The mental ability scores

[Corlon]

Does anyone have an idea about how to play person with a mental ability score of 3.

For wisdom, I'd imagine that they tend to space out and not notice things practically all the time.

but for charisma, would they just seem strange and rude?

For intelligence, how stupid is int 3? I cannot imagine playing a character that stupid well.

 

[hong]

I'm in favour of keeping the link between stats and personality as weak as possible. There are just so many ways to handwave why an ability score of N must imply behaviour X, and also why it must imply behaviour not-X, that I'm tempted to ignore the whole shemozzle. Add to that the effects of alignment, and you could almost do whatever you like.

That said, here's what I'd do:

Int 3: character has a really hard time remembering things, can't get his head around even simple abstract concepts ("why are we out to kill this dragon?"), and can't plan ahead. Special effects: talks like stereotypical dumb barbarian ("Ugh, me bash").

Wis 3: character has low willpower and a short attention span, and acts on impulse. Exactly what those impulses are will depend on other facets of their personality: they could be hedonistic and overindulge in wine, women and song, or they could be lazy and just stay in bed all day.

Cha 3: character has no personality whatsoever. Speaks with a flat, dead voice. Can't ever get people's attention no matter how hard they try (but has no problems attracting attention when they want to be inconspicuous).

 

[LokiDR]

Low mental stats are easier in many ways than high mental stats. What could a person with 29 int dream up in their spare time? You have to think this stat exceeds the great thinkers of the past. Just how do you play a character who can debate Plato into the groun and make Socrates look like a shmuck?

For mental stats, just try hard to be bad in general. Out of Hong's sterotypes, the only one I didn't like was charaisma. I prefer to think a person like Golum from LotR, but with a more plyable personality, so you can talk them into nearly anything.

One word of advice: just because some mental stat is low, don't withhold useful ideas for the group. Playing dumb is one thing, hurting the group by not answering the question is quite different.

 

[hong]

For mental stats, just try hard to be bad in general. Out of Hong's sterotypes, the only one I didn't like was charaisma. I prefer to think a person like Golum from LotR, but with a more plyable personality, so you can talk them into nearly anything.

Low Cha doesn't necessarily mean you're nasty, though, and conversely high Cha doesn't mean you're nice. Ghouls have Cha 16, and donkeys have Cha 4. Susceptibility to fast-talk also sounds more like a function of Wis (instinct, willpower and commonsense) to me.

 

[LokiDR]

Low Cha doesn't necessarily mean you're nasty, and conversely high Cha doesn't mean you're nice. Ghouls have Cha 16, and donkeys have Cha 4. Susceptibility to fast-talk also sounds more like a function of Wis (instinct, willpower and commonsense) to me.

Charisma is your ability to manipulate others, that doesn't mean you have to use it. Ghouls can still act like raving maniacs if they want, but they can also trick you into believing they are human and slip by. Donkeys couldn't if they try. Non-sentient creatures not withstanding, low Cha means low ability to bluff, and that you tend to say whatever is on your mind, appropriate or not.

Charisma is force of personality: without it you fail in matters such as diplomancy, and others talk you into matters you sense (wis) that are not right. Just because you know it might be wrong, you might find yourself in the middle anyway. Wis for decting lies, Cha for negotiation.