What is a character with a 6 INT, 6 CHA, and 8 WIS like?

[Jixan]

Hi, I'm fairly new to DM'ing. I am starting a new campaign in a couple weeks. One of my players is rolling up a character with the following stats....

STR 16
DEX 14
CON 12
INT 6
WIS 8
CHA 6


My question is...what does this kind of player really act like? The player's handbook doesn't really give very much detail other than comparing a 6 INT to that of a Troll, and a 6 CHA to that of a Triceratops.

The player seems to think that a 6 INT means they are kind of dumb, but can learn to read/write and function fairly normally in society. I tend to think it's a lot worse than that.

Please help me figure this out!! Thanks in advance.

-Jixan

 

[Privateer]

This is just my own opinion, of course.

6 Int, according to most, is on the cusp of having mental retardation for a human. He will be slow and forget things easily. He may be able to read and write, but not well. He will have difficulties functioning in society, but it's not impossible. Some have compared Forrest Gump to having a 6 int -- he would act like the world is simple.

8 wisdom is not an uncommon thing, but with the low intellegence he may not be able to think in things that aren't concrete -- things are black or white, there are no shades of grey. He is fairly easily distracted.

For 6 charisma, it's up to you. He may be malformed, but charisma represents force of personality, too, so he may have low self-esteem and self worth or, with his low int and wis, be unsocially blunt and not realize there is a problem with telling the Duchess that, yes, she does look fat in that dress He may also be a loner, realizing he has troubles fitting in.

Once again, this is IMHO and is the standard IMC.

Edit: Good luck DMing, it can be rough for a first timer. I've been there... remember Rule 0 (you're the DM so you can override any rule or ruling) but don't use it like a tyrant.

 

[Maitre Du Donjon]

Well, that character will be dumb and unlikable.

IMO, the thing you have to watch out for the most is the player adequatly playing his low INT (especially if the player in question is naturally smart, which most of D&D players seem to be). If the player starts getting real good ideas, solving riddles, deducing obscure information, etc. you'll have to butt in eventually. A simple way to solve this is to require that the player succeeds at an INT check before communicating any bright ideas. Yes it can suck for the player in question.

With a low WIS, the character shouldn't be overly cautious, charge a lot into battle, and not think beforehand of the consequences. Too much of it and the character will get killed a lot, so its not implausible that he eventually learns from his mistakes and begins being more cautious. A low WIS is usually taken care of pretty good mechanically (lower will saves, some skills).

As for a low CHA, that too is usually taking care of rule-wise (CHA-based skills).

Hope that helps (and isn't totally moronic)

Maitre D

 

[Skinwalker]

If you use the formula of Intx10 = rough IQ, then this would yield an IQ of 60. The psychological term for this is Idiot (really, I'm not trying to be cruel here). Privateer was right when he said such an individual would be borderline retarded.

Wisdom is willpower and common sense. This character doesn't have those in abundance, either. He would be a bit naive and gullible.

Charisma is force of personality. I also like to think of it as "social genius". By this interpretation, the character mentioned would also be a social Idiot. Meaning, his social graces would be such that he could barely function in a normal society. (By the way, a golf clap to Privateer for the great example - lmao)

All in all, I'm picturing someone not unlike the lead characters in Dumb and Dumber.

 

[nimisgod]

Think of the character like a Jerk. Depending on his alignment, he could be a nice jerk or a jerk jerk.

IMX, one of my favorite PCs had similar stats. 8 int, 10 wis, 6 cha. and he was the party negotiator!

 

[krunchyfrogg]

Annoying.

 

[MrZoink]

He'd be like my buddy Dan. (Just kidding Dan.)

No seriously, the thing I would be concerned about is why is he playing that character? Not that there's anything wrong with having low stats, or a roleplaying challenge.

I've seen people make this sort of character for 3 reasons:

1: That's just how the dice fell, and that's the way it is.
2: For a challenge / change of pace / specific concept.
3: An excuse to be disruptive.

Many DM's tend to have a heart about the dice during character creation (at least what passes for a heart among DM's), and rule such characters "hopeless", regardless of whether it fits the definition according to the PHB or not, so number 1 tends not to be an issue.

Number 2 comes up occasionally, but the 6-8-6 combo is a bit extreme.

Number 3 should be avoided at all costs.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

"Tell me about the rabbits, George."

 

[Azul]

I think the Int x 10 = IQ "rule of thumb" is pretty heavily flawed because it assumes too wide a variation in IQs and makes any Int of 15+ a genius. The normal range is about 85 to 115 (that's Joe Average) with 70 to 130 encompassing the vast majority of the population. Assuming a 5 IQ point fluctuation per point of Int away from 10 makes more sense than assuming a 10 point fluctuation.

So, that would make IQ = 50 + Int x 5. This works pretty well for sentient beings. Animal intelligence things really don't fit on the IQ scale anyway. I think Int 3 would cover the range of IQs from 65 on down just fine in game terms (i.e. anyone profoundly retarded).

Using that scaling, our Int 6 individual has an 80 IQ, making him a borderline deficient individual. He'd be slow and kind of simple. The matching Cha would make him socially awkward and maladapted. The poor Wis would suggest that he is inattentive and easily distracted, as others have said.

That same scaling would also mean that all those starting Wizards with Int 18 are only borderline geniuses rather than being so smart they make Einstein look like a dolt. The high level mage with the Int boosting goodies is still within the realm of comprehendable (if astronomical) IQ numbers. A mage with Int 30 would have an IQ of 200 (about what Descartes is thought to have had - a supergenius) rather than 300 (which is so far off the scale as to be incomprehensible).

BTW, I believe IQ 60 is technically a "moron", rather than an "idiot" (that would be someone with an IQ of 20 or less), but all those perjorative sounding terms have pretty much fallen out of use by most of the psychological community. Political correctness and all that.

First useful websight Googling produced on IQ ranges:
http://members.shaw.ca/delajara/IQBasics.html

 

[Blood Jester]

WHAT?

A low Int, Wis, and Cha?

A thug.

Socially misanthropic. Personally repugnant. And not even smart enough to be a criminal, unless directed meticulously by someone else. And with his/her 'brains' and personality, likely to screw up anyway.


Really.