Point-Buying off LA [Archive] - Wizards Community

Point-Buying off LA [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
blackjackg
12-04-06, 02:58 AM Just wanted to run an idea up the ol' flagpole.

Essentially, I'm wondering if it's feasible to tweak the point-buy system of stat generation so that by reducing the number of points available a player can play an unadjusted LA race.

For instance, you have a 28-point buy system, and characters can play races with LA, starting at level one, by reducing their number of points by 3 (or 4 or 5) for each +1 of LA. So one player may play a Human with 28 points to play with. Another could play a Goliath with 25, and another a Drow with 22.

Is this balanceable? What would be an appropriate point value for each level?
Jim Johnny
12-04-06, 09:30 AM It is possible and not a bad idea.
After all if you take for instance all the +1 LA races in forgotten like Genasis, tieflings etc their main bonus which makes them overpowered and gives them the +1 adjustment is their bonuses in stats compared to the minuses wherever they exist which do not hurt that much.
Of course there are a couple of bonus special abilities but not as important as the stats.

The main problem is that by giving them fewer starting points you actually force them to think of their race bonuses to stats twice so as to balance the fewer starting points and doing show they will eventually have characters with stats very similar to a human or a dwarf in the party which reduces somehow the difference and the variety of the races. Another idea is to give the character a fault like suffering from a phobia or whatever you like in order to buy off the LA +1 which is nice and adds to the role playing side of the game.
eitherway...

The best is to keep the LA and just use the buy off by paying XP option the Unearthed Arcana suggests. This thing should be in the core rules because the LA really turns to be a burden on a high level character!
trapspringer
12-04-06, 01:56 PM The problem is that the effectiveness of reducing stats to balance decreases as power levels rise.
Adam Smite
12-04-06, 03:11 PM It sounds alright, though I also prefer the XP based LA buyoff.

For low LA races, they may lose some of their appeal because most of them use their abilities to define them. Example: Aasimar

For mid-high LA races, this is probably a bad idea. Many of these have abilities that don't translate as ability scores, or become much more potent with the influx of HD. Example: Half-Celestial

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
blackjackg 12-04-06, 02:58 AM	Just wanted to run an idea up the ol' flagpole. Essentially, I'm wondering if it's feasible to tweak the point-buy system of stat generation so that by reducing the number of points available a player can play an unadjusted LA race. For instance, you have a 28-point buy system, and characters can play races with LA, starting at level one, by reducing their number of points by 3 (or 4 or 5) for each +1 of LA. So one player may play a Human with 28 points to play with. Another could play a Goliath with 25, and another a Drow with 22. Is this balanceable? What would be an appropriate point value for each level?
Jim Johnny 12-04-06, 09:30 AM	It is possible and not a bad idea. After all if you take for instance all the +1 LA races in forgotten like Genasis, tieflings etc their main bonus which makes them overpowered and gives them the +1 adjustment is their bonuses in stats compared to the minuses wherever they exist which do not hurt that much. Of course there are a couple of bonus special abilities but not as important as the stats. The main problem is that by giving them fewer starting points you actually force them to think of their race bonuses to stats twice so as to balance the fewer starting points and doing show they will eventually have characters with stats very similar to a human or a dwarf in the party which reduces somehow the difference and the variety of the races. Another idea is to give the character a fault like suffering from a phobia or whatever you like in order to buy off the LA +1 which is nice and adds to the role playing side of the game. eitherway... The best is to keep the LA and just use the buy off by paying XP option the Unearthed Arcana suggests. This thing should be in the core rules because the LA really turns to be a burden on a high level character!
trapspringer 12-04-06, 01:56 PM	The problem is that the effectiveness of reducing stats to balance decreases as power levels rise.
Adam Smite 12-04-06, 03:11 PM	It sounds alright, though I also prefer the XP based LA buyoff. For low LA races, they may lose some of their appeal because most of them use their abilities to define them. Example: Aasimar For mid-high LA races, this is probably a bad idea. Many of these have abilities that don't translate as ability scores, or become much more potent with the influx of HD. Example: Half-Celestial