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What are your stats?

Discussion in 'Whatnots' started by Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Nov 6, 2003.

  1. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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  2. Mystra's Chosen Gems: 22/31
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    Oaz...

    Why does reading not make you smarter; why does practicing the violin not make you more dextrous? I play the guitar - I'm pretty good, and if I wanted to I could play professionally.


    Anyway, I was confusing Dexterity for agility. I can shoot the smallest target, play guitar, catch and throw anything, and pretty much do anything that requires good hand-eye/motor skills. I have really good Dexterity.

    Constitution is hard for me to determine. I get sick more often than most, but I can hold my booze, go for days without sleeping and absorb pain without too much difficulty.

    I think I will revamp my stats yet again...

    STR 15
    DEX 13
    CON 12
    INT 11
    WIS 8
    CHA 11
     
  3. chevalier

    chevalier Knight of Everfull Chalice ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    OK, it's good that emotions have cooled down.

    I agree with Oaz that having books around doesn't make you smarter. Nor does having meds around make you healthier. I believe stats average scores haven't changed much from mediaeval times. More working out, less physical work. More sports, less real archery and real fighting. Better health, poorer toughness. Greater opportunities for mental training (not that nature doesn't provide them to the willing), granted. Wisdom? Hardly any difference, at least not to our advantage. Charisma? No difference if it's relative to your society. If it's absolute, circumstance adjustments (stench, healthy looks etc) apply, but the stat remains more or less the same. And there are still places on Earth where not much has changed. Note also that special opportunities are for the willing and those that have access only.

    People here are not representative for Earth's population. Our average INT has to be bigger as we don't have people with too low INT to use a computer, non-native speakers of English unable to learn a foreign language, people incapable of communication in writing etc. We, however, have quite a big share of intelligent people. Office workers, students, teachers, computer pro's, several scientists, a bunch of Mensans, some promising youngsters with top marks. IQ 130 is also more likely than IQ 100 between active posters. Not that IQ is the same as intelligence, but INT above 10, even much above 10, shouldn't surprise. Sports are also taught at schools and people have various hobbies, so what's the problem with occasional high physical stats? I'd even say that a 16 INT student has more free time than a 10 INT student who has to study more. He can go to a gym, or he can waste time on his computer :D ;)

    Cumulations of high scores? High strength and constitution are rarely separated. Training that leads to dexterity increase, usually also affects your constitution (martial arts) and sometimes your strength (archery). I don't think there's such a combo in mental stats, but being brilliant (INT) or wise, enlightened and people smart, I believe, affects your charisma score. Dumb people don't make captivating performers or good leaders as a rule. Weak will doesn't go together with stunning personality strength as a rule. Physical stats may contribute to your appearance. Intelligent and wise people are likely to maintain proper hygiene and take proper care of themselves, which also affects appearance (this is to justify that ties between INT & WIS and CHA may exist and *not* to claim that they must exist). On the other hand, charismatic people who rely on their looks are likely to work on them (physical stat boost). Those with leadership skills often become leaders or spokesmen for groups. They have more opportunities to learn wisdom and train intelligence.

    This doesn't mean that such ties have to exist, but they may well do and each score is not an independent entity or a random roll in such cases ;)
     
  4. Foradasthar Gems: 21/31
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    I will draw these from the hat.

    Str = 12 - Obviously above normal, but I look more than I actually am. Benchpress is fairly little with me but I've done physical work, having lived in the middle of a forest granting me a fairly evenly distributed strength in all.

    Dex = 12 - Also above normal, I manage tricks many can't and possess a very good balance and extreme finger motorics. Still, I'm a fairly big guy so the dexterity is mainly limited to separate limbs and the balance.

    Con = 14-15 - Possibly my strongest trait. I nearly never get sick while people around me get sick all the time. I've never broken bones, only twice sprained my ankle and once elbow in the gym. Otherwise I've moved around like an animal with no consequences from even serious accidents. The only thing limiting this below 16 is the fact that I have some overweight for the moment. I think my current maximum in a cooper test would be running barely the 2800m/12min. And that's not much.

    Wis = 12 - This is something one can't really say about oneself. I am often asked for support and advice, yet I rarely know what I can do with it on my own. That being the case, I feel it's high relative to others, but very low relative to me personally. Even if I am an introspective sort. And really, who would say they had a wisdom of 18? :)

    Int = 13 - I learn things incredibly quickly. But I don't practice my mind. I do only what interests me and as such I rarely did any homework in school. I still got results hitting between "Good" and "Excellent", more of the former than the latter, so I guess I can't be a complete idiot either. From the few IQ tests I've done, I've been everything from ~120 to ~150 (I don't quite believe in those btw, so many other factors come into play in real life), so I guess 130 (13) is a good safe middlefigure.

    Cha = 7 - Considering 9 is the average and I rarely get along with others as well as the average person, my charisma must be lower than theirs. I'm not ugly, nor am I repulsive socially either. But by my nature I am too different. Maybe it's in the wrong surroundings, maybe not. But from the people I know from work and home, most are better than I at this.

