Point Buy Negative Values

[Darkness]

My point-buy

PCs: 36 points
Master villains and other important NPCs: Whatever is necessary (but not more than 36)
Typical PC-classed NPC: 25 (28 if not low-level)
Typical NPC-classed NPC: 15-25 (though more than 15 is rare)
Typical Commoner: 12-15

Exact numbers vary from NPC to NPC.

 

[Thanee]

Yeah, however, if you do not roll, that doesn't really matter.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Rystil Arden]

PCs: 36 points
Master villains and other important NPCs: Whatever is necessary (but not more than 36)
Typical PC-classed NPC: 25 (28 if not low-level)
Typical NPC-classed NPC: 15-25 (though more than 15 is rare)
Typical Commoner: 12-15

Exact numbers vary from NPC to NPC.

Here's how I do it:

PCs: 32 PB player picks, 37 PB I pick, or roll 4d6
Master Villains or Very Important NPCs: Whatever stats the situations demands, which often involves having 18 in their most important stat, one or two 16s, and the rest adding up to 50 PB (for epic or nearly epic level main enemies of the entire campaign) or less.
Typical PC-classed NPC: 25-35, depending on level and importance
Typical NPC-classed NPC: 15-20
Typical Commoner: 10-15

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

For the record, when I determine the point buy value of 4d6d results I do use a linear 1-for-1 deduction for scores below 8. It's just for a rough power measurement to guide me in balancing characters, I just don't allow this for point buy.

 

[S'mon]

I use:

Mediocre NPCs: 14 PB
Competent NPCs: 20 PB
Elite NPCs: 24 or 25 PB
PCs, Ultra-Elite NPCs: 28 PB or roll 3/4d6.

 

[S'mon]

& Some NPCs just get their stats assigned, eg if Dionna is the world's greatest 4th-level archeress she gets DEX 18.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

& Some NPCs just get their stats assigned, eg if Dionna is the world's greatest 4th-level archeress she gets DEX 18.

That's why I'm fond of my level-scaling point buy. NPCs will always have stats appropriate for their role in my campaign, without being inconsistent with how the PCs operate.

The PCs will always be comparable to NPCs of their same level.

 

[JBowtie]

Well, Blue Rose uses a six-point buy system that I've adopted into my system. Since they simplify and just use the modifiers, it is actually comparable to regular point buy.

They get rid of the distribution curve and just use one-for-one costs. So they consider +5, +1, 0,0,0,0 identical to +1 x6. In addition, you can lower scores below zero to get a corresponding number of bonus points.

What's that work out to?

Well - without lower scores:
20, 13, 10, 10, 10, 10

13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13

15, 15, 13, 13, 10, 10

With some tradeoffs -
20, 20, 10, 10, 10, 3

15, 15, 15, 15, 10, 6


I'll let someone else work out the points since I have to go. I have not found this a problem at all in practice.

 

[Goblyn]

Maybe its a secret hidden way to ensure that your cruel DM can't force you to 25 PB instead of rolling?

...Like a cheat code? Wait ...

To tell the truth, this q has never come up. Either the PBer tries to avoid penalties wherever possible, rather than get one huge plus, or no one really wants scores below 8.