Point Buy: how many BPs?

[Infiniti2000]

I prefer to use a higher point buy total, at least 32+ (when I actually use Point Buy, that is). I like my characters to be heroic.

Intriguingly, I prefer 28 point buy for the same reason. I like my characters to be heroic. I find that they end up being less heroic (i.e. having an easier time and thus not requiring many heroic-style actions) with more powerful base stats (though the difference at only 32 is not terribly large, but I think 28 is the break point I prefer).

 

[Mercule]

28 points. It's enough to build a character who feels "good", but not a superhero. I'd be okay w/ 32, but it wouldn't be my preferrence. 25 is too few.

 

[Bad Paper]

I voted that I don't use point buy, at least not in the three or so campaigns in which I am involved. Next year I'm going to start a new campaign (after one or two of the current ones lapse), and I'm planning on a 28-point buy, with the caveat that no score can be unadjusted. That is, you cannot have an 8 unless it was a 10 that you plunked into an ability with a -2 racial penalty. If you must leave a score unaltered, then it becomes a 7.

 

[Deadguy]

28 points. It's enough to build a character who feels "good", but not a superhero. I'd be okay w/ 32, but it wouldn't be my preference. 25 is too few.

I'm with you Mercule. 28 points lets you build an interesting character, even allowing for MAD. I've seen a wide range of choices from quite lopsided characters with a couple of 8's, to almost even splits. Either way the player is fairly happy with the outcome.

I've used 32 point once and I found that the characters were just a bit... too much.

And I've created a 25 point character, but he was a Fighter so it wasn't too bad.

I guess I'd go in the range 25 - 29 points.

 

[Perun]

My sneaky fiendish plot is to gradualy lure my players to use the 28 point-buy

So far, due to the vocal minority, we've used 35 points (and even that got complaints as being too low ). In my current Eberron game I ruled it's 32 points, because action points make a difference

And now we come to the fiendish plan Our rule for introducing new characters is that they start one level lower than the lowest-level member of the party, but with no more than two levels lower than the party average (I think that was the system.. ) Now, if a character dies, the player can choose to make a new character with that rule, OR he can make a character with 28 points that will start at the same level as the lowest-level party member

I'm just devilish like that

 

[Kmart Kommando]

I like above 32 point buy, but I've never gotten to play that, even when we roll. Stupid dice. :\ Our new campaign is going to use 25 point buy, even though with 32 point buy we have at least 1 death per session. Damn you, -10 you're dead.

 

[EyeontheMountain]

I'm a big fan of 32 point buy. I use it in all my gmaes.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

25 points.

Though I find I prefer to be lazy and not actually point buy, and just use the default array for 25 points: 15,14,13,12,10,8.

High stats don't make characters heroic -- actions do.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I use 28+4 for my games. Everyone gets 28, there are 4 bonus points available for writing certain backstory elements - what those are varies from game to game.

Effectively 32 point buy as everyone will write backstory.

Find 32 PB sets the tone about right to me.

I don't find it too strong. IMO, it hits about the same point we used to get with 4D6 drop lowest. Although most of our GMs (self included), were quite generous about rerolling stats.

 

[Aus_Snow]

High stats don't make characters heroic -- actions do.

For the record, I've had fun using anything from 25 to 36 point buy, and anything from 3d6 in order to 5d6, drop lowest 2. And arrays, auctions, choosing. And a couple of other ways.

Yet I still think there is something to what some people say, along the lines of higher stats being "heroic". I know it's not absolutely accurate, in strict terms. But I think it's just shorthand for saying that higher stats better enable PCs to do epic/heroic things - and to live through those experiences at least once or twice (preferably more).

Larger than life, high powered, grand, epic, heroic. The lines (or definitions) blur for some people. It think that is essentially what that's all about.

At the moment, for what it's worth, I use a custom point-buy system, which allows for a greater potential starting range of ability scores than the DMG's. With the level I have it set at currently, it probably works out to be the equivalent of around 32 points in the standard system, I think. So, "high power" perhaps. I generally quite like games set around that level. There is no good reason a PC shouldn't have an 18 without being hamstrung every which way elsewise, for example. IMO.