Intilligance,

[ancientempathy]

((Yes, that title is spelled wrong on perpose. LOL))

I was curious to see how other fellow RPers go about role playing the INT scores of their characters, and to just discuss new ways or old ways

I'll take my character Gorstag to use for an example. His Intelligence is at 10. Wisdom is 10 as well.

Now NwN states that "A character with an intelligence score lower than 9 cannot speak correctly". I don’t know if its *NwN's* interpretation of very low intelligence, or if its what its meant to be DnDly, but my Gorstag does not speak well still, regardless. It isn't something I've searched the sourcebooks for yet

However, there is a catch. When he speaks Common it isn't great and it's very poor and vulgar. When he speaks Chondathan though (his native tongue), he's more clear and easier on the ears.

As far as what the 10 intelligence extends out to, well, as a fighter I make him 'knowing' in how to survive, first and foremost. So this can include how to build fires, and how to not DIE when going up against a big group of monsters hehe. He just knows how to be a survivor. What Lore points he have comes from rings, so it isn't anything great. It helps him remember the geography of places mostly, is how I'm using them

Other characters of mine, like Randal (Intelligence 14), I make that go towards him knowing other religions and different nations politics, amongst a few other things too. He's more learned on such affairs, but I don't exaggerate on the knowledge. Lore rolls help on limit a lot, and knowing what to uh, not know lol ;D

What are my fellow gamers thoughts though? =)

[ancientempathy]

Here's a nice thread to poke through

frc.proboards37.com/index.cgi?board=roleplaydiscussion&action=display&thread=1131641239

[ShadowCatJen]

I think Justi pretty much nails it on that other thread. Sometimes a combination of your character's stats can make for different mixes and different ways to portray those stats.

To use an example (PnP one), I had a Lathandrite cleric who had a 16 Strength, 9 Dexterity, 14 Constitution, 16 Wisdom, 9 Intelligence, and 16 Charisma. So she was good looking physically (16 str, 14 con, 16 cha), but a bit of a klutz (9 dex). She also knew good from evil or when someone needed healing badly (16 wis), but she was a bit ditsy (9 int). She could speak common properly, but she had no memory retention beyond the here and now.

Like you said, both in NWN and PnP it says that a 9 or below in Intelligence means they can't speak properly, but no one ever got on my case when I played my cleric speaking properly only because I played her just..... so... dumb!

[ancientempathy]

shadowcatjen said:

I think Justi pretty much nails it on that other thread. Sometimes a combination of your character's stats can make for different mixes and different ways to portray those stats.

To use an example (PnP one), I had a Lathandrite cleric who had a 16 Strength, 9 Dexterity, 14 Constitution, 16 Wisdom, 9 Intelligence, and 16 Charisma. So she was good looking physically (16 str, 14 con, 16 cha), but a bit of a klutz (9 dex). She also knew good from evil or when someone needed healing badly (16 wis), but she was a bit ditsy (9 int). She could speak common properly, but she had no memory retention beyond the here and now.

Like you said, both in NWN and PnP it says that a 9 or below in Intelligence means they can't speak properly, but no one ever got on my case when I played my cleric speaking properly only because I played her just..... so... dumb!

Yeah Justi did nail that one well. Its why I posted the link to that thread lol There goes that discussion! Wish I had found it sooner hehe

[Quadhund/Greenhouse]

Another way I try to look at an attribute is by what skills it governs. You had mentioned lore, and the ability to survive.

Intelligence covers:
Appraise
Crafting
Decipher script
Disable Device
Forgery
Knowledge
Search
Language Comprehension
Spellcraft

For all those, the common theme I see is being able to figure out how things work, memory and logic.

I think attempting to roleplay off of attributes in most cases becomes rather difficult, because they are too broad. If I run across a situation that does not fit into the category of skills, then I just place a range on what my PC would know. It is very situational though.

[Vlad]

Animals have an intelligence score of two and they know when to retreat for their survival.

I remember seeing in a DnD book how to play various combinations of ability scores:high int and low wis, and so on.
I will try to find in which book it was.

[brian333]

Case in point:

Kasur is a dwarf, son of a household guard, trained as a household guard.

He knows how to be a cop, and he knows how to fight. He don't know jack about how ale is made, or how to survive in the wilderness, or magic, or most anything else, but when it comes to being a warrior he knows his trade well.

His Int and Wis are both 10 (Low average.) He won't be winning any Pulitzer Prizes any time soon. The few things he's studied are represented by his skills.

I feel justified in presenting Kasur as an expert on military matters, because he's so inept at so many other things. Example: I'm currently rp'ing his trying to learn how to ride horses and failing miserably. (If only he could find a good mule!)

Stats aren't everything, they are the canvas upon which your painting begins.