D&D General Why I love Point Buy or Array when creating a PC

[Lanefan]

What won't even out over the long run is the ability scores my PC was created with. That two minutes of rolling, even if it was thrilling (it's not for me), could never compensate for the hundreds of hours I hope to play that character.

Hope to play? Or expect to play?

There's a very big difference.

Hope implies a realization on your part that the odds are at least reasonable that you'll not be playing that character for all that long, after which you'll get to try out the roll-up process again. But your context makes it read more like 'expect', a somewhat-entitled sentiment with which I cannot agree whether speaking as a DM or a player.

 

[Ogre Mage]

I like point buy because it gives the player more control and starts all PCs on an equal playing field.

 

[Lanefan]

For those as likes point-buy or array for stats, do you also give everyone equal funds to buy starting equipment, or is that level of funds randomized somehow (a la 1e), or do you just assign starting gear?

 

[Clint_L]

For those as likes point-buy or array for stats, do you also give everyone equal funds to buy starting equipment, or is that level of funds randomized somehow (a la 1e), or do you just assign starting gear?

We use the DDB character builder, so players all start with standard equipment for their class, with minor variation according to background. In terms of equipment, that means that characters like fighters start with more wealth if you were to price out their stuff, but in terms of gameplay it means that everyone is on a pretty equal footing (i.e. with the basics that their class needs to function as intended at level 1). I've never had anyone complain that the fighter gets to start with chainmail and the monk is only in robes because players don't really see the armour as wealth.

In a practical sense, everyone starts out with roughly the same amount of coin in their pocket (not much) so that the first gig paying them each 25 gp seems like a fortune.

 

[Horwath]

I'll roll dice thousands of times over the course of my character's lifetime. Sometimes I'll roll a 20, sometimes I'll roll a 1. But in the long run all that will all even out.

What won't even out over the long run is the ability scores my PC was created with. That two minutes of rolling, even if it was thrilling (it's not for me), could never compensate for the hundreds of hours I hope to play that character.

100% this,
attack rolls/saves mostly even out during single combat, if not, there is always another combat where you will have more/less luck.

That is why I also prefer 3d6 rolls for ability checks(skills), there is fewer of them, and they can be really important to be left at d20 mercy.
3d6 describes better the competence of characters in certain area. there is still a random part to roll, but it is more constrained.

Also we have tried replacing d20 with d12+4, works great as it narrows down what you can and cannot succeed by sheer luck, and relies more on characters competence. And there are more critical hits in combat which is always nice.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

For those as likes point-buy or array for stats, do you also give everyone equal funds to buy starting equipment, or is that level of funds randomized somehow (a la 1e), or do you just assign starting gear?

In general, yes, I do prefer equal starting funds. I may make allowance for something else, if a specific option is built around the idea that it works so. E.g., in 4e, Background+Theme filled a space pretty similar to 5e's Backgrounds, just with a little more mechanical impact (4e BGs were pretty thin, mechanically, in most cases, but covered more of what 5e puts into BIFT stuff, while Themes were thicker, but covered more of your "this was my pre-adventuring life" stuff.)

So I could see a 4e-style Theme that, instead of giving any kind of power, let the player pick one level 1 uncommon magic item. Perhaps something like "Legacy Inheritor: You come from blood that has already proven itself heroic...which can be a mixed blessing. On the bright side, your heroic ancestor or relative has given or bequeathed you something they found useful early in their adventuring career. However, you'll also carry the weight of your family name--people will have preconceived notions of who you are and what you behave like, and that might not work in your favor." Later features might include stuff to represent your relative's reputation, e.g. you might get a beneficial response from folks, or you might be called upon to immediately help with something (potentially distracting you from your goals...or damaging your heroic reputation if you refuse), or someone might have a vendetta against you because of your relative's actions.

But yeah, if a player isn't spending a feat or character option on it, I prefer everyone starts with the same budget as well. Maybe have like a final thing at the very end (meaning, money that can't be used for purchasing character equipment) that injects a bit of randomness for your effectively "pocket money" to start out? E.g. if you're of the Noble background, then you might get some baked-in silk clothes and other fancy/expensive stuff, and roll (say) 3d10, while a mere Sailor might only roll 1d10?

 

[Crimson Longinus]

For those as likes point-buy or array for stats, do you also give everyone equal funds to buy starting equipment, or is that level of funds randomized somehow (a la 1e), or do you just assign starting gear?

In theory I guess, but most of the starting gear is not terribly valuable and will soon be replaced anyway so it really doesn't matter terribly much. Stats will last for the lifetime of the character, so to me they're a huge deal, whereas gear, especially cheap mundane gear, is transient.

 

[Horwath]

For those as likes point-buy or array for stats, do you also give everyone equal funds to buy starting equipment, or is that level of funds randomized somehow (a la 1e), or do you just assign starting gear?

500GP sounds reasonable for all

 

[Oofta]

Hope to play? Or expect to play?

There's a very big difference.

Hope implies a realization on your part that the odds are at least reasonable that you'll not be playing that character for all that long, after which you'll get to try out the roll-up process again. But your context makes it read more like 'expect', a somewhat-entitled sentiment with which I cannot agree whether speaking as a DM or a player.

Unless I'm playing an elf, almost guaranteed to play for hundreds of hours. Most games I play don't have that high lethality rate, that's just not the expectation any more. For that matter, it wasn't an expectation back when we played OD&D either, different groups have different expectations. If it's an elf, well then it wouldn't matter because they'll die before they reach 3rd level because they're cursed*. Which, if I were playing 1-shots or very short term campaigns I still wouldn't want to roll because I find rolling annoying, not rewarding. But I would be okay with it. Since I don't play 1-shots or short term campaigns it's not relevant.

*Although my half-elf has actually made it to 8th level and only come close to dying a couple of times in our Curse of Strahd campaign. So maybe I should try playing an elf again. After all, the last time I tried in 5th edition it was could have been just coincidence that they died at the end of my first session.

 

[Oofta]

For those as likes point-buy or array for stats, do you also give everyone equal funds to buy starting equipment, or is that level of funds randomized somehow (a la 1e), or do you just assign starting gear?

We use standard equipment based on class.