What point buy system do you use?

[BlubSeabass]

Not disagreeing, but it was funny to read this and know about this 678 post thread on Paizo's board about whether a 15 point buy in Pathfinder is reasonable.

oh yeah, thats right. I didn't allow the 7 or more then two dump stats. Only the sorcerer played it min-max to the max, dumping wisdom and strength, but he feels pretty balanced with the others, some of which didn't take an 8 at all. In the end its how you use it, not how your stats are.

 

[Crothian]

I allow the players to pick thier stats. The current campaign I allowed everyone to pick each others stats.

 

[delericho]

I've used 25-point extensively, eventually moved to 28-point, and shifted to 30-point for my most recent campaign. The reality is that it doesn't make much difference - most players will build essentially the same character each way, but use the 'extra' points for a 1 or 2 point boost in the main stat.

For my next campaign, I'm strongly considering switching to 4d6-drop-lowest, or even 4d6-drop-lowest-in-order. (Though that last is probably too harsh - 3e/4e stats are rather too important to leave so open to randomness!)

(Of course, I also run mostly homebrew adventures, which I tailor to the PCs. So, it doesn't matter if they're "a bit weak", "a bit tough" or "just right" - the challenges adjust to compensate.)

As for "The Sunless Citadel", bear in mind that the party is expected to level up twice (perhaps 3 times) during the course of the adventure. So by the time they reach the weak troll, they should probably be 2nd level, while by the end they should be 3rd level. Plus, of course, that last encounter is supposed to be hard!

 

[Pseudonym]

I allow the players to pick thier stats. The current campaign I allowed everyone to pick each others stats.

Interesting concept. I prefer a system where players receive a point buy value equal to the cube of the number of PCs. I call it Gestalt Gaming.

 

[ggroy]

I've used 25-point extensively, eventually moved to 28-point, and shifted to 30-point for my most recent campaign. The reality is that it doesn't make much difference - most players will build essentially the same character each way, but use the 'extra' points for a 1 or 2 point boost in the main stat.

Back in the day, one time we played a 1E AD&D game where all the character stats were at 18 from the very start. (We did this as a joke). In the end, the game didn't play much differently than if we had rolled 3d6 for each stat.

 

[gilthan3]

About 1/3 of our games we use 4d6 drop the lowest, but recently ive used 28 or 32 point buy in for my games.
Seems whenever we use dice, they have higher stats, so I'm definately getting away from that. The 28 gives my players room for anything they want to play. My guys love pally's and monks, so they need tons of high stats

 

[Mark]

I'm getting ready to start a new game with a new DM who wants to use the standard point buy system with 25 pt. but I feel this system puts PCs at a disadvantage from the start. Take some of the published adventures like The Sunless Citadel which is a 1st level adventure. There is a weak troll in there which still has 42HP & an 18 AC who could possibly kill any 1st level PC in one melee. Then the 1st level adventuring party you fight at the end obviously didn't use the point buy system and they are accompanied by 3 twig blights which are pretty easy and a 4th level druid who also out stats any PC.

It seems you won't be using Sunless Citadel (since you already know it well) so maybe he won't be including encounters of that difficulty level. Have you asked if he chose the 25 pt buy for a reason? Your assertion makes the assumption of knowing what the PCs will be facing which seems more problematic to me than what point buy is being used. What has your new DM said on the matter? Perhaps the collective gaming populace of EN World could better help you advise your DM if we had more information regarding what your DM has discussed. Will he be using store-bought adventures? Has he said he think the adventure path that begins with Sunless Citadel is harsh or easy or just about right? Since he is new, is he even aware of those advetures? If you return to your new DM and talk him into raising the point buy based on information from this thread and it winds up making the adventures too easy, it won't be any more fun than if they are too hard.

You might also point your DM toward the -

D&D Legacy Discussion - EN World D&D / RPG News

- where 3.5-specific D&D discussion now resides on EN World. There's probably some tips and tricks he could pick up there as well as in this forum and the plots and places forum.

 

[Crothian]

Interesting concept. I prefer a system where players receive a point buy value equal to the cube of the number of PCs. I call it Gestalt Gaming.

Your Solo games must be murder!

 

[coyote6]

Your Solo games must be murder!

And in a six player game, everyone is a god.

 

[Descartes]

It seems you won't be using Sunless Citadel (since you already know it well) so maybe he won't be including encounters of that difficulty level. Have you asked if he chose the 25 pt buy for a reason? Your assertion makes the assumption of knowing what the PCs will be facing which seems more problematic to me than what point buy is being used. What has your new DM said on the matter? Perhaps the collective gaming populace of EN World could better help you advise your DM if we had more information regarding what your DM has discussed. Will he be using store-bought adventures? Has he said he think the adventure path that begins with Sunless Citadel is harsh or easy or just about right? Since he is new, is he even aware of those advetures? If you return to your new DM and talk him into raising the point buy based on information from this thread and it winds up making the adventures too easy, it won't be any more fun than if they are too hard.

You might also point your DM toward the -

D&D Legacy Discussion - EN World D&D / RPG News

- where 3.5-specific D&D discussion now resides on EN World. There's probably some tips and tricks he could pick up there as well as in this forum and the plots and places forum.

I used the Sunless Citadel only as an example, I figured since it's a 10 yr old module I could get away without putting everything in spoilers. I'm assuming that since he is new to DMing and between work, the wife, and the kids he may not have much time to create tailor made adventures from scratch. Details on the campaign have been vague at best which I feel they should be to avoid the temptation of meta-gaming.

With this point buy system I just feel it limits the players in what they can play or how they build the character. I'd like to avoid clumsy clerics and fighter who say "Life is like a box of chocolates," and name all their swords Jenny.