Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder Character Creation: Point Buy or Roll of the Die?

[Elf Witch]

I agree whole heartedly about the fact of a flaw and playing it out, after all this is a Role Playing Game. But I stopped leaving it to chance about 3 campaigns ago when one of my players managed to have his way with probability right in front of me and get the following rolls: 13, 14, 16, 16, 18, 18. This was using the same method you are currently using. When I proceeded to ask the player to re-roll one of the eighteens, he threw a fit.

I let him play with it and all it caused was issues. First, this guy hit like a truck and took hits like one as well (18's into Str and Con as a fighter with his +2 racial into Str). Second, he was better than the rest of the party, one player had rolled no higher than a 15.

In the end I feel the point buy system is way more stable and gives the player more control while putting his limitations in his hands. Every swing, save, and skill is decided by chance in this game, why not let them control a bit more. It is also easier to DM with, easily gauging the strength of the party based on how many points you give them. I also think this answers the idea of a flaw because If a player wants (depending on how many points alloted) for every high stat they will have a low stat.

In conclusion, the guy on the forums was right, it's not particularly wise to play a dwarf sorcerer for mechanics sake, but it also isn't wise to charge into the lair of a black dragon, but I know I've done both so who really cares

I would have a hissy fit if I rolled this well and the DM didn't allow it. Part of the fun of rolling is getting the chance to play a truly spectacular character. I have seen it happen once in awhile in the games I play.

We had a guy roll what was basically a 56 point buy character. He made an awesome paladin. The rest of us were not jealous or feeling like we were nothing but his sidekicks.

I didn't see it unbalancing the game play he didn't cake walk through everything and things were not harder for the rest of us. The funny thing in the end it was his character that died overwhelmed by vampires while the rest of us escaped.

 

[Elf Witch]

Question: Would you let me re-roll this?

When I DM I give players a choice to roll 4D6 drop the lowest or if they want to use a point buy they get 32 points.

In your case if you were unhappy with your rolls I would point you towards point buy.

As a player I prefer rolling I find that my rolls help spur my creative juices in designing my character and it always fun if you get a really great character. Though some of my favorite characters I played have not been that great stat wise but where a lot of fun to play.

The reason I really don't like point buy is that in my experience all the characters of a certain class look the same as someone else said it tends to lead to cookie cutter characters which is boring to me.

 

[Walking Dad]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Walking Dad
Question: Would you let me re-roll this?



I wouldn't.

Since I'm allowing either point-buy or use standard arrays, anyone wishing to roll for stats in the hope of getting something better than with the method everyone else uses will have to suck it up if it doesn't work out.

Actually, this happened once in my campaign. It didn't take long for the player to decide he'd rather let the character commit suicide and use point-buy for the replacement pc (who, alas, had to start one level lower).

BTW, there was no option for point buy. If there is, I always choose point buy in d20 systems. But hey, I hit just 2nd level with this character (it is a PbP game). Don't think I would have less fun with better stats, but I have (some ) fun.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Point buy. It lets you make the character you actually want to make.

This stuff about "well life isn't fair" or "I want organic characters" is pure rubbish. You can easily have organic characters with point buy, the only difference is that they aren't terrible at their supposed jobs.