Point Buy -- more than just for attributes

[Gronin]

I have been thinking about the different ways that WOTC can come through with their proposed idea of "One Edition to Unite Them All" and I am wondering if we are going to be seeing something that is going to lean very heavily, if not exclusively, on a point buy system.

I haven't fully formulated this idea so please forgive me and feel free to point out the holes in my thought (don't worry I have a thick hide).

I can see where you might have to buy modules/pods/packages as you build your character. If you want to keep it simple you can buy larger packages or if you want to get into the nuts and bolt of the character you could buy each little bit individually.

You might also be able to do some risk/reward buying with this kind of system. For example if you want your character to be vulnerable to Save or Die types of effects that might be less expensive than buying the 4E model of defence values and saving throws. You want to roll dice for your character no problem X number of points, you want to buy your attributes maybe that is X + 5 points, you want to roll 3d6 and play them as they fall maybe that is X - 10 points.

The possiblities and examples of this are really limitless and I can see a lot of disadvantages to it as well (it is min/max heaven to be sure). I remember the Skills and Powers books from 2nd Ed stepping off in this direction so this isn't something that would be completely out of the realm of possibilities.

Anyway as I said I haven't had a lot of time to flesh out this thought but I would throw it out to a group of people who have never seemed to lack for ideas, thoughts and opinions......

Finally if this type of thing has been discussed somewhere else then I would be grateful if someone could point out the thread to me.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

please no!

Though the idea of balancing is good, that just asks for exploiting the rules

 

[mkill]

There are plenty of alternatives for playing a point-buy fantasy RPG. No need for D&D to go this route.

Point-buy isn't better or worse, but it comes with its own disadvantages that balance the advantages. I'm very happy that Mike Mearls already announced that D&D 5E will keep the classic elements like classes.

What I could imagine is some point-based "build your own class" system for a later Unearthed Arcana 5E. But please keep that stuff out of the PHB.

 

[Traken]

I would absolutely love for D&D to move towards a complete point buy system, but it won't happen for a long time. It's simply not D&D.

 

[Nylanfs]

Since i have be gun playing ShadowRun I I absolutely LOVE the point Buy system for char generation. Having said that I don't think it will work for D&D. It's too much of a departure from the base systems (OD&D, AD&D, 3e, 4e) to appeal for previous players/

 

[Dice4Hire]

Yeah, point buy is not D&D. Never has been.

I can see a far easier system being choosing individual powers or groups of powers.

Powers being skills, feats, BAB, saves, whatever.

That would be mroe D&D

 

[The Human Target]

While I like point buy systems myself, they are massively more complicated and require more system mastery and work.

I like my D&D fairly dumb and easy.

 

[Number48]

I can see a way to do a 2-cost feat, but that would be easier done as prereq feat + feat. A class ability that costs 4 class abilities, but that could be done as a chain of class abilities. But, if instead of getting pre-set package of 5 class abilities as 1st level, you got to choose 5, even moving up an ability chain that currently wouldn't be possible in 3E, I could buy into that. I don't mention 4E because I don't think it really has class feature chains.

 

[the Jester]

I have been thinking about the different ways that WOTC can come through with their proposed idea of "One Edition to Unite Them All" and I am wondering if we are going to be seeing something that is going to lean very heavily, if not exclusively, on a point buy system.

I assure you that going all point buy will NOT unite the game's fanbase; it will ensure lasting division.

 

[trancejeremy]

AD&D 2E actually had something like this - in the DMG there were rules on constructing a class. You basically added all the options and it would figure out the XP table needed.

So say, you made a uber class with class features of basically everything, you'd need like 10x the experience needed to level.

Of course, now with XP being throw out basically (or all classes using the same table), you can't balance by having more powerful classes take more XP to level up.