    Oh and, no offense to anyone as I've hardly even read everything else on this thread. But about the education part before, intelligence is refined through education, yes, but it's not defined by it. The point is that a hard-working individual possessing an average intellect can easily overdo a very intelligent individual in academic success. Still, what difference does that make? This is why IQ is something that should always be viewed with some measure of doubt.
     
  5. Yerril Gems: 22/31
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    STR- 11 I'm very well built, that's all.
    CON - 9 I can't take pain and I get colds regularly
    DEX - 9 I can walk without falling over. Most of the time
    INT - 11 I'm above average. But that doesn't really take much
    WIS - 10 I'm about average here
    CHA - 10 I used to be a charisma god. These days I'm much more introverted

    PER (The hidden DnD stat- Perception) 6 - I'm so imperceptive it's not true
     
  6. iLLusioN' Gems: 16/31
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    STR:14 i bench about 190 at the moment and squat about 300, and dead lift(hex bar) about 400
    INT:15-16 my IQ is 160...you choose
    Wis:12 most of the time with my friends, im the one who keeps us outta troulbe by realizing that doing such and such isnt very smart:D
    Dex:15 i went with 15 because i have very good hand/eye coordination, good enough to be top receiver in AA football in missouri, and i dont trip or stumble much, plus im very good with my hands.
    Con:12 i dont get sick very often
    Cha:8 im quite shy at socail gatherings prefering to sit and listen than to talk...which is why i talk so much on here :D

    i may be full of myself, but that ^ is what i think my stats would be

    EDIT: you may want to raise my CON i just went with the fact the i almost never get sick and judged it that way. Ive read in some of the other posts additions of taking pain and how often they take injuries. I have never broken a bone and ive only sprain my ankle once, and playing football(american) with no pads means taking pain, so it should probably be raised but i wont do it
     
  7. Trydan Gems: 5/31
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    STR = 12 : Tall and well built, but not a muscle-head.
    DEX = 12 : Good reflexes and fairly fast for my size, but not a great sportsman
    CON = 16 : Never ill, have survived some nasty injuries, don't feel the cold, am quite fit, etc.
    INT = 13 : Above average; a couple of university degrees, but that's all.
    WIS = 10 : Average. I'm no sage, but I'm not foolish or susceptible to flights of fancy either.
    CHA = 7 : Below average. Well spoken and presented, but no self-confidence and few friends.


    As an aside, I'm a member of a Dark Ages reenactment group, and specialise in longspears. I've got a reasonable reputation as a spearsman, and fight very lightly armoured (the only metal armour I wear is a helmet). I can usually hold my own against fully-mailed swordsmen, but only by being agile about it. The most common battle cry I hear is "Stand still dammit!". Of course I don't.

    While ranger and druid classes would suit me, I don't think I'd have the stats for them. (This would explain why I can't cast any spells in real life!) So I guess it would be fighter, with proficiency in spears.

    It's fairly unlikely that anyone would choose me to join their adventuring party.
     
  8. Grandalf the Green Sorcerer Gems: 5/31
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    [​IMG] @Aldeth

    Then howcome Artemis Entreri has/had a dex score of 19 (2nd AD&D IIRC?).
    Due to harsh and daily training, so it is possible to go over 18, (I say max for human = 19), but that one would require you to be a world class athelete on sports etc. which requires high reflexes and so on.

    My 2 cents here :)
     
  9. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    18 is the highest human stat beyond magical means. Tell me how you can get a 19 while rolling 3D6, and I'll reconsider. So, if 18 is that max, then it is fair to say you've acheived the maximum possible for a human. Let's say this guy you refer to is the exception, not the rule.
     
  10. chevalier

    chevalier Knight of Everfull Chalice ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    Gentlemen, easy. No one says that Entreri was born with a 19. He's not an exception from 3d6, he got his raise another way, magical or not. There should, of course, be a limit here. Training is training, but you won't get around the physical limitations of human body. 18 was intended as such a physical limit for human creatures. Just how far can you get with training? You won't make your bones bent or your joints bent the other way round ;) Still, D&D stat system is not meant to be a rigid system that we're goint to treat like the Bible, but it's first goal is to contain some simplification of reality in numbers. If it's possible in real life to get your STR increased by 2 after a period of training, then it's stupid to forbid that because 'there's no such thing in the rules'. It should be judged by the DM, however, rather than be left up to the player. Otherwise everyone would just spend half a year working out before his adventure actually starts ;)
     
  11. Baezlebub Gems: 18/31
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    That was what I said last time. Refering to this, I have gone as follows...

    Strength - I would have to say after looking at the tables etc. about 14 -15. That is to say, I can bench about 75 - 80 kilos. Max bench, that is. So take from that what you will.

