D&D 5E (2014) Is Point Buy Balanced?

[Horwath]

we use this variant point buy:

6: -1pt
8: 0pts
10: 1pt
12: 2pts
14: 3pts
16: 5pts
18: 8pts

pool: 20pts
no bonuses from species/background

who wants to roll, it's
(4d3D1)×2
gives 6-18 spread, no odd stats, average pt value is 20,1.

 

[Koloth]

Depends on how 'balance' is defined. Is one set of point buy(PB) stats perfectly balanced against a different set of PB stats? Probably not. But did the player using PB have a balanced opportunity to create a character as compared to the other players at the table? In my opinion, yes.

But no stat allocation system is going to survive first contact with the players. Some will do a better (If better is more optimized*) job of stat allocation. Two players each building a 'standard' fighter can wind up with very different characters depending on choices made about race/species/ancestry, background, traits, feats, skills, etc.

*Optimized for what can be an important question. A character optimized for hack and slash could be in for a rough time in a court intrigue campaign.

 

[CreamCloud0]

Was it Basic or 1e that allowed you to drop 2 points from certain abilities to add 1 to others? This was when you rolled down the line and then figured out what class you wanted though so it might not be workable with a point buy.

I could see some wanting to drop the standard array 8 to 6 in order to add 1 to their primary and get to 18 if you have racial +2 in there. Some might take the 10 and now have two 8s in order to boost something.

i was listening to a podcast the other day who were talking about this and yeah something like that, though you could only increase your prime requisite stats and there were only certain stats you could sacrifice if i remember what they said correctly?

 

[Umbran]

Anyway what do you think? Is Point Buy totally balanced?

In including the absolute ("totally balanced"), you make the answer simple: No.

 

[jmartkdr2]

It is balanced in that it produces about the same totals as standard array and an average 4d6drop1 set of rolls. Those are the three “official” options described in the PHB. It obviously allows you a bit more fine tuning than standard array, while 4d6 drop one allows for more variety and randomness.

I typically let players use either point buy or standard array, but there are about as many character generation methods as there are DMs, and all that matters is that your group is happy with the result.

Even with point buy, I find most people go with standard array or something very close to it.

Rolling does technically average out to standard array, but there's like a 49% chance of your top rolled score being a 16 or better, which feels like a big deal because the framing/anchoring of the standard array makes 15 seem good, and more than that seem better than just good.

This in turn, in my experience, makes players more willing to try odd stuff that they wouldn't feel comfortable with using standard scores. So lately I've been rather pro-rolling. You could get there with a better array or more generous point buy, but "everyone rolls you can use any of he rolled arrays" seems to do the trick without feeling like a major houserule.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

Point buy is better than the standard array - because most characters have a strong dependency on two of three stats, you're probably better off reducing the other 3-4 to boost the key ones.

Yeah, the Standard Array is a Point Buy set of scores.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

In including the absolute ("totally balanced"), you make the answer simple: No.

Yeah, that's fair. What could we say? How about this, "Is Point Buy Balanced?"

 

[CleverNickName]

°°° Remember, any comparison to rolling is irrelevant because this thread is about the balance of the Point Buy method compared to itself.

Well in that case, yes. Point Buy is balanced compared to itself. Or at the very least, it is as balanced as the player wants/needs it to be, I suppose. You get to pick the numbers, after all.

But a more useful answer would be: if I can generate a character that will fit the setting and storytelling style of the campaign, that I will actually want to play, then yes. It is balanced. But if not, well...something is out of whack.

 

[AlViking]

Yeah, the Standard Array is a Point Buy set of scores.

True but it also assumes one 15 and one 8. I took a 15 and more than one 8 for my barbarian, other times I don't want any 8s and I'm okay with a 14 as my highest.

 

[payn]

Yeah, that's fair. What could we say? How about this, "Is Point Buy Balanced?"

With the revised question, id say depends. Yes, its balanced in every one has the same framework with which to build their character. The system, however, has both SAD and MAD classes which prevents things from "total" balance.

Which is why you see designs like 4E and PF2 where every class is SAD to allow for a more balanced system. Personally, id rather see a system thats all MAD and more customizable like 3E/PF1 but with 5E bounded accuracy. Though, ill also say "total" balance has never been a real draw for me. The tighter the system, the more I bounce off it. Thats not to say, some very loose systems that dont regard balance much at all are also not to my liking. Goldilocks zone I guess im after.