Point Buy?

A long time ago I use to love the old way to just roll your stats down the line. Like my grandfather would say "That's how we did and it was fine and we were happy."

But as I have grown older I have learned to love point buy even more.

Now I'm starting to prep a one-shot Legend game so I need to make some pre-gens and I start to use the point buy "80 points". This number is utilized in RQII, Legend, and RQ6.

Where did this number "80" come from?

I noticed the majority of human npc stat blocks are over 80, I think 1 or 2 over 90 points, but mostly in the 87-90 range.

So why 80?

I realize it's my prerogative to build whatever I want, but I was just wondering if anyone knew the reason behind this.

Interesting. Well 5 stats on 3d6, let's assume 11 is 55. Two stats on 2d6+6 (13) is 26.

That's 81, so round off and I think that's your answer. Does Legend use 2d6+6 for Siz and Int? If not then they're rounding up to 80. [Actually I am sure the number predates Mongoose publishing MRQ and come from earlier Chaosium games.]

I'd say adjust by the heroic level of your game. For example Elric! was always 2d6+6 for all stats, so that's 7*13 which is 91, round off to 90..

But I have no sources for this, just a calculator.

Interesting. Well 5 stats on 3d6, let's assume 11 is 55. Two stats on 2d6+6 (13) is 26.

That's 81, so round off and I think that's your answer. Does Legend use 2d6+6 for Siz and Int? If not then they're rounding up to 80. [Actually I am sure the number predates Mongoose publishing MRQ and come from earlier Chaosium games.]

I'd say adjust by the heroic level of your game. For example Elric! was always 2d6+6 for all stats, so that's 7*13 which is 91, round off to 90..

But I have no sources for this, just a calculator.

This.

Its based on the average of the seven characteristics, rounded down.

Thanks guys.

Yeah after I saw most of the NPC stats higher than what my point builds were I went up to 90.

Not that I find stats overly important in the game or do I need it to be very balanced. Some NPCs should be better.

Another way to look at it is in BRP/Legend/RQ, you aren't stuck with the Characteristics you begin with, as its pretty easy to raise them in play, especially the low ones. So even if you start out below what an average NPC may have, you'll catch up.

Rod

Another way to look at it is in BRP/Legend/RQ, you aren't stuck with the Characteristics you begin with, as its pretty easy to raise them in play, especially the low ones. So even if you start out below what an average NPC may have, you'll catch up.

This is actually not true in RQ6 - one has to dedicate a huge amount of one's improvement rolls to maintain bonuses to characteristics. The rolled/bought value is your "optimal" value and requires unnatural focus to exceed. But that is the exception, rather than the rule, in d100 systems.

This is actually not true in RQ6 - one has to dedicate a huge amount of one's improvement rolls to maintain bonuses to characteristics. The rolled/bought value is your "optimal" value and requires unnatural focus to exceed. But that is the exception, rather than the rule, in d100 systems.

Ah, I don't have RQ6 yet so didn't know this.

Rod