Rp’ing against your attributes

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AlauraElizabeth
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Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by AlauraElizabeth » Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:45 pm

What do you guys think of it?

For example a volatile drow priestess. being a cleric obviously means the player is gonna want that high WIS, but wants the character herself to be “unwise” (quick to start fights, make enemies) Or an adorable paladin with high CHA but stumbles over his words and is shy speaking in front of crowds.

Do you think that’s bad rp? I’m kinda torn because on the one hand those attributes DO mean something to your character (no delicately shaped Str-based fighters pls), but then I feel each class only has a few basic character archetypes you can play.
Last edited by AlauraElizabeth on Thu Jun 21, 2018 2:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Rigela
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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by Rigela » Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:01 pm

The non physical stats cover a wide range of different things, so while you may be good in one area, you could fall in another. Their beliefs could also shape their interactions as well (might makes right, etc. don't show weakness) and so on.
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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by Wrips » Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:09 pm

There are several aspects that govern an attribute. A Paladin that stumbles over his words can still have a compelling and inspiring presence. This kind of respect can be roleplayed as earned with previous actions or even his particular devotion to his companions (ie. the grumpy general that everyone loves because he has the back of his troops.)

Regarding WIS, it's a somewhat tricky attribute but I tend to follow this example: High WIS means you know the correct answer for something but you can't explain it logically (unless you have high INT as well). So, in the case of your drow priestess, it's perfectly fine to start fights and make enemies because she'll always have a "gut feeling" (and this feeling will become even more accurate as her WIS go up) that supports her notion that it's the right thing to do.

In the case of physical appearance, I'd suggest you not to connect attributes too much with it. Of course, a character with STR 8 stating she's a ripped juggernaut is annoying but note that 10-11 is the average STR for a human, so a 12 STR character putting some emphasys on their muscles is perfectly fine, IMO.

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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by MoreThanThree » Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:29 pm

>implying the weapon master w/ 8 cha isn't more persuasive and inspiring than your bard w/ max cha and 30 persuade
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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by Rwby » Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:39 pm

MoreThanThree wrote:
Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:29 pm
>implying the weapon master w/ 8 cha isn't more persuasive and inspiring than your bard w/ max cha and 30 persuade
Who needs to imply things in a game with a set of hard factual numbers the system uses to determine outcomes?

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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by TimeAdept » Sat Jun 16, 2018 12:24 am

I think we should accept that the dnd system is used to create characters vs facilitate roleplay and also accept that just because we choose to make functional characters doesn't mean every WM, wizard, cleric, rogue, druid, barbarian, and non-charisma-focused class is an ugly doorknob.

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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by MoreThanThree » Sat Jun 16, 2018 12:26 am

Rwby wrote:
Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:39 pm
Who needs to imply things in a game with a set of hard factual numbers the system uses to determine outcomes?
>implying you genuinely let a set of hard factual numbers determine whether or not your character can create convincing arguments
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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by Rwby » Sat Jun 16, 2018 1:18 am

MoreThanThree wrote:
Sat Jun 16, 2018 12:26 am
Rwby wrote:
Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:39 pm
Who needs to imply things in a game with a set of hard factual numbers the system uses to determine outcomes?
>implying you genuinely let a set of hard factual numbers determine whether or not your character can create convincing arguments
I also let hard factual numbers determine if my character can hit an orc with a sword, if they are capable of picking up a bastard sword, and to determine if they are about to die of thirst.

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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by StrykerMontgomery » Sat Jun 16, 2018 1:27 am

Cha is force of personality, you can have an introvert sorcerer. I knew a guy who was very confident, but would never stop stuttering (he owned the stuttering and it did not bother or hinder him) apparently when he did actual preaching, his stuttering would cease (account of others)

Wisdom can also mean several thing. From a philosopher point of view.. I find playing wise evil characters very counterintuitive. If they are wise, then surely they must have a good sense of good and evil, etc. However it can merely mean how well one perceives within their current cultural context or just how good they spot and hear stuff lol. (its also related to will power, so it too can refer to a force of will more than making wise decisions).

