TRing and stats. Change the mechanic.

[Certon]

All toons (including Drow) should start off as 28 point builds, and the extra points you would have gotten from Champion or higher should be straight up stat increases as opposed to ineffective build points only good for bringing up lower stats because of stat inflation.

This means the character generation process needs to be changed thus:

You allocate your 28 base points as per usual, then move to a bonus screen.

On this screen bonus points are spent on a straight-up 1:1 basis. Stats can exceed racial maximums by 1 point per past life (up to 4.)

This means a human with 4 past lives who brought their INT up to 18 on the 28 point build screen could add 4 of her extra 8 points to INT, bringing it up to 22 at level 1.

I don't know if I'm articulating my idea in a comprehensible manner. I still need coffee...

[BOgre]

All toons (including Drow) should start off as 28 point builds, and the extra points you would have gotten from Champion or higher should be straight up stat increases as opposed to ineffective build points only good for bringing up lower stats because of stat inflation.

This means the character generation process needs to be changed thus:

You allocate your 28 base points as per usual, then move to a bonus screen.

On this screen bonus points are spent on a straight-up 1:1 basis. Stats can exceed racial maximums by 1 point per past life (up to 4.)

This means a human with 4 past lives who brought their INT up to 18 on the 28 point build screen could add 4 of her extra 8 points to INT, bringing it up to 22 at level 1.

I don't know if I'm articulating my idea in a comprehensible manner. I still need coffee...

Why? What problem are you solving?

[Tscheuss]

So, a human with 18 STR and 8 past lives could start with 26 STR at level 1? It would be very OP unless the stat points beyond racial starting max were level gated like tomes. Even then, there are those who would claim that as OP, anyway.

[Certon]

So, a human with 18 STR and 8 past lives could start with 26 STR at level 1? It would be very OP unless the stat points beyond racial starting max were level gated like tomes. Even then, there are those who would claim that as OP, anyway.

No, max of 4 over racial maximum.

[Certon]

Why? What problem are you solving?

The fact that the bonus points are all but useless on certain class/race combinations due to stat inflation.

[Tscheuss]

No, max of 4 over racial maximum.

Ah, right. I missed that part. Still, I would think level gated.

[mishraif]

I think if you a barbarian or fighter you should be able to spend 2 more points into Str and Con at a 1 to 1 ratio.
Wizard would be Int Con
Cleric would be Wis Cha
Rouge Int Dex
Ranger Wis Dex
etc

Well you get the general idea, this would be a reasonable way to get stats that matter for your class.

[DrakHar]

All toons (including Drow) should start off as 28 point builds, and the extra points you would have gotten from Champion or higher should be straight up stat increases as opposed to ineffective build points only good for bringing up lower stats because of stat inflation.

This means the character generation process needs to be changed thus:

You allocate your 28 base points as per usual, then move to a bonus screen.

On this screen bonus points are spent on a straight-up 1:1 basis. Stats can exceed racial maximums by 1 point per past life (up to 4.)

This means a human with 4 past lives who brought their INT up to 18 on the 28 point build screen could add 4 of her extra 8 points to INT, bringing it up to 22 at level 1.

I don't know if I'm articulating my idea in a comprehensible manner. I still need coffee...

The extra build points aren't useless. Up your cha for quicker UMD. Up your int for more skill points. The idea is to shore up your secondary stats, and I'm okay with that.
All your system will do is up everythings saves by 2 because DC casters will have 2 more DC. That is what would happen.

[Certon]

The extra build points aren't useless. Up your cha for quicker UMD. Up your int for more skill points. The idea is to shore up your secondary stats, and I'm okay with that.
All your system will do is up everythings saves by 2 because DC casters will have 2 more DC. That is what would happen.

OK. Apply this to a half-orc barbarian with max STR and high CON (where the CON costs 3 build points per.)

What? Dex for a couple points of AC and Reflex Saves? Barbs generally don't care about AC. Int for skill points? Really? Wisdom for will saves? And forget about UMD...

It should be able to be applied to STR and CON. More HP, more damage. That's what a barbarian is about. But the current system disallows that by default.

[DrakHar]

OK. Apply this to a half-orc barbarian with max STR and high CON (where the CON costs 3 build points per.)

What? Dex for a couple points of AC and Reflex Saves? Barbs generally don't care about AC. Int for skill points? Really? Wisdom for will saves? And forget about UMD...

It should be able to be applied to STR and CON. More HP, more damage. That's what a barbarian is about. But the current system disallows that by default.

You listed the one build that would benefit from a system. It's the weakest link. But the strongest link gains the most (casters). barbarians are the only thing that doesn't UMD. And the end result is bad for everything except barbarians. And quite frankly, I'm not willing to mess with a system just for one underpowered class.

[redspecter23]

You've basically just added a convoluted way of giving all characters +4 to their primary stat upon creation. The mistake is tying it into past lives which would only increase the divide between first lifers and multilifers. I'm not saying I'm for or against stat inflation necessarily, but I think tying it into past lives is not the way to go. If you want +2 DC on all your spells and/or tactics there are other ways of adding that to the game that don't push multi life toons further ahead.