D&D 5E Don't play "stupid" characters. It is ableist.

[Vince_Snetterton]

... or busting out with the Slippery Slope arguments...

It may be "slippery slope", but the question is relevant. There is nothing wrong with pointing out where the logic of the OP is headed. I really want to know the answer. What is supposedly socially acceptable to play at a table, and what is not.
I don't want a nebulous answer. What stat levels are allowed, and in what abilities?

 

[Irlo]

It may be "slippery slope", but the question is relevant. There is nothing wrong with pointing out where the logic of the OP is headed. I really want to know the answer. What is supposedly socially acceptable to play at a table, and what is not.
I don't want a nebulous answer. What stat levels are allowed, and in what abilities?

The OP gave examples of how to play characters with low intelligence scores. There is literally nothing here suggesting that characters should not have low ability scores.

 

[J.Quondam]

It may be "slippery slope", but the question is relevant. There is nothing wrong with pointing out where the logic of the OP is headed. I really want to know the answer. What is supposedly socially acceptable to play at a table, and what is not.
I don't want a nebulous answer. What stat levels are allowed, and in what abilities?

But the OP isn't about numerical stats. It's about how those stats are portrayed in roleplay.
As usual, there is no slippery slope here.

 

[Fallen star]

I'll play what sounds fun to me. And I'll play with people I like.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

To the OP...so what is the next step?

Don't play chars with below 10 CHA, because that insults socially awkward people?
Don't play chars with below 10 Dex or Str, because that insults clumsy and weak people?
I can go on, but the point has been made.

How far does your thought process go with this? What are the cutoffs?

Reread the OP, please. Never did they say that no one is allowed to play characters with low Intelligence scores. In fact, they say the opposite, that it's perfectly fine to play characters with a low Intelligence score, but that the way that they are roleplayed can often be ableist. The OP does not say what you think/are saying that it does, and that invalidates your slippery slope premise.

And, please do refer to the quote at the top of this page. Anytime someone asks "Where does it stop?", the answer is always "F&%#ing Somewhere".

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

I'll play what sounds fun to me. And I'll play with people I like.

That's perfectly fine. However, remember that the only true type of "badwrongfun" is fun that comes at the expense of someone else.

 

[Faolyn]

To the OP...so what is the next step?

Don't play chars with below 10 CHA, because that insults socially awkward people?
Don't play chars with below 10 Dex or Str, because that insults clumsy and weak people?
I can go on, but the point has been made.

How far does your thought process go with this? What are the cutoffs?

Ad_hoc didn't say "don't play characters with an Int below 10." They specifically said to not play "stupid" characters in a mocking way.

 

[CleverNickName]

I don't want a nebulous answer. What stat levels are allowed, and in what abilities?

Personally? I'd roll 4d6, and drop the lowest.

The issue isn't math. The issue is making a mockery of others from a privileged position, then pointing at a number (any number) on your character sheet to justify it.

 

[Vince_Snetterton]

Reread the OP, please. Never did they say that no one is allowed to play characters with low Intelligence scores. In fact, they say the opposite, that it's perfectly fine to play characters with a low Intelligence score, but that the way that they are roleplayed can often be ableist. The OP does not say what you think/are saying that it does, and that invalidates your slippery slope premise.

And, please do refer to the quote at the top of this page. Anytime someone asks "Where does it stop?", the answer is always "F&%#ing Somewhere".

I always read the OP.
The original post talked in nebulous terms.
What character activities, which is really the player's actions, precisely, can be defined as "just a walking insult and punching bag."

The OP clearly was triggered by some player acting some way with a char during a session. Posts like that don't occur in a vacuum.
I want to know precisely what the OP's threshold is.
.
It is like comedy. What one person finds abhorrent, someone else, or maybe a ton of people, find very funny.

 

[Faolyn]

I always read the OP.
The original post talked in nebulous terms.
What character activities, which is really the player's actions, precisely, can be defined as "just a walking insult and punching bag."

The OP clearly was triggered by some player acting some way with a char during a session. Posts like that don't occur in a vacuum.
I want to know precisely what the OP's threshold is.
.
It is like comedy. What one person finds abhorrent, someone else, or maybe a ton of people, find very funny.

Ad_hoc wasn't vague at all. They're not talking about any particular stat number (and they clearly say "don't use stats as an excuse). They're talking about how one roleplays low intelligence.