I have a group that are using a 25 point buy for stats, do you think that should effect their ecl at all? I got a first level ranger dishing out 7 - 16 points of damage without even using favored enemy. Lvl 1 goblin warriors are obliterated in one swing. I spent more time describing new and interesting ways his flail butchered them than actually fighting. I'm all for letting them use these stats, but I don't want this and future adventures to be a push over and I don't want to increase monsters too much or they will skyrocket in xp.....Suggestions?
Stats definitely alter the challenge of an encounter. Lincoln gives good advice.
How many players do you have? What classes? Do you "fudge" for and against the PCs?
I think the assumption for most adventure paths is that the group will be using a party of 4 players with a 15 point buy (standard fantasy).
I have 8 players with a 25 point buy and don't have any problems.
I adjust on the fly if a difficult encounter is proving too easy and have reinforcements show up or otherwise modify the opponents (too easy to hit? Trade points of attack for points of AC; not hitting the PCs? Do the reverse).
I don't care if the PCs one-shot monsters at low levels, the PCs can be just as easily one-shotted by a kobold with a heavy pick on a crit. Low-level barbarians and rogues that flank can decimate even a well-balanced low-level party.
There are 4 PCs, wizard, cleric, rogue, and ranger. I have no problems occasionally fishing dice as I am a notoriously terrible roller of dice as player. In fact their very first encounter I fudged a die roll or not one of 3 goblins would have hit once.
The other question I have is when building npcs/ monsters with class levels, do I have to stick with standard stat numbers or can I create stats of my choosing still adhereing to a 15 point buy? Basically why if.I make a hobgoblin sorc or wizard or cleric can the highest stat they get be a 15?
I have a group that are using a 25 point buy for stats, do you think that should effect their ecl at all?
Yes, but probably less than you think.
Take a look at the Advanced Creature simple template. It states that +4 to every ability score and an additional +2 to natural armor is worth +1 CR (= +1 ECL for a classed NPC). The difference between a 25 point buy and a 15 point buy is about half as beneficial, in my estimate.
EDIT: My reading comprehension obviously sucks because Lincoln Hills said the same thing (although he came to a stronger conclusion than I did). Also, the Advanced template adds +4 to every stat, not +2 as he seems to suggest.
I have a group that are using a 25 point buy for stats, do you think that should effect their ecl at all? I got a first level ranger dishing out 7 - 16 points of damage without even using favored enemy. Lvl 1 goblin warriors are obliterated in one swing. I spent more time describing new and interesting ways his flail butchered them than actually fighting. I'm all for letting them use these stats, but I don't want this and future adventures to be a push over and I don't want to increase monsters too much or they will skyrocket in xp.....Suggestions?
A 15 or 20 point buy Ranger can also get an 18 strength pretty easily, and using a Dorn-Degar (I'm guessing here), will still deal 7-16 damage. Or hey, he could have a 14 Strength and Power Attack for the same effect (how does he not have Power Attack as a two-handed weapon user?).
Goblin Warriors die in one hit routinely. The lowest levels of the game are the swingiest because damage starts out high, but frankly doesn't scale up very quickly.
Think about it. A level 1 Full-BAB class with 18 Strength, Power Attack, and a Greatsword deals 2d6+9 (16 average) damage. At level 4, with maybe a +1 weapon, they're only up to 2d6+13 (20 average). At level 1, most enemies have 1-2 HD, for 5-9 HP before Con. By level 4, enemies generally have 4-6 HD, for 20 something HP before Con. The Fighter has gained 4 damage, while the enemies have gained at least three times that in HP (and likely a lot more when you take Con into account).
It just gets worse as you go on. HP scale much faster than damage does, even though damage starts much higher than HP.
In other words, I don't think high point buy affects ECL at all. If only helps dump stats on SAD characters, and it just makes it so MAD ones can compete.
Like mplindustries said, reducing your players' stats probably would not have eliminated the issues you're referring to.
My two cents: Let the PCs have their fun for now, although if you really want you could throw in some extra cannon fodder now and then. I'm sure they'll start encountering difficulties soon enough!
One other tactic is to set a hard limit of 18 in any one ability after racial bonuses. It keeps players from going after that 20 in one ability, and make the characters more balanced.