above average. Yet some folks here are acting like you're too stupid to know how to open a door. Come on, guys.



Where on earth do you get that idea?? From the point buy rules? Those are only one of three different methods of character generation, and rolling is NOT "house rules" at all.

Really now.

Below human average is irrelevant. Below average for a superheroic adventurer IS. This is Dungeons and Dragons, not Dullards and Duh-couldn't-think-of-another-D-word-cause-of-my-7-Intellegence.

To be realistic, there's a point where you're too stupid/frail/weak/clumbsy/blind/unlikable to go out on adventuring parties.

 

[Regicide]

Below human average is irrelevant. Below average for a superheroic adventurer IS. This is Dungeons and Dragons, not Dullards and Duh-couldn't-think-of-another-D-word-cause-of-my-7-Intellegence.

The point was that the difference between a 10 and a 7 isn't that much. Is 10 too stupid to be a hero? On that d20 a 7 is 10% less likely to think up another d-word as a 10 is, and only 25% less likely to think up another d-word as an 18.

To be realistic, there's a point where you're too stupid/frail/weak/clumbsy/blind/unlikable to go out on adventuring parties.

Yes, 0.

 

[Ryujin]

The point was that the difference between a 10 and a 7 isn't that much. Is 10 too stupid to be a hero? On that d20 a 7 is 10% less likely to think up another d-word as a 10 is, and only 25% less likely to think up another d-word as an 18.

Yes, 0.

Back in the days of original AD&D, people used to equate the numeric score for INT x 10 with an equivalent IQ rating. It seemed reasonable at the time. That would equate an INT or 7 with borderline mental retardation; teachable, but have problems with more advanced everyday tasks.

 

[Regicide]

Back in the days of original AD&D, people used to equate the numeric score for INT x 10 with an equivalent IQ rating. It seemed reasonable at the time. That would equate an INT or 7 with borderline mental retardation; teachable, but have problems with more advanced everyday tasks.

Are you saying the average DnD player can't be a superhero?

Anyway, the fact that people wrongly equated INT x 10 to IQ doesn't really mean anything. By the utterly crazy bench press tables back in the day I was Arnold fricken Schwarzenegger.