Stats for Heros

[Elf Witch]

Damn, that is quite a difference in character stats. The system tends to even itself out after a while (as you noticed with your character). Really high ability scores really stand out at lower levels as less gear is available. Some people like things that way, others don't but that is the way the system works.

I'm exactly sure how I would handle playing a PC that had, say, that 28 pt buy equivalent compared to someone with a 30 pt higher character. I usually roll pretty well (when I get a chance to actually play) and have a character with either the highest stats or close enough to the rest of the party to say that the character is useful. Some extra feats andwould certainly help but I would rather have everyone towards the lower end of the spectrum rather than the really high. At that point, the system starts to slog.
This is true. Novice DMs will certainly have a much more difficult time with unbalanced characters. Heck, it's hard for normal DMs to do it. His solution of extra feats sounds like a decent fix.

It helped by character a lot she was now able to actually do something in combat that was a little closer to all the people doing mega damage with their magical weapons and magic and magic buffs.

We had a rather heated discussion tonight at the table over this we play Stargate as well and the DM gave us 30 points and some of the people feel that higher stats are not needed But there was a point made that in real life most of us are average joes in game we want to be better than that. I know that I think a 30 point buy really does not reflect to me what an elite member of an SG team would be but then I don't think the game really reflects the TV series well.

 

[John Crichton]

It helped by character a lot she was now able to actually do something in combat that was a little closer to all the people doing mega damage with their magical weapons and magic and magic buffs.

We had a rather heated discussion tonight at the table over this we play Stargate as well and the DM gave us 30 points and some of the people feel that higher stats are not needed But there was a point made that in real life most of us are average joes in game we want to be better than that. I know that I think a 30 point buy really does not reflect to me what an elite member of an SG team would be but then I don't think the game really reflects the TV series well.

Ah, now I get it. Honestly, the characters on any show are more reflective of their level rather than their statistics. Just my opinion.

 

[Ogre Mage]

Stats for heroes

As far as point buy is concerned, I like to use the 32-36 point range. This allows characters with multiple stat dependencies to be viable and your character will definitely be a cut above the average townie. Heroes should be heroes after all. I don't like using more than 36 point buy because the party starts to defeat monsters of an equivalent CR rating too easily. Yet you can't just throw much higher CRs at them, because they don't have the HD/class abilities to really survive such encounters.

I think 28 point buy could work for a lower-powered campaign. But the DM may have to use a little bit of "kid gloves," especially at the lower levels. It can be easy for the characters to die.

I would not want to play in a 25 point buy game. In my experience, ordinary people who try to become adventurers usually wind up dead sooner rather than later.

 

[Ackem]

25 point buy.

After all, a "hero" isn't his stats or his level.

 

[ThoughtBubble]

It all depends on the campaign. In the worlds I run a 12 is noticably above average. A 14 is good enough to be known well around the area. "That Billy's got the fastest hands this side of the Rio-grande." A 16 is just amazing, adn is enough to define you completely. The impressively strong guy whos known for his strength is a 16. An 18 is ridiculous. That's the sage at the top of the mountian, who can answer any question. He knows the secret of immortality, and invulnerablilty, and for the right price will tell you how to get your heart's desire. A 20 is even more than possible. Ainceient gods who could crack mountians had a 20 strength.

That's how the stats look in my game. The prettiest girl in town may just have a 12-13 cha.

On the other hand, there are some games where a 14 is barely noticable, adn you don't really become 'strong' or 'smart' until past 16.

 

[TiQuinn]

I remember someone describing the characters in the Sergio Leone westerns as "titans in the landscape", and that's how I like to look at most of the games that I run. The characters aren't just heroes. They are like forces of nature.

 

[Elf Witch]

Ah, now I get it. Honestly, the characters on any show are more reflective of their level rather than their statistics. Just my opinion.

That was one of the arguments brought up that the reason we ae not as good as say SG1 is that we are first level. Though if you look at the stats for SG1 I think they are rather low.

I used to feel that I could play any character no matter what the stats and I did, but latetly I have been feeling rather ineffective in my game and I guess I would just like to feel like my character can contribute to the game as well as some of the other characters.

But this could be more than just low stats it could also be due to a bigger than average party other players who rolled very well and the classes that are being played.

 

[Wormwood]

28 is fine for my group: since 3e provides stat bonuses starting at 12+, we no are longer constrained by the 1e/2e "you need a 15+ to be effective" mindset.