D&D Point Buy Calculator — Ability Score Allocator
Build a D&D 5e character using the standard 27-point buy. Pick each ability score from 8–15, see the point cost and ability modifier instantly, and check if you are within budget.
STR (Strength)
DEX (Dexterity)
CON (Constitution)
INT (Intelligence)
WIS (Wisdom)
CHA (Charisma)
Point budget
Points left to spend (lower is better use of budget)
- 1
D&D 5e cost per ability score
0 + 7 + 9 + 0 + 5 + 0 = 21Scores 8–13 cost 1 pt each above 8; score 14 costs 7 pts total, score 15 costs 9 pts total. - 2
Points remaining
27 − 21 = 6
How does this calculator work?
D&D 5e point buy: 27 points, scores 8–15. Costs jump at 14 (7 pts) and 15 (9 pts) to make high stats expensive. Modifier = ⌊(score − 10) / 2⌋. A balanced array of 8/14/15/8/13/8 costs exactly 27 points and gives modifiers of −1/+2/+2/−1/+1/−1.
Formula
How this is calculated
D&D 5e's point-buy system gives you 27 points to spend raising ability scores from a baseline of 8. Scores cost 1 point each from 9–13, then jump to 2 points per score at 14 and 15 — an intentional design to make high scores expensive and discourage "dump stats." The cost table is: 8 = 0 pts, 9 = 1, 10 = 2, 11 = 3, 12 = 4, 13 = 5, 14 = 7, 15 = 9.
Each ability score converts to a modifier — the number you actually add to dice rolls — via ⌊(score − 10) / 2⌋. A score of 10 gives +0, 12 gives +1, 14 gives +2, 15 gives +2 (the maximum before racial bonuses). Racial ability score improvements are applied after point buy and are not part of the cost.
You can adjust the budget below the default 27 for low-power games (some groups use 25) or increase it for high-power games (32 or 36). The calculator supports the standard 8–15 range — if your game allows scores outside that range, use it as a reference and track the remainder manually.
Frequently asked questions
The designers wanted high scores to be meaningfully more expensive so characters feel distinct rather than all maxing the same two stats. The non-linear cost forces trade-offs between a few good stats and many average ones.
No — racial bonuses (e.g. +2 STR for a Hill Dwarf) are added after the point-buy phase. A score of 15 in point buy plus a +2 racial bonus gives 17, which is beyond what point buy alone can reach.
Partly — Pathfinder uses a similar system but with a different cost table and different score caps. The budget selector lets you experiment with different point totals, but the cost table here is the D&D 5e one. Check your system's rulebook for its specific cost table.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). D&D Point Buy Calculator — Ability Score Allocator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/point-buy-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "D&D Point Buy Calculator — Ability Score Allocator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/point-buy-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "D&D Point Buy Calculator — Ability Score Allocator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/point-buy-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_point_buy_calculator, title = {D&D Point Buy Calculator — Ability Score Allocator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/point-buy-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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