    Dexterity - I thought about this a bit more. Generally speaking, dexterity not only speaks on the ability to move etc. but general things, like spinning a coin along on someones fingers or shooting a gun. This I recaculated to about 12.

    Intelligence - Using the IQ%/10 I got 13.3

    Wisdom - I'm good at problem solving, and can work my way around a street. 13

    Constitution - I can't say that I dont get sick. I'm sick right now. However, going from my hereditary constitution, I'd say about a good 15. GOOD 15.
    Side note, my mum went into a drinking competition with a scot. With scotch. And won. She is a little lady as well. I have alot to look forward to.

    Charisma - I can sing, I can play guitar, I'm a nice guy and can make people laugh. I'd go about a 16. That may be a bit genorous. But then, I'm gorgeous, so where does balance come into it?

    Edit:
    I also got 1 superior and the rest good in the charisma test.

    [ November 15, 2003, 02:01: Message edited by: Baezlebub ]
     
  12. Oaz Gems: 29/31
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    I'll use a D&D analogy here. If a Wizard studies a book on the Lower Planes (The Nine Hells, Gehenna, the Abyss), he becomes smarter when it comes to that area of expertise. However, there is no reason his Intelligence should increase; studying that book will not increase his overall spell power (think spell DCs here), nor will it benefit him when he is recalling something about, say, nature, or geography.

    Likewise, a Bard that practices his viola might improve his ranks in Perform, but it does not increase his Dexterity because practicing a viola will not improve your ability to dodge a lightning bolt or fire a crossbow precisely.

    The stats are extremely broad-based - I said in a previous post that D&D games don't differentiate between upper-body strength and lower-body strength, nor between how dextrous your fingers are and how will you can dodge a throwing dagger.

    I'm pretty sure Mr. Entreri is an elf. Elves get bonuses to Dexterity.
     
  13. Abomination Gems: 26/31
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    Nope. He's human through and through. It's why Drizzt has so much respect for him, the fact that a person of only 30 years can near equal his fighting prowess when Drizzt has had about 150 years of training against some of the best warriors under Toril.
     
  14. Foradasthar Gems: 21/31
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    Drizzt was ~70 at the time he met Entreri. But it is true. As Drizzt's entire life has been spent with nothing but the fighting and the blades. As he was extremely gifted with it all in the first place it is a remarkable thing that his best adversary wasn't down there with the drow, but up on the surface with the humans.

    And I still say the same thing I said in that other thread when it came to those superhuman stats. 18 is the maximum for a human. Any human, at least playercreated. But there are those one in a billion exceptions where something has gone wrong. Either it's a gift from the gods, a twist of fate, or somesuch. Whatever it is, occasionally someone is born with an ability that isn't supposed to be there. In the case of Artemis Entreri, he really is a very rare human in possessing a dexterity beyond normal humans. I don't doubt his dexterity of 19 in the least, for that reason. I could even believe that Drizzt in reality has a dexterity of 20.

    Still, it's good to remember that the books are realistic (please don't cling on to this this one, I know it's fantasy) stories. They can never quite fit the rules of a game. Many books have instances where someone with obviously far less experience than it would take to make a feat (one that is clear because the books states this person / creature is not yet of the proper rank to summon some specific power), still manage doing it. In PnP, this would be impossible. Yet in reality, I can well imagine that your "experience" or "level" is not a constant. Extreme stress situations occasionally allow one to do such a superb performance they were never meant to be able to reach. There is no clear line there.
     
  15. Mystra's Chosen Gems: 22/31
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    Oaz...

    So by your logic, working out and lifting weights won't make you stronger?
     
  16. chevalier

    chevalier Knight of Everfull Chalice ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    In a simplified world, this is quite right. In reality, everything that helps your coordination will contribute to your dexterity. Sure, one point increase over ages, if it's something more related to skills. But, let's say, a professional dancer, martial artist, archer etc? Won't his dex improve as he gets more and more uber?

    However, STR increase from weight lifting is quite tangible. Granted, you primarily grow in bicep and reduce your neck, but you can hit harder, lift more and usually carry more than previously.
     
  17. Oaz Gems: 29/31
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    If you do curls all day, your legs won't be any stronger. Strength is not only represented in how well you can hit and hurt somebody, but how far you can jump, how well you can swim, and how quickly you can climb (let's assume we're talking an average Joe without ranks in these skills).

    Of course, if you spent all day working on every muscle in your body, for five years, your Strength would of course. But then again, if you did some activities that increased your overall Intelligence (not your knowledge), your Intelligence would improve.

    In 3/3.5E, this is represented through stat increases every four levels. In theory, characters should be able to improve their stats through sheer workout, but of course, that isn't addressed in D&D because a) it's pretty much overpowered and b) characters are probably too busy doing whatever they're doing in the game world.

    Chev: you are confusing stats with skills. A violist is not going to be able to dance very well or fire a gun very well (unless he's also trained in that stuff). It might help, but his skill in viola-playing comes from just that: skills (Perform, in this case).
     
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