Point Build System: Difference between revisions

Line 13:

** Likewise, in addition to your core stats, you can spend points to take positive traits that affect roleplaying or game mechanics (such as the capacity to acrobatically dodge attacks, Matrix-style.)

The concept is not limited to characters in an [[RPG]]; simulation games frequently use point allocation (or the equivalent in terms of a cash pool) to build vehicles, robots, spaceships, or other units; and strategy games usually use a point system to create armies, with units costing a variable number of points based on their presumed strength and battles rated in terms of the number of total points allocated to each side.

The concept is not limited to characters in an [[RPG]]; simulation games frequently use point allocation (or the equivalent in terms of a cash pool) to build vehicles, robots, spaceships, or other units; and strategy games usually use a point system to create armies, with units costing a variable number of points based on their presumed strength and battles rated in terms of the number of total points allocated to each side. If [[The Computer Is a Cheating Bastard]], AI may be given more build points at the start.

See also [[An Adventurer Is You]]. A form of [[Character Customization]].

Line 28:

* Likewise, the ''[[Galactic Civilizations]]'' games allow you to customize your race using a similar system, although some racial benefits are hardcoded.

* In [[Sins of a Solar Empire]], capital ships level up to 10. Three normal skills that can level up to 3 and a super skill with one level. Some of the super skills are game breakers; as such they're only available at level 6. Lvl6 cap ships are notably more powerful than Lvl5.

* ''[[Master of Magic]]'' gives the character 11 picks spent on spellbooks (choosing multiple in the same realm gives some choice in starting spells; you can max out one of 5 realms and have all its spells researchable, but have nothing else) and abilities (of different cost, and some also require specific choices of up to 6 spellbooks). Other than this and primary race, starting conditions are almost completely random.

== [[Hack and Slash]] ==

Line 87:

Line 88:

** One option in ''[[Pathfinder]]'' at the GM's discretion.

** ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]'', originally the [[Trope Codifier]] of dice-based character creation, adopted a Point Buy system as an alternative (and frequently preferred) method in 3rd Edition onwards. Even in 2nd Edition, they added player chosen 'proficiencies' that allowed [[PCs]] the option of becoming craftsmen, etc. In 3rd Edition, this became a point-buy skill system. 4th edition finally went fully point-buy with that method becoming the default for attributes and the skill system pared down to a simpler version ("trained" or "untrained" vs. counting ranks, paid for with initial class skill choices and optionally feats rather than from a dedicated "skill point" pool).

*** ''Players Option'' has a full Character Point based system with optional abilities from race and class tied in.

* Used for game balance and regulating battle size/length in ''[[Warhammer 40000]]''. Each unit in an army costs a certain number of points, and before the game the players agree on the number of points available per side. The armies must also fit a designated minimum and maximum number of units in each category and models in each unit. The more points, the more numerous and/or powerful the units in each army will be. Also, the more units in each army, the longer the game tends to go on, because they take longer to move and determine attack. 500 points is probably the lowest playable total (that's maybe a squad or two, depending on the race), 1,000 is the average game and 4,000 is usually as high as most players will go outside of a multi-player "megabattle"; much more than that and the game would take all day. Also, [[Crack is Cheaper]] than ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'', so it's hard to get past that even when if you want to.

* ''[[Cartoon Action Hour]]'' does this in both editions. The first season points are called "Character Points", while the second season points are called "Proof of Purchase Points".

Line 105:

Line 107:

== [[Wide Open Sandbox]] ==

* ''[[Dwarf Fortress]]'' has embark points that are paint both for starting goods and skills; there's also cap on starting skills per dwarf. Adventurer mode gives the [[Player Chatacter]] starting points to improve attributes and skills - number differs with difficulty level.

* ''[[Minecraft]]'' has an experience points system that is used to enchant tools and pieces of armor. The more levels you spend, the stronger the enchantment gets and the higher the chances of having multiple enchantments will be. Placing bookshelves around the enchantment table will increase the chances of getting higher level enchantments.