How do I role-play these stats? [Archive] - Wizards Community

How do I role-play these stats? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arthur_Pendragon
12-09-03, 11:19 PM This is related to another post on here...but I thought I'd post this point seperately.

How would you go about role-playing these stats?

Str 11
Dex 14
Con ---
Int 21
Wis 25
Cha 10
zioth
12-10-03, 09:21 AM Does the '---' in CON mean your character has no CON, or you don't know what it is?

I think I'd find this character almost impossible to play in a live game. Maybe in a PBeM, but in a live game, there's just not enought time to think.

The 25 WIS gives this character the wisdom of an oracle, and the 21 INT means the character is one of the very smartest people in the world. Casual intellectual persuits are shrugged off; the character is the first to figure out the solution to a problem -- he/she often figures it out before anyone else has started to think about it, and sometimes even before the problem is fully explained.

If this weren't limited by D&D rules, I'd make this character a mind-reader or a prophet. If this were a PBeM, you could use extensive reference texts to always have appropriate things to say.

Now if the charisma score were very low (say, 5 or 6), the character would be far easier to play. The character could be incredibly intelligent and wise, but unable to communicate with others. This uncharismatic character could even appear to be a fool to a casual observer.
Arthur_Pendragon
12-10-03, 12:27 PM Well his is Con --- because he is dead. He's a ghost who is 700 years old.

He has skills like Knowledge (Philosophy) +9 and Profession (Poet) +12 (at first level). He died just before his civilization fell to a catacylsm. He's been haunting the ruins of his people civilization for the past 700 years, mostly spending his time thinking about philosophy, creating poetry, and pondering the ruins of his peoples once great civilization.

Does that help on thinking about how to role-play it?
Daniel _the_Zodiac
12-10-03, 01:11 PM I'd say so. Perhaps the character is bitter over his lost civilization. If not he is at least very lonely and could easily cling to anyone who comes along, that is if he hasn't abandoned his human feelings.

Before I read he was a ghost I saw him as Stephen Hawkins. I think I'd also throw some Merlyn or Gandalf in, being they're extremely wise and intelligent beings with long lifespans.
Morka
12-10-03, 02:04 PM What is his alignment? You know, a LG character with 25 WIS will find many solution that will value to most people, he will be a wise king. While a CE character with 25 WIS will find solution on how to oppress and manipulate people, he will become a fierce king.

Since he is a 700 years old ghost, he could find that time is not a concern. Even if, with his 21 INT, he is able to find quick solutions, he could take days to answer a simple question. His high intelligence mean he knows many things, but his higher wisdom mean he knows there is many other things he doesn't know.
Arthur_Pendragon
12-10-03, 05:48 PM He's NG.

I remeber it being said of Socrates, that he went to an Oracle who told him he was the wisest man on earth. He decided the only thing he knew was that he didn't know everything. So he became a "gadfly" using his abilities to make politicians who would speak on any topic if you paid them enough, realize just how silly they sounded.

I've always liked the Gandalf/Merlin archtype. It's in part why I always play wizards.

And in reality I occassionally come up with deep moments of thought that can cause a whole room of fellow students go quite in reaction to the depth and meaning of what has been said. But I shouldn't toot my own horn. :P

He has a Charisma of 10 though...hmmmm...

Additionally I feel he hasn't given up human emotions by any means. After all a poet draws from his emotions.
catharz
12-11-03, 12:14 AM Socrates, or any of the ancient poets would probably have a charisma higher than 10. There were more then inteligent and wise: They had an intuitive understanding of humanity and the force of personality to inspire (And would probably be characterized as bards, excepting the lack of spells or classes in ancient times).

Your character seems more like a sage. Very observant, very inteligent, but shy, grating, or bumbling in social situations. Not enough to be disliked or to seem like a dottering old fool. Maybe he is shy about sharing his poetry, and is constantly lost in thought (the advantage of being incorporeal is that you don't have to worry abouut running into things :rolleyes: ).

Why start two threads about exactly the same thing?
Arthur_Pendragon
12-11-03, 01:01 PM catharz said:
Why start two threads about exactly the same thing?

