New Character Stats - "Stat Point Bank" Query

[old school 1E]

Hey everyone!

I went back about 8 or so pages of threads just to make sure I dont repeat this question, but if I missed it please dont fireball me

There was a method of generating characters where every stat starts at 10 and you can increase scores from a bank of points. My question is, how exactly does it work? I forget how it was explained to me and I couldnt find it in the SRD. My recollection is:

11-13: 1 point from the bank per point score raised
14-15: 2 points from the bank per point score raised
16-17: 3 points from the bank per point score raised
18: 4 points from the bank per point score raised

In other words, to raise a score from 10 to 18 costs 3 to get it to 13 plus 4 to get it to 15 plus 6 to get it to 17 plus 4 to get it to 18 for a total of 17 points.

Also, I was told that you start off with 28 points to distribute, but I've also used 32 when generating a character. Is there a prescribed number in the rules, or is 28 simply a "good rule of thumb" and you can tweak the points to make the characters more/less powerful at the outset?

Any replies apprecaited.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

You're talking about the Point Buy Method of generation.

Each stat starts at 8, not 10.

Thereafter, it costs 1 point per increase to get your stat up to 14.

It is then 2 points per increase to get your stat up to 16.

Lastly, it is 3 points per increase to get your stat up to 18.

Finally, apply your Racial ability score modifiers.

So, a 14 costs 6 points. A 16 costs 10 points (6 to get to 14, 4 more to get to 16).

The number of points you start with can vary, anywhere from 25 (really, really low, in my book) to 32 or even more.

The DMG suggests 25 points for a "Low-power Campaign," 28 for a "Mid-range Campaign," and 32 for a "High-power Campaign."

 

[Kae'Yoss]

It's called point buy. It's in the DMG, but not in the SRD, because character generation is excluded.

Anyway, you start with straight 8's and improve from there
08=00
09=01
10=02
11=03
12=04
13=05
14=06
15=08
16=10
17=13
18=16

The standard point buy method gives you 25 points, DMG variants give you either 22, 28 or 32. The computer game Neverwinter Nights had 30 Point Buy, and people have been known to use even more (we often use 35 point buy, I've heard about 40 point buy, and we even used 42 PB in a d20 Modern one-shot)

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

The Point Buy method is discussed in the DMG, IIRC. The gist of it is:

Every stat starts at 8.

The cost for a particular stat, before racial adjustments, are:
8: 0 point
9: 1 point
10: 2 points
11: 3 points
12: 4 points
13: 5 points
14: 6 points
15: 8 points
16: 10 points
17: 13 points
18: 16 points

a 25-point game, is, IMO, on the low side of power. A 28-point game is about the same thing as a 4d6-1d game. A 32-point game is a powerful game. A 36-point game is getting very high, power-wise.

Hope this helps.

AR

Edit: Although the DMG states that a "standard" game is 25 points, and should be equivalent to the 4d6-1d generation method, I found, by randomly a huge number of stats, that 4d6-1d is more equivalent to 28 points that to 25 points.

 

[old school 1E]

thanks for the help everyone! I knew I could get an answer here

Too bad you start at a score of 8, though

 

[Krafen]

My DM tried an interesting variant on the point buy system for the Eberron game we started a while back. 25-point buy, and all stats start at 10. This gives better stats overall than the standard 32-point buy we had used in the past but it reduces min/maxing. He's running a game with more interaction outside of combat than we are used to so this helps a little with the social skills for combat-focused classes. He also gave us two bonus skill points/level and a free non-combat class skill. So far, it is going well.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Well, you could just start everyone at 10 and give them 12 fewer points, you know.

 

[Darkness]

Heh. 25+12=37

Well, I give my players 36 points (starting at 8 as normal) so I certainly think it's a good idea.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

thanks for the help everyone! I knew I could get an answer here

Too bad you start at a score of 8, though

No, IMO it's actually better that way. This way, if you want, you can give them a weakness (or rather might have to give them a weakness if you want really good primary stats).

 

[Gnome]

Does anyone do a point buy system where all stats start at 3? Or does this lead to to many characters with 3's and 18's?