Don't over think it.

From the Core Rulebook:

The build total is the maximum value allowed when the point values of all characters and other elements of your force are added together.

That didn't answer my question...

For good, bad, and ugly we take things completely literally around here. Leniency is not a defined Heroclix term.

LOL - when I first started playing I thought the build total was the EXACT total, not simply the maximum. SO I'd stress out trying to make teams fit to the 300pt total or whatever. When someone built I team I wanted to use (but it was like 295, or something a bit shy of 300) I called them for cheating! The judge educated me that it's fine to go under. Felt like a goof.

The one venue I play at has a house rule written into some of their events, where you're allowed to go over by a certain percent of the event's listed "Build Total". So like our Bizarro world event tonight, it's listed as a 900 point event, but we get an additional 3% to add to our teams. It's a light-hearted event with a fig or two from a booster on the line, so nothing super serious, but our AvX last week? 400 points, and you better believe it that the house rule was not mentioned.

I always build to the listed build total in almost every case. This week because I want to play with my new SLoSH toys, I'm 1 point over, otherwise I'd be 15 points under with nothing to fill it, without digging around through ATAs (though I might still do that)

But the build total is there for a reason, it's to create balanced sides.

I assume that games that uses leniency have some sort of penalty involved in exceeding the build total? If not you might just as well increase the build total by that amount to start with.

When I was looking at my teams for the tourney, I eliminated all of those possibilities that were over the limit, no matter how slightly and no matter how much I may have liked those characters and/or wanted to play that team.

Why should I then be penalized because someone else built over?

You want leniency? Pretend that the build is actually 10% less than stated, but you have 10% to play with.

"Is it okay if we play with 12 players?"

"Can I go ahead and get four striikes?"

"I get 11 frames to your 10, right?"

"408 points is close enough, isn't it?"

No. It's not.