D&D 5E Taking point buy to the next level

[Bastoche]

I know the point buy system increases of increments of (current ability bonus, min 1). I suppose you are extending that to higher levels?

I.e.

14 = 6
15 = 8 (two more, since a 14 gives a +2 bonus)
16 = 10 (two more, since a 15 gives a +2 bonus)
17 = 13 (three more, since a 16 gives a +3 bonus)
18 = 16 (etc.)
19 = 20
20 = 24
21 = 29
22 = 34
23 = 40

Your 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 awards give 25 points over 20 levels, enough to turn an initial 18 into a 23. Which exactly duplicates the current system.

No, you misunderstood his system. At EACH level you "level" number of points. That's about 200 points in total.

 

[Cheiromancer]

No, you misunderstood his system. At EACH level you "level" number of points. That's about 200 points in total.

Scion's system tells you how many points you have to spend (209 plus whatever you got at first level). The progression I gave was (my guess) of how much a particular ability score costs. I estimate that if 1st level characters were made with a 25 point buy, a 20th level character would be worth 234 points. That's enough to buy five 23s and a 22.

25 + 2 + 3 + 4 +.... + 20 = 234

23 costs 40, and 22 costs 34.

40 + 40 + 40 + 40 + 40 + 34 = 234

 

[Bastoche]

Scion's system tells you how many points you have to spend (209 plus whatever you got at first level). The progression I gave was (my guess) of how much a particular ability score costs. I estimate that if 1st level characters were made with a 25 point buy, a 20th level character would be worth 234 points. That's enough to buy five 23s and a 22.

25 + 2 + 3 + 4 +.... + 20 = 234

23 costs 40, and 22 costs 34.

40 + 40 + 40 + 40 + 40 + 34 = 234

Which might be a bit much IMO. But if you look at Forgotten Realms NPCs, doing something along the lines of Scion's suggestion is a very nice way to build PCs that gets similar scores to Storm Silverhand and the like (minus the chosen of mystra thingy) in an elegant way IMO. Most 12ish level NPCs average about 80 point buy IIRC.

 

[Scion]

Scion's system tells you how many points you have to spend (209 plus whatever you got at first level). The progression I gave was (my guess) of how much a particular ability score costs. I estimate that if 1st level characters were made with a 25 point buy, a 20th level character would be worth 234 points. That's enough to buy five 23s and a 22.

25 + 2 + 3 + 4 +.... + 20 = 234

23 costs 40, and 22 costs 34.

40 + 40 + 40 + 40 + 40 + 34 = 234

It is true, you could get several scores in the low 20's at 20th level.

But then there also are no items or spells to grant the all mighty +6 enhancement to a stat, or even any other number

So in a normal campaign a character could find/get/buy/whatever a belt of magnificence for +6 to all stats and likely have a few scores in the 20's that way as well.

But, I feel that overall it makes characters progression into the high levels better than trying to get item X and time Y in order to do Z, this way they can plan it out much better.

Plus, you are talking about a 20th level character there. He is a King amoung lesser men, a few extra points of stats isnt going to be a major issue. Plus, people are much more likely to have a couple of higher stats, which cuts into the other stats 'very' rapidly.

If a character wants to be all around good on every stat (monks maybe?) then go for it! If they want to have a couple of high stats and who cares about the rest? they can

But then, a 30 costs 94 points.. ouch

 

[Scion]

Which might be a bit much IMO. But if you look at Forgotten Realms NPCs, doing something along the lines of Scion's suggestion is a very nice way to build PCs that gets similar scores to Storm Silverhand and the like (minus the chosen of mystra thingy) in an elegant way IMO. Most 12ish level NPCs average about 80 point buy IIRC.

This is also true. It makes higher level npcs just plain 'better' at some things in a way that the normal system doesnt.

Note that I give npc class (such as commoners) a similar boost but I treat them as being 1 level lower (so level 2 = 1 point, level 3 = 2 points, etc. they start off with a smaller point buy and gain points slower).

So that lowly commoner who has been tilling his fields for years and years might be incredibly tough and wiry (high str and con) and maybe more than a little wise (wiser even than the level 2 noble, age bonus and a few extra points certainly dont hurt).

Plus the old weaponsmith who has been doing his trade forever, but when he started he was a lanky young man, years of pounding on his anvil have turned his arms to steel as well, and he really is an 'expert' in his field

 

[Bastoche]

Of course about the enhancement items.

 

[Quasqueton]

I like when I end up with a character with a 3 in one ability score. They have an interesting hook right from the start. Low ability scores, in my experience, are more interesting than high ones. High ones are thrilling on the day that the PC is generated, but low ones make for stories with which one can bore friends and acquaintences for years or decades to come.

I would expect most DMs would allow you to drop an ability score to a 3, if you want, so you can have that "interesting hook".

(4d6 six times to fixed stats, one reroll, one swap -- it gives a high overall average but often includes an interesting an unexpected flaw).

Use a high point buy to get the high overall average, and ask the DM to randomly cut one of your ability scores down several points for that "interesting and unexpected flaw."

As a mage you HAVE to get your INT up to 18 (well, only if you want to be effective, I admit). And so there are no strong mages when you have to sacrifice so very much to get your attributes up.

So when you roll your ability scores, if you don't roll an 18, you don't play a mage?

Quasqueton

 

[Bastoche]

Well, I'd say you at least need a 15 to get a 19 at 20th level to access the highest spell levels. And a 16 if you want to cast them as soon as you reach the level to cast 9th level spells. Of course, an headband of intellect might be just enough to start up with a 13. I've never seen anyone starting with a 18 using 32 point buy system and 18 at standard 4d6 drop lowest "not that often" shows one up.

 

[Crothian]

I've never seen anyone starting with a 18 using 32 point buy system and 18 at standard 4d6 drop lowest "not that often" shows one up.

Well, it happened in my game right now. Wizard bought himself an 18 using the 32 point buy.

But that doesn't matter. The idea here is to make pointbuy matter later in the game. So far, seeing what it does and what I want it to do; it seems like it will work really well.

 

[Quasqueton]

The wizard in my current campaign (28 point buy) started with an 18 in Intelligence, +1 for 4th level (currently at 7th), +2 for headband of intellect = 21.

The sorcerer in my current campaign started with a 16 in Charisma, +1 for 4th level (currently at 7th) = 17.

The wizard in my previous campaign (28 point buy) started with a 16 in Intelligence and a 16 in Constitution.

Quasqueton