D&D Pointbuy Variants

Overview about the variants of ability generation in different editions of D&D (or D&D-inspired games).

AD&D First Edition
Method 1
Roll 4d6, drop one die. Do this 6 times, assign scores freely.
Method 2
Roll 3d6 12 times, drop 6 scores, assign scores freely.
Method 3
Roll 3d6 6 times, keep highest score. Do this 6 times, assign scores in order.
Method 4
Roll 3d6 6 times for one array. Do this 12 times, select one array, assign scores in order.

Neverwinter Nights Computer Game
30 points to spend

8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
0	1	2	3	4	5	6	8	10	13	16

Star Wars Saga
25 points to spend

8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
0	1	2	3	4	5	6	8	10	13	16

Pathfinder
Low: 10 points, Standard: 15 points, High: 20 points, Epic: 25 points

7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
-4	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	5	7	10	13	17

Athenaes Siegel Vereinsturnier
35 points to spend

8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
0	1	2	3	4	5	7	9	12	15	19

"Wolfgangs Methode"
Roll 8d6, drop two dice. From the remaining dice, generate two scores by assigning three dice to one score respectively. Do this two more times to get a total of six scores (a score set). During the process of generating one set, you have one re-roll.
Generate three sets and choose one. Distribute scores freely.

D&D 4th Edition
Method 1 (Standard Array)
16,14,13,12,11,10
Method 2 (Pointbuy)
Starting array: 8,10,10,10,10,10
22 points to spend

9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
- (1)	0 (2)	1	2	3	5	7	9	12	16

Method 3 (Random)
Roll 4d6, drop one die. Do this 6 times, assign scores freely. Total of ability modifiers before racial adjustment are recommended to be between +4 and +8.