Case 1
- Which ability score do you want?
- 14
7
Open with these valuesDnD 5e Point Buy Cost Calculator
7
Result: 7Point buy gives you 27 points and a floor of 8 in every ability. Each step from 8 to 13 costs one point, but 14 and 15 cost two each, so a single 15 eats nine points — a third of the budget. That rising price is the whole mechanism: it stops you from maxing two abilities and living with the rest.
Worked examples
Case 2
- Which ability score do you want?
- 15
9
Open with these valuesCase 3
- Which ability score do you want?
- 10
2
Open with these valuesHow it's calculated
Cost = table lookup, 8→0 … 13→5, 14→7, 15→9
- StepPick the score you want that ability to start at, before any bonuses.
- StepRead its point cost off the table — the price per step doubles at 14.
- ResultAdd the six costs together and keep the total at or under 27.
What this number means
The table is the rule, there is no formula
Costs run 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 for the scores 8 to 15, straight out of the free basic rules checked on 25 August 2026. No closed expression fits both halves of that curve, so the table is stored word for word.
The last two steps cost double
Every step from 8 up to 13 costs one point, then 14 and 15 cost two each. A single 15 therefore eats 9 of the 27 points, a third of the whole budget.
Nothing exists below 8 or above 15
Point buy sets 8 as the floor and 15 as the ceiling, and no official cost is defined outside that range. Species, background or feat bonuses are added afterwards, so a bought 15 can still end up as a 17.
The standard array is a legal buy
15, 14, 13, 12, 10 and 8 cost 9 + 7 + 5 + 4 + 2 + 0, which is exactly the 27 points. It is one of the most efficient spreads the rules allow.
Commonly misread
Going from 13 to 14 costs one point, like every step before it.
It costs two: 13 is 5 points and 14 is 7. The price per step doubles at the top end.
I dropped a score to 6 to buy extra points elsewhere.
The standard rules define no cost below 8, so there is nothing to refund. Some tables allow it as a house rule; this calculator stops at 8.
A 15 is always the better buy than a second 14.
Two 14s cost 14 points for two plus-two modifiers, while a 15 and an 8 cost 9 for one. The 15 pays off only where the ability carries your attacks or your spellcasting.
Reference table
| Score | Modifier | Point cost |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | minus 1 | 0 |
| 9 | minus 1 | 1 |
| 10 | zero | 2 |
| 11 | zero | 3 |
| 12 | plus 1 | 4 |
| 13 | plus 1 | 5 |
| 14 | plus 2 | 7 |
| 15 | plus 2 | 9 |
Questions
How does point buy work in 5e?
You get 27 points to spend across the six abilities. Every ability starts at 8 for free and can be raised to at most 15, with the cost per step rising at the top end. You cannot afford to max everything, which is exactly the point.
What does each score cost?
8 costs 0, 9 costs 1, 10 costs 2, 11 costs 3, 12 costs 4, 13 costs 5, 14 costs 7 and 15 costs 9. Notice the jump: the last two steps cost two points each instead of one.
What is the standard array and how does it relate?
The standard array is 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 — a ready-made spread you may take instead of buying. Its costs are 9, 7, 5, 4, 2 and 0, which add up to exactly 27, so it is a legal point-buy result and one of the most efficient ones.
What is the highest score point buy allows?
15, before any bonuses. Your species, background or a feat can lift it afterwards, so a bought 15 with a plus-two bonus ends up as a 17. Point buy itself never goes above 15.
Can I take a score below 8 to get extra points?
Not under the standard rules, which set 8 as the floor and 15 as the ceiling. Some tables allow it as a house rule, but no official cost is defined below 8, so this calculator stops there.
Is 15 worth nine points?
Only if the ability carries your attack rolls or your spellcasting. Two 14s cost 14 points and give two plus-two modifiers, while a 15 and an 8 cost 9 and give one. The array most players land on spends heavily once and stays cheap everywhere else.
Sources and last check
Information, not professional advice.