Point-buy method and applying ability scores?

[Epicurus88]

I CANNOT for the life of me, find the damn search tool! You'd think it would be under Forum Tools or something... but anyway...

Does anyone know why they didnt mention anything about applying racial ability score adjustments to abilities when using the point-buy method in the 3.5 DMG? I'da thought that would be pretty imporant. Who overlooked that when they went to edit?

OR am I totally wrong... frankly, I'm confused. When using the point-buy method to generate character scores, at what point do you apply racial adjustments? Does the lack of mention of this in the DMG imply that racial ability score adjustments don't apply when using the point-buy method?

If i recall correctly, the 3.0 DMG gave you a list of what it cost to buy the score up incrementally... did they do away with that?

The 3.5 DMG only gives the price to buy the score flat out from 8, giving the points you need to spend to bring the score from 8 right up to whatever score you'd like it to be. If you add the racial ability scores to the starting ability score lineup, it's kinda pointless 'cos all those costs are for buying the ability up from 8.

So can anyone enlighten me? When using the point buy method to generate character scores, at what point do you apply racial adjustments (or not)?

 

[Laman Stahros]

Considering that the first step in creating a character is to roll (or buy) your ability scores and the second step is to choose your race, you would apply the racial ability bonuses and minuses to the ability scores after using the point buy system.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Spend all your points.

Then apply racial modifiers.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I CANNOT for the life of me, find the damn search tool! You'd think it would be under Forum Tools or something... but anyway...

Only Community Supporters can use the Search function.

As for the rest of your post, methinks the others got it.

 

[Dagger75]

First you generate the ability scores, then add the bonus to the scores. If I am not mistaken the order to make a character is

Stats, Class, Race (?) I could be wrong.

8 is zero points. It doesn't cost anything to buy and 8. With racial stuff that could got to an 6 or a 10. You woudn't get any additional points becuase the stat went to a 6. Conversly, it wouldn't cost you 2 points for the 8 to go to a 10 with a bonus.

Hope that helps

 

[cmanos]

think they all covered it, E-man. Stats are bought before you choose race.

 

[Epicurus88]

If this is true, that racial stat bonuses are applied after you spend the allotted amount of points, It would seem to me that those people who selected a race with racial ability bonuses get an advantage of more points (tho only 'virtually') then those who choose a race with no racial bonuses.

For example...

We have a player who spends all his points and comes up with his array of ability scores. He’s put a 16 in Dexterity and a 10 in Constitution. Then he chooses to be an elf. He then applies the +2 to the Dex and the –2 to the Con resulting in an 18 Dex and an 8 Con.

So, this is equivalent to the PC applying 6 extra points to raise the 16 to an 18, and loosing 2 spent points dropping the Con from 10 to 8. This adjustment nets the player 4 extra ‘virtual’ points over whatever the point buy limit was. Compare this to the player who chose a race with no ability adjustments who gets ZILCH in extra ‘virtual’ points.

To me, this just says that PC’s who choose a race with ability score modifiers get extra ‘virtual’ points applied to their stats and those who don’t choose a race with ability score modifiers do not. Even with the negative ability score modifiers (meaning the –2 to Con in the above example), it’s not a balancing thing or a disadvantage if the net points remain in the positive (as illustrated in the above example).

Does anyone see my point or am I off my rocker?

 

[IronWolf]

Does anyone see my point or am I off my rocker?

I believe I see what you are getting at, but that is part of choosing a race. You get some advantages over other races as well as some disadvantages. Dwarves get darkvision, Human's don't. Advantage. Disadvantage. Humans get a bonus feat, dwarves don't. Advantage. Disadvantage. Same with the racial ability mods.

 

[Bagpuss]

Does anyone see my point or am I off my rocker?

You are right in point buy the advantage of having attribute modifiers is enhanced. Its only minor but I'ld certainly be more inclined to play a non-human if the DM uses point-buy.

 

[diaglo]

and guess what... the classes favored by the enhancements are the favored class for those races.