Elements and their relation to ability scores.

[Sir Whiskers]

Ranger, of the two options you've presented, I agree more with yours. While I can see Dex as either Air or Fire, I really can't see Cha as Air. Fire, on the other hand, can symbolize passion, which can be a part of Charisma.

As I think you've realized, you can't take these analogies too far, otherwise you end up with some strange combinations (Air and Fire = Lightning?)

I'm curious - if you can tell us, how are these pairings going to affect magic? Will a spell which boosts Con be an earth-based spell? Will a summoned Water creature have a bonus to Wisdom? Just wondering where this is going...

 

[maransreth]

A project I am working on at the moment looks at something similar, but instead of Life and Death I have Spirit and Void. Each corresponds to an element as follows:

Str - Fire
Dex - Air
Con - Earth
Int - Spirit
Wis - Water
Cha - Void

I know Void/Death is not a good one to put with Charisma but it was the only one left. Reasoning is as follows -
Fire is strong, powerful and full of life, Air is free, nimble and can move freely, Earth is enduring, comforting and vibrant, Intelligence is equated with knowledge, Water is full of emotion and empathy which is what I see Wisdom as.

The project is stalled at the moment, but contains the majority of the basics of what the spellcasting system will offer. Now it is mainly getting spells into the different elements.

 

[Shallown]

I would go

Str = Death

Dexterity = air

Constitution = Earth

INtelligence = Fire

Wisdom = Water

Charisma = life

Reasoning being. Strength is useless without something to affect. Death in and of itself has no power only how it affects others gives it power. Think of death as a disconnection from other things, material spitirual mental etc. Strength alters and disconnects when it effects things. Lift something you dissconnect it from the earth. Kill some one you , of course, disconnect it from life.

Now exam Charisma and life. Think of life as connectiveness. If you have life with no connections then you are dead. Charisma likewise has no effect without interaction with others ie connectiveness.

Wisdom is water becuase water knows when it is wise to flow around an obstacle. touch water and it ripples for a while a sign of perception whatever happens in one place is percieved in another.

Dexterity for air. I think this one mostly explains itself or you can see above explainations to understand.

Intelligence for fire becuase fire can create and destroy much like ideas. it has many uses and depends on the user more so than anything else. Intelligence and true genuis burns sometiumes even burning itself out.

Constitution I think links itself to earth easily enough.

The problem is most elements have aspects of other stats as well you just have to choose the best fit moreso than a correct or perfect fit.

Later

 

[Staffan]

I'm thinking that fire should be Dex (on account of fire always moving around), and air should be Int. That might be slightly influenced by Mystara, where Air was associated with the sphere of Thought.

Strangely enough, though, it was the sphere of Energy (associated with Fire) that was also associated with the Magic-user class - Thought was associated with thieves.

 

[Malin Genie]

I'm with Nifft - he's done it exactly as I would have done it.

 

[Dalamar]

You really should change the name of steam, since that would equate more to fire/water than life/water. Maybe you could try Weather?

 

[woodelf]

I'm trying to set up a system where there are six core elements, and each element is magically aligned with a particular ability score. I'm trying to figure out what arrangement is best.

[snip]

The six elements I'm using are:

Air
Death
Earth
Fire
Life
Water

eek, i don't know *what* to do with Death. But, the other five are the classical hermetic/alchemical/Greek elements, and they already have personal associations (thank you, alchemy). [you can also find them through any decent Tarot guide.]

Air: intellect, thought, communication
Fire: Action, energy, power
Earth: might, resilience
Water: empathy, wisdom
Quintessence: lifeforce/soul/spirit, magical energy

So, we have
Air - Intelligence
Fire - Dexterity
Earth - Constitution
Water - Wisdom
Quintessence - hit points

Now, here's where things get tricky--we've got two unmatched abilities, and two unmatched elements, and no good fits left. Strength could be Fire or Earth, but it's a slightly better fit for Fire. Charisma could be Water or Air, but it's a better fit for Air. Life makes some sense for Constitution (that's the ability undead don't have, right?). Death doesn't really fit any of them.

Ok, let's start the other direction:
Strength is muscle and physical power--both Fire traits.
Dex is coordination, agility, reflexes, and balance--all Fire traits.
Con is health and stamina --both Earth traits.
Intelligence is learning and reasoning -- both Air.
Wisdom is willpower (Earth), common sense (Water), perception (Water), and intuition (Water)
Charisma is force of personality (Fire, or possibly Water), persuasiveness (Air), personal magnetism (Fire), ability to lead (Air & Fire), and physical attractiveness (NotA).

