Point-buy or rolling? Your preference and why?

[Ogre Mage]

Point buy or rolling?

Use both. I like the method our DM uses. The players generate two sets of scores -- the first set using 4d6 drop lowest with the option of once during the process rerolling the lowest die ("floating reroll" method in the DMG). The second set is a 32 point buy. Players compare the two sets and choose the one they want to use.

I don't agree that 32 point buy characters are "extremely powerful." They are strong, yes, but most characters will still have some average to below average scores in some attributes. I would consider 40 point buy to be "extremely powerful."

 

[Coik]

I think we may be seeing a law/chaos split here! Let the blood war commence!

If it is, than something is incredibly wrong, since by definition there's supposed to be a ton more of the chaotic types.

For me, it's rollin' the stats. 4d6, drop lowest, arrange to taste. There are several reasons for this...

1. Some PCs might get lucky and roll three 18's...and some might not roll above a 10 (though in that case we'd probably feel sorry for the poor schmuck and give 'em a mulligan). This wonderfully illustrates the universal law that "Life ain't fair. Deal with it."

2. "Game balance?" Feh, I say. Bloody myth, that I don't hold with encouraging.

3. Story possibilities. After rolling up my current character (a ranger), I was faced with a bit of a conundrum...namely, a 9 Strength and 10 Constitution. That got me thinking "Now why in the blazing bloody heck would she be going around with such piss-fraggin'-poor physical stats, despite being a member of one of the quote unquote 'fighting classes'?" Half hour later I had a dern cool background, if I do say so myself. If I had gone with point buy, I almost certantly would have bought those at a "respectable" level, resulting in a less flavorful background/rope for my DM to hang my character with later.

4. Goddess would probably zap me if I disrespected her by using point buy

 

[Capellan]

I don't care for the extreme randomness I've seen from dice (eg a group where one player had a net stat modifier of +5, and another had a +12), or for the 'flattening' effect of the DMG point buy (where it is cost effective to go for 12-14 in very stat).

So instead I just tell the PCs what their net stat modifier should be (+8, for their current characters), and how many stats are allowed to be odd numbers, rather than even (2, for the current characters).

 

[A'koss]

While I'd prefer it if the player's used one of the point buy methods for consistancy's sake (and the odd time they will), by far they prefer to roll 'em. 3d6, 12 times - pick the best 6.

*shrug*


A'koss.

 

[Celtavian]

Re: Ahh Once again.....

I let them choose thier stats....that's right they get to assign themselves whatever stats they want how ever they want.

Sounds crazy, naw it makes sense, players get to have the ideal character concept, which incidentally is not usually some uber-character but more a well balanced pool of abilities a couple high, a three average and one low.

I think that the negative stigma associated with the fact that they got to choose the stats and coming to the table with something ridiculous will be avoided at all costs by most rational players. It lets them police themselves so to speak whhich sets the overall tone of the game inspiring them to trust you as you as DM have trusted them to not abuse the stats.

Also it makes them awfullay attached to their ideal characters and that makes the tension and aversion to character death and such other high stress in game moments more fun.

If you don't trust your players to come to the game with a reasonable characrter concept, balanced for play and within the limits of playability based upon the current game mechanic then why game with them?

I mean I love my players and appreciate the breadth and scope of vision they add to our game with the fair and balanced way they create their characters. Why limit them with a point pool or the randomeness of roles when this works out fine.

If anything I'd ay that they tend to go down the path of underpowering themselves if anything. I think that's what most rational people would do in this case. Take the high road.

I honestly see this as working. After a few of the players who might want to min/max choose a character with straight 18's, they would probably actually settle down and start making a more well-thought out character.

Forces the players to take into account the fantasy characters they love, and think about what kind of stats they might have had.

I could see this system working.

 

[Celtavian]

I strongly favor point buy of some sort, but I'm typically an online DM, and going with point buy is a lot easier than accusing someone you've never met of cheating when they submit a character with 3 18s...

When I DM online, I use point buy as well. It cuts out any possible cheating on character creation. It makes it fair across the board.

When I can watch my players roll their stats, I let random chance take over. I usually stack the dice in their favor by using an optimum rolling system, so that only in cases of extremely bad luck will they have a suboptimal character.

 

[kenjib]

Sorry. I tend to use more words then I need to. I think ForceUser's description is more concise. It's the same thing.

Edit: The only difference is that I don't subtract points for abilities less than 8 as he does in step 2. I thought about this but ultimately decided not to so as to leave some drawbacks intact for bad rolls. Either way works though.

 

[Fenes 2]

In one campaign we had 75 points, distributed on a 1-1 base as the player wished. In another we have "choose your own stats, total modifiers not higher than 13".

Since my campaigns usually run for years and the PCs tend to stay as well I'd never consider rolling stats - the imbalances would be too great. Point buy also avoids trapping players with a character they don't have too much fun with anymore, but who had great rolled stats.

I really believe in letting players play the PC they wanted, not the PC the dice wanted.

 

[Psiblade]

I am definite fan of point based systems. The current campaign uses 32. The very first game of 3E used rolling. It was not fun due an extreme difference in ability caused by very different rolls on ability scores. Point buy allows you to design your along the lines of what you want the character to be better. I have seen all types of characters come from point buy methods. The cookie cutter arguement does not seem to be happening in games I have played in.


-Psiblade

 

[David Argall]

point buy

All players get what they want.

None are screwed by bad rolls, nor are any given an unfair advantage.

The results are honest. [Yes, I know, I know. You have never, ever, done anything of the sort, not so much as suggesting a die was cocked when it had a poor roll, or 'accidentally' hitting a die with a poor roll with another die, or... But you know darn well others did, and it is clearly not good for the game that it starts with mistrust of your fellow player.]

The claim that heros should be superior is correct, but irrelevent. You get the same superiority from 32 buy or roll [about] 30 d6.