PEACH: Attribute Generation

[Stegyre]

I'm toying with an idea for attribute generation for an E6-type campaign:

Starting attribute levels would be determined by a 25-point buy. This is purposefully conservative, as after 6th level, characters will be able to spend experience for additional attribute increases.

Players would also roll 4d6b3 to assign to each attribute. These rolls would set the maximum level that any attribute could be raised. Essentially, these rolls represent the character's potential for attribute development. A player may re-roll until the point total is at least equal to a 32-point buy. Thus, every character would be able to advance his or her attributes by at least 7 points.

Attribute increases, whether the one-point increase at 4th level, additional increases (at 5,000 XP per point) after 6th level, or otherwise, are done on a point-buy basis, the same as if the character were purchasing the attribute level during character creation. This means that a race-adjusted score of 9 to 14 is one point per level; 15 or 16 is two points per level; and 17 or 18 is 3 points per level. (Fractions would be retained.)

Good? Bad? Ugly? Is this something you'd be interested in playing? Comments and suggestions welcome.

[Melamoto]

Seems good enough, although I'm not sure it should be a static amount to increase attributes. It could be variable based on the point cost of the attribute; i.e. raising stats from 8 to 9 would cost less than 17 to 18. It could also vary based on level, since if it ever reached high level then it would just be a few encounters to change the attributes. Also, I'm not sure it should be a roll to determine max stats. Other than that it seems solid.

[Stegyre]

Seems good enough, although I'm not sure it should be a static amount to increase attributes. It could be variable based on the point cost of the attribute; i.e. raising stats from 8 to 9 would cost less than 17 to 18. It could also vary based on level, since if it ever reached high level then it would just be a few encounters to change the attributes.
Actually, the proposal mirrors what you've said pretty closely. In E6, once a character reaches sixth level, he no longer advances character levels and each 5,000 XP are instead exchanged for a feat or (in my particular example) an attribute point. However, I'm not giving character's a straight attribute point, I'm giving them a point-buy point. So 5,000 XP is enough to raise an attribute from 8 to 9 or from 13 to 14, but it would take 10,000 XP to raise an attribute from 15 to 16, and another 15,000 XP to raise that attribute again to 17.

. . . Because I am in whole-hearted agreement with you that higher-level attributes should be harder to raise than lower-level ones. In fact, I'm toying with the idea of applying this to temporary magical enhancements, as well: Bear's Endurance will raise a 10 constitution to 14, but it will only raise a 12 constitution to 15 or a 16 constitution to 17.


Also, I'm not sure it should be a roll to determine max stats. Other than that it seems solid.
It's a compromise of benefits. The advantage of a point buy is that everyone starts equal. The thrill of random generation is that some characters are better than others. Here, I like to think that I'm retaining that equality advantage while also having that randomness advantage. Further, other characters (with lesser rolls) aren't really at a disadvantage, because while "Mr. Elite" is able to spend more XP advancing attributes, "Ms. Average" is instead spending the same XP advancing feats. Not everyone has the same opportunities, but everyone has an opportunity to continue development.

And thank you for the comment. :smallsmile:

[Melamoto]

Ok; now that I understand that, this seems to be a solid idea that will work well without real balance issues. Maybe not the change to magical buffs though; assuming the same applied to magic items it could be quite painful to martial classes :smallfrown:

[Stegyre]

Maybe not the change to magical buffs though; assuming the same applied to magic items it could be quite painful to martial classes :smallfrown:
Which is worth discussing. I spend far too much time reading the game instead of playing it. Thinking specifically in the context of an E6 campaign (so casters will essentially have no access to higher than 3rd level spells), how much does something like this hurt the melee types?

I can readily appreciate how it hurts in an uncapped game, as caster power increases much faster with level than melee power does. This is part of the justification for E6. I'm just wondering how much people feel the level cap already helps to contain this problem.