Inspired by the discussion of the purchase system in other threads, I've come up with my own alternative system. This one starts with the same basic assumptions as the Alpha 3 system (10 is baseline; you can sell down to a 7 for more points).
However, I changed the scaling of the point costs. In the Alpha 3 system, the increase in cost between one score and the next is determined by the modifier given by the higher score, with a minimum difference of 1 so that an 11 costs 1 point. I evened out the scaling so that every time the modifier increases, the change in cost increases too. This gives me the following table of point costs:
7 = -4 points
8 = -2
9 = -1
10 = 0
11 = 1
12 = 3
13 = 5
14 = 8
15 = 11
16 = 15
17 = 19
18 = 24
The next step is determining how many points to give PCs for different power levels. I started out by figuring out how much the standard array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) costs using this table. I discovered that it costs exactly 25 points, which is good for people who really love their backward compatibility.
From there, I decided on an average score for each of the power levels and multiplied the necessary points by 6 to get the final value. The only exception I made to this rule is that I used 25 instead of 24 for Standard Fantasy so the default array would be viable under my system. The final values looked like this.
Low Fantasy (12 average): 18 points
Standard Fantasy (a little over 12.5 avg. to accommodate default array): 25 points
High Fantasy (13 avg.): 30 points
Epic Fantasy (13.5 avg.): 39 points
The first thing I noticed when evaluating this system is that, though the default array fits nicely within 25 points, a 25-point purchase in this system doesn't unduly punish a character for having an 18. Such a character can only have average scores in everything else (four 10s and one 11) without taking a penalty, and that will probably keep most players in a Standard campaign from taking an 18. Of course, spellcasters, notably wizards and druids, would be perfectly happy with this deal; but I believe that a stingy purchase value can never punish spellcasters as much as they do other characters who depend on more than one good stat. Besides, for those who want characters to wear a hair shirt for being the best in an attribute, the cost of an 18 in my Low Fantasy option is three 8s or a 7 and an 8. :-p
This really should be in the alt rules form.
This really should be in the alt rules form.
The sticky on top of the PRPG Genral Discussion forum said it was for "new rules and suggestions about parts of the system that have not yet appeared in an Alpha document." I figured a proposed revision of a part of the system that's in the current alpha would go here. The fact that another thread about a different point-buy system has been on this board for a day without being moved also led me to believe this was the right forum.