Because I thought I would try to sepearte discussion about how to roleplay that character's stats from how to roleplay him as an ancient character over all....
CarpeNoctem
12-11-03, 09:31 PM I've recently been reading 'Grendel" by John Gardener, which is an excellent story portraying the 'monster' from the popular 'Beowulf". Anywho, in the story Grendel meets an ancient dragon, who confesses to see the future just as the lesser beings, such as monsters and humans, see the past and present. However the dragon also knows that it is impossible to escape fate, as it knows when, where, and how he will die. And though he knows so much, he seldom shares his real knowledge with those few he meets, is very protective of his ideas(& his gold), and seems to sigh at the world which never learns its lesson.

I could easily see this concept adapted to your ghost character. Played as a somewhat dark and cynical anti-hero who feels so alone because of his supreme mental powers. He even has the intelligence to express these ideas, but any puny mortal would simply fail to grasp the way your ghost perceives the world. This also influences his poetry, his unique & enlightened outlook, and gives him a reason to lack belief in himself. How would you feel seeing the world in a way you knew only you could, might make you wonder if the world was just some abstract thought you created to amuse yourself, especially being a ghost and all.

On a sidenote, I think mores heros need to be anti-heros. Much more flavorful, realistic, and amusingly flavorful to play. But thats my boat.
Arthur_Pendragon
12-12-03, 01:44 AM Actually in the end...I've decided to drop the ghostly PC idea (in part out of balance, and in part just cause I felt like it...)

Thanks for the suggeestions :). I just thought I'd tell everyone so they don't waste their time posting on this (time is precious...precious....*starts talking like Gollum* :P ).

Anyway, thanks again...I think I'll post a more general post about role-playing in general though....:P
Illithidbix
12-12-03, 08:50 AM I would say that attempting to realistically role-play a character significantly intelligent (and to perhaps a lesser extent, wise) than yourself is perhaps only possible with you're DM's assistence. And an intelligence of 18, let alone 21 represents one of the smartest people on the planet.