So, throwing in Life and Death, here's the best i can come up with:

Str - Death - i have no clue how these two correspond, beyond the "use str to bring death--which is a really crappy correspondence--but that's what's left after i make the best-fit matches with everything else, given the constraint of no duplicates
Dex - Fire
Con - Earth
Int - Air
Wis - Water
Cha - Life - this seems the closest to a lifeforce type stat

Hope that helps, and the extra info is still useful if you don't like my final answer.

 

[Tzudralkor]

(I always think of INT as mental STR; WIS as mental DEX; and CHA as mental CON).

i have also paired physical-mental stats, but i think of INT as mental DEX, WIS as mental CON, and CHA as mental STR
CHA and STR may seem strange, but if you think about it, CHA is the way to impose your will on others, while STR is the way to impose yourself physically.
on the main thread topic, im with all those who said STR-death, DEX-air, CON-earth, INT-fire, WIS-water, CHA-life

 

[Staffan]

i have also paired physical-mental stats, but i think of INT as mental DEX, WIS as mental CON, and CHA as mental STR
CHA and STR may seem strange, but if you think about it, CHA is the way to impose your will on others, while STR is the way to impose yourself physically.

I'd just like to say I totally agree with this, personally. However, the game designers apparently don't, given that when you're in astral form it's the other way that applies (Int-Str, Wis-Dex, Cha-Con).

 

[Doppleganger]

Wow, how fun.
My opinion is different than everyone elses, yet follows some similar trends.
I used a few examples from Psionics to support my claims.



Elements:

Life has Strength
(Life and blood give you physical power)
(Psychometabolism examples that resemble Life: Sustenance, Animal Affinity, Suspend Life, Verve)

Air has Dexterity
(Air moves anywere and is nimble)
(Psychoportation examples that resemble Air: Catfall, Levitate, Fly)

Earth has Constitution
(Earth is solid and durable)
(Psychokenesis examples that resemble Earth: Stomp, Matter Rearrangement, Matter Manipulation)

Fire has Intelligence
(Fire expands it's areas of influence, and consumes books )
(Metacreativity examples that resemble Fire: Finger of Fire, Burning Ray, Flaming Shroud, Firefall)

Water has Wisdom
(Water is level at the top, cools your head, covers all the bases)
(Clairsentience examples that resemble Water: none)

Death has Charisma
(Death means loss of physical power, the dead are powered by inner strength and sheer force of will)
(Telepathy examples that resemble Death: Crisis of Breath, Insanity, Mind Blank)



Paraelements:

Ice = Air & Earth = Dex & Con


Lightning = Air & Fire = Dex & Int


Ooze = Earth & Water = Con & Wis


Lava = Fire & Earth = Int & Con




Positive:

Light = Life & Fire = Str & Int
(Light brings strength and life, yet it is complex)

Steam = Life & Water = Str & Wis
(Steam will relax your muscles and help you clear your mind)

Sound = Life & Air = Str & Dex
(Sound richochets everywhere, plus it's so strong that it cannot be stopped by walls)

Crystal = Life & Earth = Str & Con
(Crystal diamonds are very strong and durable)



Negative:

Shadow = Death & Fire = Cha & Int
(Shadows hold physically deceptive and crafty lurkers)

Acid = Death & Water = Cha & Wis
(Acid can be imperceptible when physically disguised as a harmless water or drink)

Void = Death & Air = Cha & Dex
(Voidness is a concept that is commanding and magnetic as it yanks everything inward towards oblivion)

Metal = Death & Earth = Cha & Con
(Metal is shiny and flashy, yet still very durable)



Alignment:

Good has Strength
(Good is mighty and usually overcomes all)

Chaos has Dexterity
(Chaos is agile and reflexive)

Law has Constitution
(Laws are made to be solid and unflappable)

Passion has Intelligence
(Passion comes with a desire for creativity and inventiveness)

Neutrality has Wisdom
(Neutrality is calm and sensible)

Evil has Charisma
(Evil is spirited and persuasive, it appeals to your inner vanity)



Summary:

Strength, Life, Good
Dexterity, Air, Chaos
Constitution, Earth, Law
Intelligence, Fire, Passion
Wisdom, Water, Neutrality
Charisma, Death, Evil