Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ericSHINRA 06-07-07, 01:16 PM	I'll be playing a Half-Orc in my next campaign with an average Intelligence score of 10 and a moderately low wisdom score of 8. Now, I really don't want to play a character with a purely "SMASH" mentality so I tried to keep these scores from sinking too far but how exactly should I play this? I can explain the Intelligence in that he was never really educated but in game would you think of a 10 Intelligence as being unintelligent in terms of PC standards? I know some of my other party members might think so. Also, with an 8 Wisdom, could he just be rather fool-hearty or should that be played out in some other way? I should note he has a Charisma of 16 so that should play some role in how he comes across to people, yes?
DrMorganes 06-07-07, 01:31 PM	10 INT is quite average, thank you. He is articulate enough, though perhaps still has a thick regional or racial accent. 8 WIS means he's either a bit foolish or a bit unobservant, but not by a lot. Odds are he has to make the same mistake a few times before he figures out how to avoid it. 16 CHA means that whatever personality he has, it's big. He may be outgoing and friendly or brash and overbearing.
Murrdox 06-07-07, 01:37 PM	DrMorganes got it exactly right. With a 16 CHA for a half-orc, you could play that a lot of different ways. In my group, I generally rule that Charisma represents "power of personality" whether that personality is positive or negative. He could be a very very nice half-orc, very likable, and finds it easy to make friends. Or he could be a mean son-of-a-*****, and people flock to him out of fear of what would happen if they didn't. Some other groups rule Charisma more along the lines of More Charisma = Nicer and Good Looking, and poor Charisma = Mean and Ugly. You can play it either way.
ericSHINRA 06-07-07, 01:41 PM	10 INT is quite average, thank you. He is articulate enough, though perhaps still has a thick regional or racial accent. 8 WIS means he's either a bit foolish or a bit unobservant, but not by a lot. Odds are he has to make the same mistake a few times before he figures out how to avoid it. 16 CHA means that whatever personality he has, it's big. He may be outgoing and friendly or brash and overbearing. I meant no offense. I concluded, however, that many of the other PCs will have a much higher intelligence and their average might be around 12-14. Thats all. Thanks for your help, though.
Callista 06-07-07, 01:49 PM	Well, then, he's a "B" student who got stuck into a Gifted class by mistake!--somebody with a normal intellect, surrounded by geniuses! Low Wisdom would make him a bit impulsive, naive, or oblivious... but not badly; not enough to handicap him. An 8 is pretty close to average. You don't want to play a thug: OK. Let the 16 CHA represent good people skills. Despite his orc blood, he's appealing to others--he's polite and kind, maybe good at telling stories and jokes, or prone to generosity... generally the guy people like to hang around with. The 10 INT means he's just an average guy, when it comes to thinking--he's not stupid, but he's not into chess and calculus, either. An 8 WIS might mean he's a bit naive... some things fly over his head because he doesn't notice the subtleties of life... maybe he leaps without looking sometimes. But the high CHA should easily overwhelm that--with his charm, the low WIS should come off as an endearing quirk instead of something annoying. Think of him as the guy in town everyone likes... there's nothing particularly special about him, on the surface; he's not smart or skillful; but he's the center of the conversation at the tavern, the guy everyone likes. For a half-orc, that's extraordinary--but then, adventurers are extraordinary, aren't they?
DrMorganes 06-08-07, 10:05 PM	I meant no offense. I concluded, however, that many of the other PCs will have a much higher intelligence and their average might be around 12-14. Thats all. Thanks for your help, though. Huh? Oh. Sorry. That was an attempt at humor. My wife tells me I shouldn't try to tell jokes after 8AM. (I don't generally get up until 9...)
Hack and Smasher 06-09-07, 08:47 PM	Your motto should be seemed like a good idea at the time. Just go the first thing to top in your head and rest should follow.
bloodtalon 06-09-07, 09:10 PM	or with those scores you could go the Paris Hilton type very popular but a bit of a ditz. was able to bet by,, by smooth talking your way out fo promblems make your character a rouge and do alot of people skills instead of thieveing skills
ericSHINRA 06-10-07, 12:00 AM	or with those scores you could go the Paris Hilton type very popular but a bit of a ditz. was able to bet by,, by smooth talking your way out fo promblems make your character a rouge and do alot of people skills instead of thieveing skills I don't really want to play a complete wretch. Anyway, I'm playing a Half-Orc Favored Soul of Kord.