And DM's can perhaps only role-play truely intelligent NPC by "enabling the NPC's" to have some Metagame thinking (yes slightly odd concept but I hope you get at what I'm trying to say)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arthur_Pendragon 12-09-03, 11:19 PM	This is related to another post on here...but I thought I'd post this point seperately. How would you go about role-playing these stats? Str 11 Dex 14 Con --- Int 21 Wis 25 Cha 10
zioth 12-10-03, 09:21 AM	Does the '---' in CON mean your character has no CON, or you don't know what it is? I think I'd find this character almost impossible to play in a live game. Maybe in a PBeM, but in a live game, there's just not enought time to think. The 25 WIS gives this character the wisdom of an oracle, and the 21 INT means the character is one of the very smartest people in the world. Casual intellectual persuits are shrugged off; the character is the first to figure out the solution to a problem -- he/she often figures it out before anyone else has started to think about it, and sometimes even before the problem is fully explained. If this weren't limited by D&D rules, I'd make this character a mind-reader or a prophet. If this were a PBeM, you could use extensive reference texts to always have appropriate things to say. Now if the charisma score were very low (say, 5 or 6), the character would be far easier to play. The character could be incredibly intelligent and wise, but unable to communicate with others. This uncharismatic character could even appear to be a fool to a casual observer.
Arthur_Pendragon 12-10-03, 12:27 PM	Well his is Con --- because he is dead. He's a ghost who is 700 years old. He has skills like Knowledge (Philosophy) +9 and Profession (Poet) +12 (at first level). He died just before his civilization fell to a catacylsm. He's been haunting the ruins of his people civilization for the past 700 years, mostly spending his time thinking about philosophy, creating poetry, and pondering the ruins of his peoples once great civilization. Does that help on thinking about how to role-play it?
Daniel _the_Zodiac 12-10-03, 01:11 PM	I'd say so. Perhaps the character is bitter over his lost civilization. If not he is at least very lonely and could easily cling to anyone who comes along, that is if he hasn't abandoned his human feelings. Before I read he was a ghost I saw him as Stephen Hawkins. I think I'd also throw some Merlyn or Gandalf in, being they're extremely wise and intelligent beings with long lifespans.
Morka 12-10-03, 02:04 PM	What is his alignment? You know, a LG character with 25 WIS will find many solution that will value to most people, he will be a wise king. While a CE character with 25 WIS will find solution on how to oppress and manipulate people, he will become a fierce king. Since he is a 700 years old ghost, he could find that time is not a concern. Even if, with his 21 INT, he is able to find quick solutions, he could take days to answer a simple question. His high intelligence mean he knows many things, but his higher wisdom mean he knows there is many other things he doesn't know.
Arthur_Pendragon 12-10-03, 05:48 PM	He's NG. I remeber it being said of Socrates, that he went to an Oracle who told him he was the wisest man on earth. He decided the only thing he knew was that he didn't know everything. So he became a "gadfly" using his abilities to make politicians who would speak on any topic if you paid them enough, realize just how silly they sounded. I've always liked the Gandalf/Merlin archtype. It's in part why I always play wizards. And in reality I occassionally come up with deep moments of thought that can cause a whole room of fellow students go quite in reaction to the depth and meaning of what has been said. But I shouldn't toot my own horn. :P He has a Charisma of 10 though...hmmmm... Additionally I feel he hasn't given up human emotions by any means. After all a poet draws from his emotions.
catharz 12-11-03, 12:14 AM	Socrates, or any of the ancient poets would probably have a charisma higher than 10. There were more then inteligent and wise: They had an intuitive understanding of humanity and the force of personality to inspire (And would probably be characterized as bards, excepting the lack of spells or classes in ancient times). Your character seems more like a sage. Very observant, very inteligent, but shy, grating, or bumbling in social situations. Not enough to be disliked or to seem like a dottering old fool. Maybe he is shy about sharing his poetry, and is constantly lost in thought (the advantage of being incorporeal is that you don't have to worry abouut running into things :rolleyes: ). Why start two threads about exactly the same thing?
Arthur_Pendragon 12-11-03, 01:01 PM	catharz said: Why start two threads about exactly the same thing? Because I thought I would try to sepearte discussion about how to roleplay that character's stats from how to roleplay him as an ancient character over all....
CarpeNoctem 12-11-03, 09:31 PM	I've recently been reading 'Grendel" by John Gardener, which is an excellent story portraying the 'monster' from the popular 'Beowulf". Anywho, in the story Grendel meets an ancient dragon, who confesses to see the future just as the lesser beings, such as monsters and humans, see the past and present. However the dragon also knows that it is impossible to escape fate, as it knows when, where, and how he will die. And though he knows so much, he seldom shares his real knowledge with those few he meets, is very protective of his ideas(& his gold), and seems to sigh at the world which never learns its lesson. I could easily see this concept adapted to your ghost character. Played as a somewhat dark and cynical anti-hero who feels so alone because of his supreme mental powers. He even has the intelligence to express these ideas, but any puny mortal would simply fail to grasp the way your ghost perceives the world. This also influences his poetry, his unique & enlightened outlook, and gives him a reason to lack belief in himself. How would you feel seeing the world in a way you knew only you could, might make you wonder if the world was just some abstract thought you created to amuse yourself, especially being a ghost and all. On a sidenote, I think mores heros need to be anti-heros. Much more flavorful, realistic, and amusingly flavorful to play. But thats my boat.
Arthur_Pendragon 12-12-03, 01:44 AM	Actually in the end...I've decided to drop the ghostly PC idea (in part out of balance, and in part just cause I felt like it...) Thanks for the suggeestions :). I just thought I'd tell everyone so they don't waste their time posting on this (time is precious...precious....starts talking like Gollum :P ). Anyway, thanks again...I think I'll post a more general post about role-playing in general though....:P
Illithidbix 12-12-03, 08:50 AM	I would say that attempting to realistically role-play a character significantly intelligent (and to perhaps a lesser extent, wise) than yourself is perhaps only possible with you're DM's assistence. And an intelligence of 18, let alone 21 represents one of the smartest people on the planet. And DM's can perhaps only role-play truely intelligent NPC by "enabling the NPC's" to have some Metagame thinking (yes slightly odd concept but I hope you get at what I'm trying to say)