Extremely low mental atts - How to play?

[Miscreant]

I'm trying out playing a half-orc for the first time. I'd like some insight into how you would play a hlaf orc with a 6 intelligence, 8 wisdom, and 4 charisma. If it matters his strength is 18, Dex is 18, and Constitution is 16.

 

[Theroc]

I'm trying out playing a half-orc for the first time. I'd like some insight into how you would play a hlaf orc with a 6 intelligence, 8 wisdom, and 4 charisma. If it matters his strength is 18, Dex is 18, and Constitution is 16.

Krugg Smash!

With a character of low intelligence, particularly of something like Orc ancestry, my guess is his primary instinct when something confuses him is to lash out.

Either that or he's a gentle giant, depending.

What type of character are you looking to play with this? I would say he follows the advice and directions of a particular more intelligent party-mate who he trusts to direct him towards things most beneficial to him.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

You could play him as comic relief pretty easily. The especially low charisma would make for a good evil PC, if the group is going that way anyway: CE, very short fuse, quick to get into fights at the slightest assumed provocation. Could also play some kind of sympathetic figure, a "forest gump" that's dumb and a (again, with that charisma, VERY) poor communicator, but means well.

Did you actually roll those wildly divergent stats, or pick them? I know point buy doesn't let you go that low.

 

[Miscreant]

I'm going for an alignment of CN.

Stats were gotten by using a 28 point buy, except my DM house rules that you can lower attributes on a 1 to 1 basis. Character is level 10.

Starting atts:

Str - 16 (10 points, increased to 18 by half-orc race)
Dex - 16 (10 points, increased to 18 by att point at levels 4&8)
Con - 16 (10 points)
Int - 8 (0 points, modified to 6 by half-orc race)
Wis - 8 (0 points)
Cha - 8 (0 points, reduced to 6 to get two more points and then reduced to 4 by half-orc race).

I described him as horribly disfigured by fire and sword in the attack on his home that killed his mother to help justify such a low charisma. I'm trying to decide just how to play him. I like the idea that he lashes out physically when he gets frustrated and is easily tricked or influenced by others. Very trusting.

I guess my main question is how impressionable would you consider this PC to be with such atts? Do you see his lack of charisma as what makes him more of a follower type or his wisdom, or do they compound one another?

 

[Theroc]

I'm going for an alignment of CN.

Stats were gotten by using a 28 point buy, except my DM house rules that you can lower attributes on a 1 to 1 basis. Character is level 10.

Starting atts:

Str - 16 (10 points, increased to 18 by half-orc race)
Dex - 16 (10 points, increased to 18 by att point at levels 4&8)
Con - 16 (10 points)
Int - 8 (0 points, modified to 6 by half-orc race)
Wis - 8 (0 points)
Cha - 8 (0 points, reduced to 6 to get two more points and then reduced to 4 by half-orc race).

I described him as horribly disfigured by fire and sword in the attack on his home that killed his mother to help justify such a low charisma. I'm trying to decide just how to play him. I like the idea that he lashes out physically when he gets frustrated and is easily tricked or influenced by others. Very trusting.

I guess my main question is how impressionable would you consider this PC to be with such atts? Do you see his lack of charisma as what makes him more of a follower type or his wisdom, or do they compound one another?

Lack of Intelligence and Wisdom make him unintelligent for the most part, but he's smart enough to know that others could likely help him make better use of his skills. Unfortunately, with low wisdom, he's too trusting and can be taken advantage of.

His low Charisma simply compounds it because as you've made him disfigured, so many will hate him already, anyone who shows any kindness toward him earn his trust.

Just ideas mind, but that's what comes to mind for me.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm trying out playing a half-orc for the first time. I'd like some insight into how you would play a hlaf orc with a 6 intelligence, 8 wisdom, and 4 charisma. If it matters his strength is 18, Dex is 18, and Constitution is 16.

Lack of Intelligence and Wisdom make him unintelligent for the most part, but he's smart enough to know that others could likely help him make better use of his skills. Unfortunately, with low wisdom, he's too trusting and can be taken advantage of.

Sounds like my old PC, Bear, all 18's and 6's!

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/249719-heroic-death.html

OTOH, instead of being a gentle giant and somewhat heroic, he could just as easily become a thug.

 

[Theroc]

Sounds like my old PC, Bear, all 18's and 6's!

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/249719-heroic-death.html

OTOH, instead of being a gentle giant and somewhat heroic, he could just as easily become a thug.

I believe your story about Bear was what made the concept stick in my head.

Was he the fighter who stood on a bridge and fought the entire town guard so the party could escape after the rogue stole something very valuable?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yeppers!

I don't think I've done better roleplaying in my 30+ years. (Though I did equal it when I inadvertently caused the death of Mordenkainen's child...but that's a story for a different thread.)

But beyond the "Gentle Giant fallen in with a (potentially) bad buddy/crowd" role? The actual criminal route?

He's strong enough to do any physical labor, from longshoreman or porter...to legbreaker. And many blue collar jobs give one opportunity for potential criminal acts, even though the person may not be bright enough to figure out precisely how to do the job...or NOT do it.

He's dexterous enough to do be a circus performer...or pull off second story jobs and pick pockets.

He's tough enough to take a punch or 2, so he may occasionally engage in bareknuckle (or other) prizefighting as a legit way of making money. (If so, do take the IUS feat, though.)

The low Int means he's not particularly inventive in his criminal career, and generally relies on his physical talents.

The low Wis means he may not realize he's being watched, or may not care. He may underestimate risks and overestimate his prowess in general. He may not figure out he's being doublecrossed or set up as a patsy, or just being manipulated in general.

The low Cha could be ugliness, but it could also be an off-putting nature. He could be grim and gruff. He could have a crazy-man stare...and the lingo to reinforce it. He may have a speech impediment that makes him loath to talk to anyone...and strong & silent can be intimidating. (FWIW, I usually let PCs with high Str to substitute that stat for Cha, so you can be any of the above low Cha types and still flex and loom to get your way...)

 

[udalrich]

If you do play him as loyally following the advise of a wiser party member, his "wise mentor" could easily be the person in the party who has bad ideas, especially if they're charismatic. In OOTS, I could see him following Elan.

 

[slwoyach]

Just don't exaggerate his stupidity. A 6 intelligence is dumb, but not incredibly so. An 8 wisdom is only slightly below average. People far too often forget that about 1 in 200 humans have a 3 intelligence. Nearly 10% of all humans have an intelligence score of 6 or below. He's not that dumb. His 8 wisdom is better than 25% of the human population. Heck, 1 in 50 even have a charisma as low as his, or even worse.

It gets old watching player and player again treat an 8 intelligence as functionally retarded. I've even seen players who think a 10 or an 11 is an excuse to play dumb and get their party into trouble with a series of ridiculously stupid actions.

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