The key so 'playing against your attributes' is to find other positive ways to express the high part of the attribute and in turn be less of a 2- dimensional character.
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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by Commissar » Sat Jun 16, 2018 8:47 am

I'm absolutely in favour of it. Playing below what the stats say your skills should be is always fine, in my book. Introvert sorcerer? Sweet. Druid with all the self-preservation of a boulder? Go for it.

Variety in characters is wonderful. I'm all for playing above your stats too, now and then (a fighter with a keen interest in poetry, say). Nothing says the entirety of who a character is has to be condensed down into that number. There will be exceptions in individual skills, interests, and the like.
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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by WanderingPoet » Tue Jun 19, 2018 12:28 pm

You can be good at one aspect and poor at others of the same stat. Just because you have 30 intelligence doesn't mean you've a mastery of every intellectual aspect ever created. Being unknowledgable in some aspects and an expert in others helps ensure the character has depth.

Same can be said for the other stats. Wisdom for example, a 30 wisdom druid could have incredible introspective skills, have hyper attuned perception to the changes in nature around them but have absolutely no idea why another humanoid did something that they disagree with (extrospection). They don't need to be great in all areas, being an expert in one or two and weak in the others, or a balanced medium in all of them can work.

Take a look at the skills related to an attribute, animal empathy, bluff, intimidate, perform, persuade, taunt, and use magic device for charisma. A charismatic character might be at persuading others, lying and getting someone's goat but not be intimidating. They might also be intimidating but really lousy with animals, etc.

So there is nothing wrong with some aspects being 'weaker' than your attribute, or 'stronger' because it eventually can balance out. There is also nothing wrong with just a general lower level because most of us players won't be able to play a 30 intelligence, 30 wisdom or 30 charisma, where 10 is the 'average person' level, 30 is sort of super-humanoid!
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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by Opustus » Tue Jun 19, 2018 1:20 pm

What makes a character highly charismatic, wise, or intelligent person is, I think, more nuanced and equivocal than a character being very uncharismatic, unwise, or unintelligent.

I find it a lot easier to approach the subject of RPing your stats through RPing negative stats. This creates the kind of juxtaposition where you may ask questions to guide the RP. What does a low WIS character do in a given situation? What is the opposite to this action, reaction, or way of thinking that a high WIS character might consider instead? Would she deliberate more, would she know better from experience?

It's plainly obvious to me that a lowly charismatic person is generally unappealing (not looks-wise), a low WIS has weak self-control (e.g. easily addictive personality?), and a low INT may have some cognitive disability or has difficulty with learning patterns of languages (I don't equate book-smart with a higher intelligence score, or a Dickensian character with a low intelligence score).

I don't have any will to police other people's RP and I'm never upset if someone's interpretation of how the stats should be RP'd differs from mine. They're for my enjoyment alone.
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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by Emotionaloverload » Tue Jun 19, 2018 1:41 pm

I have played below my stats before. I had a character with medium CHA but when speaking to her you'd think it was 6. Her medium CHA was reserved for situations that she thought could /really/ use it. The rest of the time she was a butt, wittingly.

I would caution against going over your stats. That doesn't mean that your character can't have hobbies and other skills but that they should reflect the stats and skills. Given the broadness of most stats and skills, you can get a lot out of each of them. Remember that your character can learn a lot of their skills IG through other characters and they don't actually have to be good at any of it to be passionate.

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Re: Rp’ing against your attributes

Post by Nitro » Tue Jun 19, 2018 3:23 pm

Ability scores aren't the end all either. What if a 6 CHA character has 30 ranks in bluff and persuade? They're clearly quite well versed in conversing in a persuasive manner and lying convincingly. Perhaps they're socially awkward or forgettable by nature, but have worked to overcome their weakness.

Or a half orc with 8 intelligence but 30 ranks in lore. He could be well spoken with an excellent memory and and versed in a variety of academia, but might not have the quickness of mind to take in and act on new information quickly and efficiently.

Taken by themselves, ability scores would lead to incredibly stale characters because there's only 6 different scores to go by, while an interesting character has far more nuance than just a numerical number in six different sets of attributes.

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