| abstract
| - Point Build, or Point Buy, is a method of generating traits for characters in a Game System by allocating points from a budget, rather than randomly by rolling dice or picking from a menu of characters with predefined stats and abilities. In most games, Point Build methods work alongside a Class and Level System, although there are some in which they replace it entirely. In theory, this type of system promotes game balance by ensuring that characters built with similar point budgets have similar power levels, as opposed to the wildly imbalanced characters that can result from random rolling. However, it can lead to Min-Maxing, where players deliberately allocate points to the "best" stats and abilities for their character concept while neglecting others, which is often frowned upon. Many systems take the Point Build method beyond character creation and award additional Character Points either in addition to or in lieu of Experience Points. In a hybrid system, each Character Level awards additional points to spend on stats and abilities. Other common features of Point Build systems include:
* Different traits cost different numbers of points, theoretically putting higher costs on more desirable attributes.
* Buying higher levels of a trait costs more points per rank than lower levels.
* There are multiple pools of points, each of which is spent on different types of traits. This is sometimes just done at character creation to ensure the player starts off reasonably balanced, but sometimes it carries on to gameplay by having different types of experience points that can only be used on specific attributes.
* Similarly, sometimes points earned during play must be allocated to skills or abilities that the character "used" in some way, or can justify having used; thus stopping you from getting smarter simply by killing monsters.
* You can gain extra points by lowering your attributes below the default starting level or taking negative traits that affect roleplaying or game mechanics (physical impairment, inability to use guns, paralyzing fear of snakes, spectacular clumsiness, etc.). There are usually limits to this to prevent ridiculously powerful characters, or characters whose flaws are actually advantages.
* 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. See also An Adventurer Is You. A form of Character Customization. Examples of Point Build System include:
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)