Point-buy or rolling? Your preference and why?

[haiiro]

Point buy, unless it's for a one shot or for certain games (I'm fine with rolling in CoC, for instance). In general, I can't stand the concept of rolling for stats.

I like the idea that all characters are in theory balanced against one another when the game begins. After that, anything goes -- but I think even footing at the outset is very important. I also much prefer building a character to rolling and trying to fit the results into what I had in mind; that's just more fun for me. I've found over the years that my players tend to have more fun when everyone starts off at roughly the same power level (barring poor choices on their part, etc.).

Heck, I'm even frustrated by the idea of rolling HP every level. Why go to all the trouble of creating (theoretically) balanced classes only to throw things off by having the barbarian roll a 2 and the wizrad roll a 4?

 

[nsruf]

Point-buy and fixed hitpoints for me, any time. It's less frustrating if I play and cuts back on the whining if I DM - except of course about 28 point-buy being too low

 

[Quasqueton]

Point is, Quas, I prefer rolling dice because I find greater variation than point buy.

And I find the variation from rolling to be too great. That is why I prefer point buy.

I've played with the same group for the past 10 years. They tend to trade character sheets. They're all good players, so I don't have a problem with it. It's their call. Maybe that short-circuits the point buy, maybe it doesn't.

It doesn't and can't hurt the point buy method. Point buy doesn't have anything to do with, or require secrecy among the players. It was just an odd statement: "My group tends to compare sheets frequently." My question as to why had nothing to do with point buy. Just wondering why players would actively and frequently compare each other's character sheets.

BTW, I also don't think that a specialist player is a "problem player".

Who said that specialists are a "problem player type"? Why should I care if the player like blast wizards (or ninja-rogues, or whatever) and it's all he ever plays? It's up to him to decide what general type of character he likes to play, not me.

The original comment by Psion insinuated that point buy allowed a specialist player to make the exact same character every time ("Greetings, I am Zeldon 4.") Making the statement as a negative side to point buy suggested that only rolling randomly could force that player to play something different. Sounded to me like it was considered a problem. If the situation is not a problem, then how does point buy enter into the equation?

As you should know by now, Quas, my beard is as grey as yours. And yes, I have seen many overlapping character types, mainly fighters, rangers, and wizards.

Just for the record, I didn't mean to sound all condescending [misspelled probably] by saying my experience. Just had to show I wasn't talking about 3 years of D&D3.

By "overlapping" do you mean some shared traits? Or do you mean identical [identicle? I'm tired] characters? The first is sure to happen occasionally, just like occasionally you find two high dex, moderate str fighters in the same party. The second I've never seen.

It does, very often, result in characters who are remarkably close. And it is true. I have seen it multiple times in point build systems.

Wow. I've never seen it. But then again, some people have been struck numerous times by lightning, and I've never even had a near miss. <shrug>

Just looking at all the variables in character generation, not even counting chosen personalities and backgrounds: dozens of variations of stat buys, 11 core classes, 7 core races, many varied weapons and armor, skills, feats, etc. The possibility of two characters being noticiably alike should be astronomically small. Unless of course the players are actively mimicing their characters on purpose.

But then again, I have heard of a group who had two fighters with 18/00 (AD&D1) strength. But that never made me think 01-100 was too small a spread.

Quasqueton

 

[Cloudgatherer]

After running a game where we rolled our stats, I decided against that in future games. Problem comes when one rolls very well, then another rolls poorly. Stats make a big difference in this game. The party rogue was doing just as well as the party fighter, due solely to his better stats. So in the future, I'll use a point buy mechanic, typically 32-35 points.

Later.

 

[EricNoah]

I typically just pick some reasonable stats for my PCs. Or use the default array. I often do default array for generating pre-gen PCs for one-shot type games.

 

[Arnwyn]

Definitely rolling. I like the luck aspect, plus it helps avoid making cookie-cutter characters.

Ditto here as well. My players wouldn't consider anything else.

 

[Quasqueton]

OK, I give up. I am so tired of hearing "cookie cutter" referring to point buy characters. I do beleive those that say that either haven't ever actually tried point buy, or they just want to roll their dice and need some derogatory comment to throw at the point buy concept to support their emotional feeling.

I've played in a game where the players rolled their stats, rolled their first-level hit points, and even rolled 1d4 for their starting level. ("How does fate see to it that every member of a new group just happens to be at the same experience level?")

I like point buy. I prefer 28 point buy. (I am currently playing in a 40 point buy. Wow - that's powerful stuff.)

Quasqueton

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Point buy. (And I hope to never go back). When I'm running games these days, I like to have a point buy between 25 and 32 points. I tried 36 points at one time but the result was characters who performed about one level above their actual level.

The frustration with rolling for basic character abilities was that you always ran the risk of getting really boring stats that couldn't create a character you actually wanted to play (I remember thinking that, back in the days of 2e, a Cavalier kit paladin would be a great class to play--however it was nearly impossible to roll one up; IIRC you needed a 17, a couple 15s and 16s, and couldn't have anything below a 13--3e is a lot more flexible but the rolls still dictate what characters are available to you--a character with a single 18 and nothing higher than a 13 can be strong, tough, or smart, for instance, but can't have more than one of those qualities) or (either you or someone else) rolling an incredible set of stats that enable the character to do everything better than everyone else.

Point buy lets people play characters they want to play and puts everyone on a level playing field WRT stats.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

25 point buy.

- Everyone starts with equal potential. What they do with it from there is up to the player -- but no one is handicapped or blessed for a career by fortuitous (or other) luck at the start.

- It's easy to police. Players can make new characters at home, out of game, and show up ready to play -- you don't have to spend in-game time rolling up characters under the DM's supervision (if you do that). Less time in character generation = more time playing.

- The core game is designed, balanced, and playtested at this point; variance in the way the game operates increases the farther you get from it. By using 25-point buy, you know you're operating the game within its optimal envelope, and no corrections or adjustments are required to use any existing products -- you don't have to increase the power of the monsters, or hand out more/less treasure, etc. Less work for the DM this way.

- The low point count forces choice -- you can't afford to be good at everything; you might manage to be slightly good at everything, or you can be great at one or two things, and have a corresponding weakness or two -- which makes for more interesting play.

 

[Quickbeam]

As I've said forever, in countless threads on these very Boards, character (and NPC/monster) creation is my favorite part of roleplaying. And for my money, rolling up a new PC is the only way to go. I like the excitement and suspense which surround watching the character take shape as the dice determine stats.

There's nothing wrong with point buy, and I respect the balance it provides. I just prefer leaving my PC's abilities to chance by letting the dice fall where they may.