How bad is an 8 in an ability score?

Xeriar · Mar 13, 2003

Simplicity said:
Yeah... Mean people suck.

I make no claims as to my charisma

Angcuru · Mar 13, 2003

an 8 in something non-crucial to the class is acceptable, but in several, that's just plain rediculous.

It is the general consensus that adventurers are exceptional people, both in personality and in game terms, stats.

if you're going to roll up a character with the 3d6, he's got all the chance of being exceptional that a commoner does. Adventurers are excpetional by default, so the 4d6(drop the lowest) rolling is acceptable and understandable. it also allows your character that extra bit of help in the early levels, when his stats are the primary things that determine survivability at that point.

I just don't understand you people who want to play underpowered characters. If someone is below average in their abilities, they usually don't decide to take up a life of adventuring.

TheNPC · Mar 13, 2003

I've always defined an 8 in CHA as being how a geek comes across to a 'normal' person

damn- I have an 8 cha...

Quasqueton · Mar 13, 2003

Angcuru said:
I just don't understand you people who want to play underpowered characters. If someone is below average in their abilities, they usually don't decide to take up a life of adventuring.

Who are you talking about here?

Quasqueton

Joseph Elric Smith · Mar 13, 2003

Angcuru said:
I just don't understand you people who want to play underpowered characters. If someone is below average in their abilities, they usually don't decide to take up a life of adventuring.

I have I am sure several 8 in stats but that doesn't stop me from living my life to the fullest. I am an over weight out of shape guy who still does lots of things with my life.
As for wanting to play an underpowered hero, it is not a question of want but a question of what the dice give.
A hero is more then just stats; it is personality and heart.
Ken

Angcuru · Mar 13, 2003

countering an argument that is yet to be made. i like to plan ahead.

Jenale · Mar 13, 2003

Probably referring to those (like me) who wax nostalgic over a character with a low stat.

My mage was created w/ 2nd ed rules (I don't think she could have been a mage in 1st ed because of the dex, if memory serves), with a 4d6, drop low--I took one look at the numbers, and immediately saw the mage jump out of the stats I rolled.

She had STR--12, DEX--5, CON--16, INT--17, WIS--12, CHA--11

I like it when a character emerges that clearly from a set of numbers (though the stereotype would have been to put that 5 in STR instead).

I guess the question is whether you consider a character with a single low stat to be "underpowered" or not--and I guess I don't. To me, it wouldn't be quite as much fun to play a character with every stat 15+--that would be seriously overpowered, and just seems like everything would be less of a challenge, and would get boring quickly.

Quickbeam · Mar 13, 2003

An 8 is just a bit below average in our game. I like seeing at least one below average score for my PC's, because it helps me in defining their personality. But I wouldn't play an 8 as some terrible drawback or handicap by any stretch of the imagination.

Utrecht · Mar 13, 2003

To me (in a broad term)

an 8 means a noticable handicap - but not severe. That individual is capable of interacting with society in general.

a 6 means a severe handicap - they are incapable of interacting with society without some level of help.

a 4 is a debilitating handicap and the need assistance to interact with society.

a 2 is a crippling handicap - that even with assistance they are unable to interact with society.

Understand that by interacting with society could mean anything from opening doors to talking with people to noticing the change in weather. (i.e. these classifications apply to all stats)

Sixchan · Mar 13, 2003

Jenale said:
Probably referring to those (like me) who wax nostalgic over a character with a low stat.

My mage was created w/ 2nd ed rules (I don't think she could have been a mage in 1st ed because of the dex, if memory serves), with a 4d6, drop low--I took one look at the numbers, and immediately saw the mage jump out of the stats I rolled.

She had STR--12, DEX--5, CON--16, INT--17, WIS--12, CHA--11

I like it when a character emerges that clearly from a set of numbers (though the stereotype would have been to put that 5 in STR instead).

I guess the question is whether you consider a character with a single low stat to be "underpowered" or not--and I guess I don't. To me, it wouldn't be quite as much fun to play a character with every stat 15+--that would be seriously overpowered, and just seems like everything would be less of a challenge, and would get boring quickly.

From a roleplaying aspect, a character that has high stats in everything can be quite fun. Exceptional people could be ostracised from society quite easily out of fear, especially ina particularly feudal government structure such as most Fantasy worlds have. So your all 15+ character is likely very shy, easily frightened, afraid of being alone or afraid of large crowds (or both!), and lacking in leadership qualities. Either that, or they might play down their stats. Act less intelligent. Stutter deliberately during speech. Wear plate armour to cover high dexterity, fake illness and so on.

A REALLY good character can be just as much fun as one with a weakness.