ability points and corresponding character description

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I haven't read any D&D rule books for any edition, but I have Icewind Dale II, a computer adaptation using 3E rules (or 2.5E rules for the more cynically inclined). One of the guides I read pointed to low int (1 or 3) being something along the lines of not even being self-aware. Can anyone point out to me where (hopefully not involving buying any rule books or campaign guides) I can read roughly what state each level of ability score corresponds to or, if you are so kind, write the descriptions?

 

You mean what a character with a given score is supposed to be able to do? I don't know... that's something better asked of an experienced dungeon master. But I can tell you that 10 is the average, 12 is advantaged (think the difference between the average human and elf in dexterity or human and dwarf in constitution - it's two points on the scale). Then, 13 is the kind of strength you need for Power Attack or dexterity you need for Dodge or intelligence you need for Expertise, 14 would be high and it's also the level of charisma that accords a paladin roughly the same level of class abilities as he had in 2E, 15 allows you to receive all the appropriate spells with no delay in a class like cleric or wizard if you don't multiclass, 18 is the maximum you can normally be born with, 19 is what you need to achieve the highest level spells.

 

Uhm, the various players handbooks (2E and 3E etc) usually have comparisions more than exact descriptions. Forexample my cusins dwarf fighter had Charisma 5 and was compared to a Triceratops (tree horned dinosaur).

But regarding inteligence some short ideas:

1-2 Animal inteligence, unable to speak language, can still pull of various cunning hunting strategies etc. Example wolf or dog at int 2 and horse and aligator at int 1.

3-4 As dumb as "inteligent" beeings can get, think people that have trouble executing the most basic of work, and might need guidance and help to execute even that.

8-9 Below average, example orcs and half orcs. Think the kinda persons that get a headache when trying to read, that prefer to do things with hands instead of having to go through talking things out, or reading, or doing things through the legal system (though not necesarilly). Typically normal people in a town, but prefer more physical jobs like blacksmith, carpenter etc.

10-11 average, human/dwarf/elf/halfling etc.

12-13 Above average/exeptional, these are the guys that go through school without doing homework and still piss you off with getting good grades.

14+ Well, this is where you are starting to reach genious levels. think of it this way, in reallife perhaps only a couple of persons in entire town might have an inteligence of 14+, and an inteligence of 18 will mark one as one of the very few most inteligent beeings alive.

Inteligence 0 means you lack selfawareness. you are not "inteligent" you are basically a vegetable/brain dead/rock. This can happen in rare situations in the various rpg's, most commonly in D&D 3.0/3.5 in case of specific mind poison that can reduse ones inteligence. In which case the person will just collapse and bee entirelly unable to execute any thought or action.

Something similar almost happened to one of my players in long ago game, he had a Wisdom of 2, and wanted to equip a ring that would give -2 wisdom. The other players stopped him.


I hope that helped?

 

The game doesn't really give any good idea for what an ability score really represents, other than 3 being the lowest possible score for human beings and 18 being the highest. It suggests that an 8 in your score is below average but nothing to be ashamed of, and 15 is well above average but is still common enough to see every day.

(19 and higher is "superhuman", but mere mortals can still obtain such scores as they level up.)

Here's a thought: the next time you create a character, put a fitting adjective or brief description next to the ability score. For example, I had a gnome sorcerer in one of the games I played (gnomes get -2 Str but +2 Con). My character might be:

Strength: 10 (built)
Dexterity: 14 (nimble)
Constitution: 14 (used to hard work)
Intelligence: 12 (somewhat clever)
Wisdom: 8 (sometimes childish)
Charisma: 16 (quite charming)

One of the characters I had in a game (a human paladin) would have something like:

Strength: 14 (strong sword arm)
Dexterity: 10 (lets his shield do the work in battle)
Constitution: 10 (noble upbringing)
Intelligence: 14 (well-versed)
Wisdom: 14 (voice of reason)
Charisma: 15 (more than respectable)

The stats of a couple more of former characters in one of my campaigns, to give you an idea. (Everyone had 28-point buy.)

Elf ranger/wizard:

Strength: 10 (unimpressive)
Dexterity: 16 (moves like water)
Constitution: 8 (thin)
Intelligence: 17 (studied and cunning)
Wisdom: 12 (patient)
Charisma: 14 (natural leader)

Halfling rogue:

Strength: 10 (tall for a halfling)
Dexterity: 18 (quicker than the eye)
Constitution: 8 (frail)
Intelligence: 14 (gifted)
Wisdom: 12 (sharp senses) (interestingly, the character was roleplayed as if he had a lower Wisdom)
Charisma: 14 (honey-tongued)

Human barbarian:

Strength: 16 (powerful brute)
Dexterity: 13 (used to dodging things)
Constitution: 16 (hard to put down)
Intelligence: 8(simple)
Wisdom: 13 (wits like an animal)
Charisma: 8 (just keeps his mouth shut)


So -- that might give you some idea of what stats might be like. As for stats below 8, I'd say they're best described as "impaired" -- your low score is noticeably low. (Especially if it's Charisma.)

[ November 28, 2006, 04:13: Message edited by: Oaz ]

 

Just to further differentiate between 14+ stats, for humans 16-19 expresses exceptional, but still within the limits of human ability according to the 3.5 PHB (for the sake of illustration, James Bond would have between 16-19 in all his stats if he was a D+D character).

Anything with 1 point of Charisma is aware of itself and anything with 1 point of wisdom is aware of its surroundings (though just barely). Anything that is more then an object has to have 1 point in each category. If something has a dash for charisma it automatically has a dash for wisdom and vice versa. Intelligence has no effect of self-awareness. A character with 42 int (like the deity Boccob) and a Cha score of 1 (like an iron golem) would have almost no self-awareness but unfathomable analytical skills and mental dexterity. A person with such scores would basically be a computer. However a character with the exact opposite scores would have incredible awareness of who they were (and irresistible personal magnetism), but reptilian reasoning abilities.

 

Naaah, you overrate 007.

 

he probably has about 8 WIS