What are Your Playing Mental Stats (see post)?

[Kelleris]

I'm having an IM conversation with a friend, and the subject of playing mental ability scores (and the frequent impossibility thereof) came up. One thing led to another, and we started to wonder what our playing mental stats would be.

Now this is not the same as your own real-life mental stats. If you're a casual gamer, your personal Charisma might not often transfer to your characters. Or if you're such a fan of the game that most of your Knowledge checks were something you knew already, your playing Intelligence might be higher than your personal Intelligence.

Personally, I'd say I'm about Int 16-17, Wis 8, Cha 10. I've got a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of the books so I usually know the ins and outs of a situation even if my character wouldn't, but I frequently fail to give my plans the consideration that would be required to live up to my capabilities, largely because I just don't care about that part of the game enough. I can also generate a clever speech as needed, but just as often can't be bothered, hence the merely average playing Charisma.

So what about my fellow ENWorlders? I suppose some of you might be uber roleplayers and can unerringly match your playing mental stats and your character's mental stats, but surely there are some others out there like my friend and I who tend to perform in a certain band, with only a limited ability to adjust for specific characters.

 

[Mycanid]

There was a kinda similiar thread some weeks back here:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=111025

Consistent with my post in that one, then, I would say what I did there:

"Well ... back in the early 80's when I was playing V&V I was statted out as:

Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 12

But many things have changed in the past twenty plus years. Now it would be something like:

Str 8, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 14"

 

[Kelleris]

I might be missing something, but that looks like one of the periodic "stat yourself" threads, whereas I'm looking for something more like "what mental capabilities can/do you roleplay?" They're not the same thing, most of the time, or so I would guess. You're certainly not going to have a playing Dexterity score, for instance.

Secondarily, I'm wondering if I'm alone in having a great deal of difficulty adjusting my playing ability (expressed in terms of the three classic mental stats) to the presumed mental ability of my character (expressed in terms of *his* mental stats). I have an extremely hard time "properly" roleplaying a character who deviates much from the playing stats I listed up there, for instance.

 

[Mycanid]

Ohhhhh ....

I see what you mean now. Hmm.... That's a much more specific question. I should have CAREFULLY read what you originally wrote! Apologies.

Well ... it seems to me that it is usually easier to make up playing lower stats, even if not thoroughly convincing. To rp HIGHER mental stats, though, can be quite difficult. Especially, for example, if you have very poor basic social skills and are playing someone with a real high charisma - say, a bard.

I always had difficulty with one of the qualities of charisma, that of leadership. Often the "leader" of our group happened to be the one most skilled at tactical team combat strategy. I have a fairly high charisma, and enjoyed playing characters with a fairly high charisma, but I am just not much of a "leader" sort. Sorta more the charisma one might associate with "the goode olde hermit in the woode", I guess, or a very kind 3.5 bard.... :\

 

[Mercule]

I've got a very good grasp on the rules, but I'm not a fan of spell-slingers (and therefore often don't pay attension to them), so 15-16 int.

I'm too impatient and occasionally make bad calls and rush into situations, so 8-10 wis. I can be devious, but that only keeps me from dropping into idiot territory.

My charisma actually goes up in play. I almost always end up as party leader. Even when I make up a character explicitly designed to be an advisor or goon, I still end up hoisted to make the decisions (not good, based on the previous paragragh). I'm going with 15ish.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

I'm pretty good with the rules so I'd say Int 14ish. No matter what character I play, my real life decision making processes always come into play so I'd say Wis 16ish. As for charisma, I actually find that stat easier to roleplay than the others. In real life my Cha would be somewhat average, but in the game I don't find it too difficult to become more or less so.

 

[Geoff Watson]

Most roleplayers think they're geniuses, so expect a lot of 18 Intelligence estimates, 16 if they're feeling modest.

Geoff.

 

[Kelleris]

Well, to be more nice about it, it's probably pretty common for EN World posters to have a pretty thorough mastery of the rules, which equates to a high playing Intelligence in the schema I sketched out. If anything, I would expect a fair number of people here to have playing Intelligences that exceed their actual Intelligence score (however you want to define that), simply because they're more die-hard hobbyists about this than they are generally.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

i say that my in game cha is usually as high as i can make it. I usaly forget my character only has a 12 cha. To balance this, i try to have my character at times. Nothing lowers cha master then telling the truth. he will how ever say it in a bardic way. thats what makes d&d really fun for me, getting into renfair voice every other week.

Int i would say is alittle higher then what my characters have, most likely a 18, yeah an 18, you heard me.... lol (maybe not, but i cant find a good number). I'm really good about not metagameing loudly, as in letting other players know what i may know, but i have a harder time confining myself to my own actions. i'm only bad sometimes though, most of the time i just judge accordingly. I don't let my ooc knowledge rule my actions. I know some people that do, and its pritty disgusting to watch.

with wisdom, i would say a real 16. I usaly can find out whats happening in the plot because the dm borrows from stories. Although, at times, i will have my character do something i know is foolish for the fun of it, say insulting the king, and other risky acts, but only if i think my character can still come out on top or willing to take the punishment of failing. I will also do unwise actions if i think it will improve the game and storyline (to help the dm).