Recovering from ability damage [Archive] - Wizards Community

Recovering from ability damage [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Alxdude
02-21-08, 10:27 AM Hello!

I am DMing a game where a player dosed with id moss (ingested poison that does 1d4, and then 2d6 int damage) was reduced to 0 intelligence. How does recovery work for this (assuming he just lets it wear off day by day)?

According to the rules as far as I can tell, the only real penalty is a negative to INT based skills, and the 3 minimum INT to speak.

I think its a kind of neat roleplaying opportunity for him, but if he chooses to play as normal should I just let him play as if he is mute until reaching 3 INT, then perfectly functional? Certainly I don't want to say "oh you can't suggest that complex idea to the party, your INT is only 4" or something dumb like that.

On a somewhat related note, how does Speak With Animals give animals the ability to form coherent sentences? Just chalk it up to magic?
weasel0
02-21-08, 01:06 PM A character with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma 0 is unconscious.
Intelligence 0 means that the character cannot think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless. Otherwise, your pretty much stuck with what you've already thought of. Normal INT of humans is roughly 10 so if he can't dumb himself down.... just ignore it, or make him roll INT checks.

As far as the Speak with Animals, it's a chalk it up to magic, but if you want to think of it, watch the old Dr. Doolittle (it's a musical). He spoke with the animals, but learned how to do it from their point of view. Body language was a lot of it.
Tedronai
02-21-08, 01:27 PM Creatures become sentient at Int 3, below that, they're in the animal intelligence range (or comatose at 0). At Int 3, creatures have a vocabulary of only a few hundred words, and would be nearly immediately identifiable as mentally disabled in some way.

Of course, if he has access to a 3rd level cleric, this entire situation could be sped up considerably. A few quick castings of Lesser Restoration, and he should be back to normal, or very close to it.
Heros_Backpack
02-21-08, 03:02 PM I believe the Feeblemind spell gives some outlines for what you can and can't do at a very low Int.

An alternative roleplaying rule of thumb I've sometimes used for Int damaged PC's is to say, "Ok, you can cope with one of the Handle Animal general purposes per point of recovered Int until you reach Int 5/6 (at which point you become normal if dim). Track includes tracking with the track feat and Perform includes communication and class skills such as trapfinding or music. Go pick your purposes."

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Alxdude 02-21-08, 10:27 AM	Hello! I am DMing a game where a player dosed with id moss (ingested poison that does 1d4, and then 2d6 int damage) was reduced to 0 intelligence. How does recovery work for this (assuming he just lets it wear off day by day)? According to the rules as far as I can tell, the only real penalty is a negative to INT based skills, and the 3 minimum INT to speak. I think its a kind of neat roleplaying opportunity for him, but if he chooses to play as normal should I just let him play as if he is mute until reaching 3 INT, then perfectly functional? Certainly I don't want to say "oh you can't suggest that complex idea to the party, your INT is only 4" or something dumb like that. On a somewhat related note, how does Speak With Animals give animals the ability to form coherent sentences? Just chalk it up to magic?
weasel0 02-21-08, 01:06 PM	A character with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma 0 is unconscious. Intelligence 0 means that the character cannot think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless. Otherwise, your pretty much stuck with what you've already thought of. Normal INT of humans is roughly 10 so if he can't dumb himself down.... just ignore it, or make him roll INT checks. As far as the Speak with Animals, it's a chalk it up to magic, but if you want to think of it, watch the old Dr. Doolittle (it's a musical). He spoke with the animals, but learned how to do it from their point of view. Body language was a lot of it.
Tedronai 02-21-08, 01:27 PM	Creatures become sentient at Int 3, below that, they're in the animal intelligence range (or comatose at 0). At Int 3, creatures have a vocabulary of only a few hundred words, and would be nearly immediately identifiable as mentally disabled in some way. Of course, if he has access to a 3rd level cleric, this entire situation could be sped up considerably. A few quick castings of Lesser Restoration, and he should be back to normal, or very close to it.
Heros_Backpack 02-21-08, 03:02 PM	I believe the Feeblemind spell gives some outlines for what you can and can't do at a very low Int. An alternative roleplaying rule of thumb I've sometimes used for Int damaged PC's is to say, "Ok, you can cope with one of the Handle Animal general purposes per point of recovered Int until you reach Int 5/6 (at which point you become normal if dim). Track includes tracking with the track feat and Perform includes communication and class skills such as trapfinding or music. Go pick your purposes."