D&D 5e Point Buy Calculator

How Point Buy Actually Works (In Plain English)

You start with six 8s and 27 points to spend. Simple, right?

Here's the catch: the price climbs fast. Going from 13 to 14 costs 2 points instead of 1, and 14 to 15 costs another 2. Suddenly you're sweating over one question: does my paladin really need that 14 Charisma, or is a 13 plus more Constitution the smarter play?

That tension is the whole point. Real choices, real trade-offs. That's exactly why organized play and serious campaigns run point buy instead of rolling and hoping for the best.

Point Buy vs. Standard Array vs. Rolling

Standard array 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 is worth exactly 27 points. It's point buy with the decisions already made for you. Fast, fair, zero brainpower.

Rolling 4d6 drop lowest can hand you godlike stats or a character you quietly retire after session three. Some tables love the drama. If yours rolls, that's fine too.

Point buy sits in the middle: full control, zero luck, everyone at the same power level. For most groups, it's the right call.

What Changed in the 2024 Player's Handbook

Here's the big shift: your species no longer gives ability score bonuses. Instead, your background grants +2 and +1 (or three +1s), plus an Origin feat.

The point buy itself hasn't changed. It's still 27 points, scores of 8 to 15. But now your bonuses come from a different place. Practically, that means your level 1 max is usually 17: a 15 from point buy plus the background's +2.

Complete Point Buy Cost Table

The key insight most players miss: Scores 8 through 13 each cost exactly 1 point per increase. But 13 to 14 costs 2 points, and 14 to 15 costs another 2 points. That means two 15s eat 18 of your 27 points, leaving only 9 for everything else.

Best Point Buy Arrays by Class

Pick your archetype, grab the array, then apply your background bonus on top:

Martials (Fighter, Barbarian, Paladin)
STR 15 CON 14 DEX 12 WIS 10 INT 10 CHA 8
+3 attack modifier at level 1 with solid hit points. Paladins who want CHA 12 should drop INT to 8 instead.

Finesse (Rogue, Monk, Ranger)
DEX 15 CON 14 WIS 12 STR 10 INT 10 CHA 8
Dexterity drives attacks, damage, AC, initiative, and Stealth all at once.

Wizards
INT 15 CON 14 DEX 12 WIS 10 STR 8 CHA 8
CON 14 is non-negotiable, because concentration checks happen constantly. DEX 12 gives +1 AC since wizards can't wear armor.

Clerics & Druids
WIS 15 CON 14 DEX 12 INT 10 STR 8 CHA 8

Sorcerers, Bards, Warlocks
CHA 15 CON 14 DEX 12 WIS 10 STR 8 INT 8

Multiclass-ready
STR 13 DEX 13 CON 12 INT 12 WIS 12 CHA 10
Every score meets the 13 minimum for multiclassing. You won't excel early, but you'll never be locked out of a dip.

Common Point Buy Mistakes (Don't Do These)

Two 15s without a plan. That's 18 points gone, leaving only 9 for four stats. One 15 plus one 14 is almost always better value.

Ignoring Constitution. A wizard with CON 14 instead of 10 gains 24 extra hit points by level 12. Never treat CON as a dump stat unless you have a specific reason.

Forgetting save proficiencies. If your class is already proficient in a save, boosting that score matters less. Shore up your weak saves instead.

Building for level 1 only. You get ASIs at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19. A starting 14 becomes 16 at level 4, so think about your long-term build, not just session one.

Frequently Asked Questions