D&D General History Question: Why are DnD Stats in the order they are in?

[Aaron L]

The scuttlebutt in our gaming circle has always been that the original order had something to do with listing the Prime Requisite ability scores first since they could be modified; your Prime could have 1 point added to it for every 2 points subtracted from certain other scores depending on your Class.

I actually still mentally list the Ability Scores according to their 1st Edition order; Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma (no reason for it; there's nothing superior about that order.) The really funny thing about that is that I started playing with 2nd Edition before switching to 1st!

 

[Blue Orange]

I've seen 'C' and 'Ch' for Constitution and Charisma in older statblocks. The others get the expected 1-letter abbreviations (S,I,D,W). Come to think of it it would have saved us quite a bit of space over the year--you could use 'P' for personality...

For a while in 1st ed (OK, Unearthed Arcana) they were trying to use Comeliness for physical attractiveness, the less said about which the better... though they did have an alternate character generation method where you roll somewhere between 3 and 9 d6's and take the top 3, with a different number for each of the seven stats. So it's semi-official that thieves are the best-looking class, with clerics ("holy orders!"), monks ("vows!"), druids ("I'm in the woods, who cares?"), rangers ("ditto"), magic-users ("look, I've got studying to do!") and illusionists ("eh, I can just cast a spell over it") the worst.

 

[Voadam]

I actually still mentally list the Ability Scores according to their 1st Edition order; Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma (no reason for it; there's nothing superior about that order.) The really funny thing about that is that I started playing with 2nd Edition before switching to 1st!

I think of them that way too, mostly because I started with Moldvay Basic and 1e and it is that way in both of those.

In B/X Constitution and Charisma were the ones nobody can raise or lower in stat generation in addition to not being used for any prime requisites.

 

[Aaron L]

I think of them that way too, mostly because I started with Moldvay Basic and 1e and it is that way in both of those.

In B/X Constitution and Charisma were the ones nobody can raise or lower in stat generation in addition to not being used for any prime requisites.

That's probably why they were listed last, then.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

For a while in 1st ed (OK, Unearthed Arcana) they were trying to use Comeliness for physical attractiveness, the less said about which the better...

But the more said about which the more hilarious.

 

[Marandahir]

Should have been Strength, Fortitude, Reflex, Intelligence, Willpower, Charisma. Then one letter for each, and repurposes the defense/save names to their abilities.

 

[ECMO3]

So yeah. I've been playing since 1st edition and Stats have always been in the order presented. Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma.

First edition stat order was Strength, Intelligence, wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma, Comeliness

 

[Professor Murder]

I'm thankful for the correction in the order. The first person who corrected me. Why others felt the need to repeat as much is amusing to say the least.
So any thoughts as to why we still have this jumbled order? Why not alphabetical? Just hard headed tradition, which clearly doesn't hold up as the order has been altered already?

 

[Nefermandias]

I'm thankful for the correction in the order. The first person who corrected me. Why others felt the need to repeat as much is amusing to say the least.
So any thoughts as to why we still have this jumbled order? Why not alphabetical? Just hard headed tradition, which clearly doesn't hold up as the order has been altered already?

No need for sarcasm. People are correcting you because the statement in your OP is completely false, thus making your question irrelevant.

 

[Blue Orange]

I'm thankful for the correction in the order. The first person who corrected me. Why others felt the need to repeat as much is amusing to say the least.
So any thoughts as to why we still have this jumbled order? Why not alphabetical? Just hard headed tradition, which clearly doesn't hold up as the order has been altered already?

It's all speculation but my guess is S/D/C/I/W/Ch preserves the separation between physical and mental and there's no reason to further reorganize.