Free Generator
D&D Point Buy Calculator
Spend the standard 27-point budget across your six ability scores with live modifiers — 2024 background bonuses and 2014 racial bonuses both supported.
Pick one ability for +2 and a different one for +1.
Strength
cost 0
8(-1)
Dexterity
cost 0
8(-1)
Constitution
cost 0
8(-1)
Intelligence
cost 0
8(-1)
Wisdom
cost 0
8(-1)
Charisma
cost 0
8(-1)
Pick one ability for +2 and a different one for +1.
A 16 after bonuses in your main stat is the classic level-1 target — buy a 15 and add +1, or buy a 14 and add +2.
Odd scores (13, 15) don't change your modifier by themselves — buy them only if you'll round them up with a bonus or plan around feats.
Don't dump Constitution. Every class wants hit points.
The Standard preset is the exact standard array — a safe start you can nudge from.
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Join PatreonHow Point Buy Works in D&D 5e
Point buy is the character-creation option that trades dice luck for full control. Every ability score starts at 8, and you spend a shared budget of 27 points to raise them — up to a maximum of 15 before bonuses. Higher scores cost more per step, so a couple of high stats means accepting some low ones. Your racial bonuses (2014 rules) or background bonuses (2024 rules) are applied after you spend the budget, which is how a bought 15 becomes a 17 at level 1.
The 5e Point Buy Cost Table
| Ability Score | Total Point Cost | Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 0 | -1 |
| 9 | 1 | -1 |
| 10 | 2 | +0 |
| 11 | 3 | +0 |
| 12 | 4 | +1 |
| 13 | 5 | +1 |
| 14 | 7 | +2 |
| 15 | 9 | +2 |
Point Buy vs Standard Array vs Rolling
The standard array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) costs exactly 27 points — it's simply one legal point-buy result, so point buy is the array with choices. Rolling 4d6 (drop the lowest) produces higher averages but real variance: one player's 18 sits next to another's 7. Point buy keeps the party on an even power budget, which is why organized play uses it. If you're new, start from the Standard preset above and trade points from a stat you won't use.
2014 vs 2024 Rules
The budget and costs are unchanged between editions. In the 2014 Player's Handbook, your +2/+1 (or other increases) came from your chosen race — use the calculator's custom bonus mode to match your race's spread. In the 2024 Player's Handbook, bonuses come from your background instead: either +2 to one ability and +1 to another, or +1 to three different abilities. Pick the mode that matches your table and the calculator validates the pattern for you.
Once your scores are set, generate a fitting identity with our D&D name generator and a hook with the backstory generator — or grab a free printable character sheet to write it all down.
Point Buy Calculator FAQ
How does point buy work in D&D 5e?▼
You start with 8 in all six ability scores and a budget of 27 points. Raising a score costs points on a curve — cheap at low values (9 costs 1 total point) and expensive at the top (15 costs 9 total points). Scores can only be bought between 8 and 15; racial or background bonuses are added afterward and can push a score to 17 at creation.
What is the highest score you can get with point buy?▼
The highest you can buy is 15. With a +2 bonus (from your 2024 background or a 2014 racial ability score increase) that becomes a 17 at level 1. You cannot buy a 16, 17, or 18 directly.
Is point buy better than rolling or the standard array?▼
They serve different tables. Point buy gives every player the same power budget and full control — no lucky or unlucky characters. The standard array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) is actually a legal point-buy spread, so point buy strictly offers more options. Rolling 4d6-drop-lowest creates variance some tables love and others ban. Most organized play (like Adventurers League) uses point buy or the array.
What changed between the 2014 and 2024 point buy rules?▼
The 27-point budget and cost table are identical. What moved is the bonus source: in the 2014 rules your +2/+1 came from your race, while in the 2024 rules your background grants either +2/+1 or +1/+1/+1 to abilities of your choice. This calculator supports both — pick the bonus mode that matches your table.
Does Daggerheart use point buy?▼
No. Daggerheart characters assign a fixed spread of trait modifiers — +2, +1, +1, 0, 0, and -1 — across the six traits, so there is nothing to calculate. If you are building a Daggerheart character, our free Daggerheart Character Creator rolls a complete starting character (ancestry, community, class, subclass, and domains) in one click.
Does Pathfinder 2e use point buy?▼
Not in the D&D sense. Pathfinder 2e builds ability scores through a series of ability boosts from your ancestry, background, and class rather than a spendable point pool. This calculator is specific to the D&D 5e 27-point system.
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