D&D 5E So 5 Intelligence Huh

[BoldItalic]

I think I've noticed a trend to the way I see things.

I have no problem with people down playing an ability score but I have a big problem with people trying to play above an ability score.

At least the way I perceive things.

That's very insightful.

Regularly choosing to play low-Int characters could be a mask to avoid peer criticism for playing "badly"; for playing the game "wrong". The defence against such criticism being "I'm not stupid, I'm role-playing stupid."

A suggestion (for example from me) that low Int characters could sometimes be played "smart" would threaten that defence because it allows the response "Well, you don't have to now, so shape up."

This would cause an emotional reaction against the source of the threat (in this case, me).

I hadn't thought of it like that before. Thank you.

 

[Mallus]

It almost sounds like you're describing Williams syndrome.

Thanks for the link. I'd never even heard of Williams Syndrome, but I now (finally) know what the hell was wrong with Yatagan. It's scarily accurate -- down to traits I didn't mention in my post. Thanks for assisting w/the diagnosis!

 

[iserith]

So why do you feel there isn't fairness to this issue?

You answered my questions with a question. Your response implies you feel there is a fairness issue. Please advise if this is not the case.

I, however, will answer your question directly: Because there is no particular advantage being had by one player over another.

 

[Yardiff]

You answered my questions with a question. Your response implies you feel there is a fairness issue. Please advise if this is not the case.

I, however, will answer your question directly: Because there is no particular advantage being had by one player over another.

Mechanically no, but this whole disagreement isn't about mechanics its about roleplaying. I believe you do a disservice to other players who roleplay their character stats while you ignore your character stats. I'm not trying to say that 'you' is you in particular iserith.

But as I always say, that probably just me.

 

[Yardiff]

That's very insightful.

Regularly choosing to play low-Int characters could be a mask to avoid peer criticism for playing "badly"; for playing the game "wrong". The defence against such criticism being "I'm not stupid, I'm role-playing stupid."

A suggestion (for example from me) that low Int characters could sometimes be played "smart" would threaten that defence because it allows the response "Well, you don't have to now, so shape up."

This would cause an emotional reaction against the source of the threat (in this case, me).

I hadn't thought of it like that before. Thank you.

Not sure what your trying to convey here.

What I got from your Lefty character was that you didn't want to have to roleplay the character with a low mentality so you did some creative rule interpretation.

 

[Lanliss]

Not sure what your trying to convey here.

What I got from your Lefty character was that you didn't want to have to roleplay the character with a low mentality so you did some creative rule interpretation.

I personally think Lefty is interesting. If you interpret INT as X, then every character with low INT will behave like X. In a role playing game, that sounds a bit boring.

If however you interpret INT as "any letter A through Z, or any combination of these letters" where every letter is a different way intelligence might affect the game it allows low INT characters to behave in a number of different ways, including the way Lefty behaves.

 

[iserith]

Mechanically no, but this whole disagreement isn't about mechanics its about roleplaying. I believe you do a disservice to other players who roleplay their character stats while you ignore your character stats. I'm not trying to say that 'you' is you in particular iserith.

But as I always say, that probably just me.

How are the other players being harmed by this though? What disservice is actually being done, provided the player in question isn't being a jerk? Put another way, why should I care how you choose to roleplay your character's ability scores? As long as you're making fun choices and helping create an exciting, memorable story during play, I've got no problem.

 

[Yardiff]

If you interpret INT as X, then every character with low INT will behave like X. In a role playing game, that sounds a bit boring.

X can be roleplayed many ways but by your post is seem that X can only be roleplay one way, this is narrow thinking.

 

[Yardiff]

I don't know why I let myself get involved with these discussions. There are many ways to play RPGs, each way is just as valid as any other. I don't agree with the way you that doesn't mean its not valid its just different.

Continuing to go back and forth isn't going change each others views. You have a group of people that think the same ways as you and your having fun your playing the game right.

 

[BoldItalic]

Not sure what your trying to convey here.

What I got from your Lefty character was that you didn't want to have to roleplay the character with a low mentality so you did some creative rule interpretation.

It's okay, you aren't obliged to understand. Don't worry about it. I often post things that only some people understand. Sometimes I post things that nobody else understands. But I post them anyway.

I believe that it's better to post novel ideas than not to post, if there's a chance that even one person will gain a little from reading it. Unless it frightens people. I try not to do that. But some people are easily frightened and sometimes I misjudge that.

I think I've misjudged how easily you are worried by novel ideas. For that, I apologize. I don't apologize for posting the ideas, but I apologize for worrying you.

Lefty is a made-up example to illustrate a point. It's very unlikely that I will ever play him as a PC because my friends and I use point-buy for our characters, but I might well find a place for him as an NPC in a town somewhere. Now that he exists, so to speak, as his creator I feel a certain obligation towards him.

Eureka! He can feature in my current novel. I've just realised, while typing this, that I have just the place for him.

There we are. Nothing goes to waste.