As I said previously, the last time you asked....
No, it's not specifically a 5e thing.
5e offers several alternate, optional ways of generating ability scores, the first and 'core' way of doing so is with rolling. (in 5e, rolling is described as rolling 4 d6 and selecting the three highest to add together, giving a value between 3 an 18, and doing this six times, to drive scores, which you then allocate to abilities of your choice)
However, two alternate options are also suggested in the Phb, which include point buy and the standard array (which is just a specific permutation of point buy). Point buy has been around for several generations of the game at this stage, though it's been tweaked slightly between versions, I believe.
Point buy works as Larian have implemented - with a pool of points, increasing cost for higher values, and a value cap of 15. It's a fairly dull way of generating ability scores, that produces fairly samey, uninspired stat spreads.
Larian have opted to go with point buy rather than let us rolls tats, for now, but it's been said that alternate methods, including actually rolling, will be coming.
Last edited by Niara; 09/11/21 08:51 AM.
