Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Infernostrider 10-03-07, 05:17 PM	how about playing a wizard with an int of 3? any ideas on how to roleplay this? assume the wizard gets his bonus spells charisma based (as to not loose his bonus spells) but is just the exact opposite of every real wizard alive. really frikken dumb. again, how to roleplay this? i'm not talking much about game mechanics mind you!
heffroncm 10-03-07, 05:25 PM	Then why post it in the game mechanics subsection of the forums? Mechanically, he'd be a Sorceror. You can't cast a spell unless you have casting stat of 10+Spell Level, so you can't be a Wizard at all without an Int of at least 10. He'd carry a spell book, and generally act like he knows what he's talking about, then spout some of the most inane BS ever heard. See Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter, he's a perfect example.
Kamin_Majere 10-03-07, 05:30 PM	He'd carry a spell book, and generally act like he knows what he's talking about, then spout some of the most inane BS ever heard. See Gilderoy Lockhart from Harry Potter, he's a perfect example. After reading the OP's post I tried racking my brain at what in the world that wizard would be like... and I do believe that is as perfect an example as is possible.
INeedNoSalt 10-03-07, 05:38 PM	With int /3/? He'd hardly be able to speak, let alone say anything coherently stupid.
perdera 10-03-07, 06:01 PM	Just...don't. It's not cute, it's not clever, and it won't be fun for anyone besides yourself. Get to at least a six Intelligence so you're at least capable of basic existance (six Int is Ogre smart). Six is still plenty dumb and still way dumber than any practicing Wizard (who has at least a 10 Intelligence to do 0th level spells). This way you can still be dumb and say stupid things (I still warn you, this won't be as well received by everyone else) without walking around drooling on everyone and pisssing on the carpet.
DM Zoc 10-03-07, 09:25 PM	Int 3 is barely above an animal. An Int 3 wizard would not be able to understand the concept of a book. It might be smart enough to use the pages as toilet paper.
Sildatorak 10-03-07, 10:51 PM	I wouldn't go below about Int 5 or 6 with this sorcerer (because that is what you'd have to be). I've actually thought about this concept some, and it would probably end up working out a lot like many barbarians get roleplayed. Instead of "THOG SMASH!" you'd get "THOG BLAST!" as Thog casts fireball at his foes.
perdera 10-04-07, 11:06 AM	Instead of "THOG SMASH!" you'd get "THOG BLAST!" as Thog casts fireball at his foes. ...or people that bump into him on the street. ...or locked doors. ...or cats stuck in trees.
gojumamoru 10-04-07, 11:44 AM	I love the idea of a half orc sorc with an int of 5 or so. Carries around a big axe then drops it in combat "THOG FLY" and woosh into the air. Charms people into fighting for him "You LOooooovee THOG" Oh Thog amuses me greatly. Nothing more scary than a lvl 20 sorc moron. "thog... meteor swarm?"
Sildatorak 10-04-07, 04:56 PM	"thog... meteor swarm?" You forgot that Thog is dumb, D-U-M, dumb. THOG MEATIER SWARM! ...or people that bump into him on the street. ...or locked doors. ...or cats stuck in trees. I don't think he is that dumb. Dolphins have an intelligence of 2.
HermitIX 10-05-07, 01:17 PM	Thog sounds cool. I would avoid the 3int, and go with 8 it’s below average but still functional. I would use the sorcerer idea. He carries a book around with him but it’s full of gibberish. Perhaps the occasional doodle. He thinks he needs the book so if you take it away he refuses to even try to cast spells. Give him eschew materials, and have him use totally unrelated spell components for his spells. Small pebbles for the sleep spell, a loose bit of string for fire ball. I would not put skill points in to any knowledge but have him make up completely wrong stuff when asked. “Gold dragons are where gold coins come from.” But I would give him some nice spellcraft.
Radijs 10-05-07, 03:04 PM	I'd post a picture of Rincewind but he's smarter then that.
trapspringer 10-05-07, 03:12 PM	Just...don't. It's not cute, it's not clever, and it won't be fun for anyone besides yourself. That's a remarkably concise and accurate assessment of this plan. By the by, three intelligence is retarded. I mean, we're talking serious mental deficiencies at that point. An equivalent I.Q. (based on comparing the bell curve of D&D stats and real life intelligence) Would be well below sixty, because a three in intelligence is the bottom .02% of the population. An I.Q. of sixty is only the lower 5.00% or so, IIRC. So you would be retarded. You would need someone to care for you as if you were about three. You would have to be told things repeatedly, and not things like "that's your right hand" but stuff like "Don't walk into traffic." Forest Gump had an I.Q. of seventy-five, which is about the lower 10%.
PhaedrusXY 10-05-07, 03:36 PM	Thog sounds cool. I would avoid the 3int, and go with 8 it’s below average but still functional. I would use the sorcerer idea. He carries a book around with him but it’s full of gibberish. Perhaps the occasional doodle. He thinks he needs the book so if you take it away he refuses to even try to cast spells. Give him eschew materials, and have him use totally unrelated spell components for his spells. Small pebbles for the sleep spell, a loose bit of string for fire ball. I would not put skill points in to any knowledge but have him make up completely wrong stuff when asked. “Gold dragons are where gold coins come from.” But I would give him some nice spellcraft.This is freakin' awesome. Make his first level barbarian, so he is illiterate, also.
albinomonkeyking 10-05-07, 04:17 PM	Funny concept, but playing it realistically would be horrible. The destructive power of a caster in an idiots body? After the first time he accidentally fried me I would be ready to kill him.
Zavia 10-06-07, 11:02 AM	i would kill him BEFORE he accidentally fries me. *Encounter* Me: I grab the caster, no not that one, the stupid one, and throw him towards the group of orcs. Stupid Caster: Why??? ;( Me: Um, *rolls Bluff* So you can get in range to cast fireball at them. Closer it is, the easier to hit, and we ALL know how good you aim right? You would kill all of them, or atleast serve as a distraction, and get all the xp! Stupid Caster: *Flying* THOG FLYING FIREBALL!!!!!!!!!! Smart Caster: Psst you KNOW hes gona center it at where he is landing and we are gona lose him after the orcs recover? Me: Yea, i figure better he toast them and let em kill him, then toast us and die to me. Not to mention we have a handy distraction. Think we should rez him? Smart Caster: Again? According to my calculations, its rather expensive compared to a wand of FB and hiring a commoner. Not very high on the Cost/Utility scale. Me: I meant for fun. Coin's for entertainment right? (far away) Stupid Caster: *FOOMPH* WEE, THOG HIT!!! WHOS YOUR THOGGY, HUH? (back to the 2 chars) Smart Caster: Hmm, your right. Ill put the rez cost under the "Entertainment Costs (Exotic-Unique)" account. Cleric: Heh.
Elsydeon 10-06-07, 02:21 PM	I think I posted a similar concept in the Best Worst Characters thread some time back. A retarded Sorc who thinks he's a wizard. Carries a "spellbook" of fingerpaintings. He liked to draw in the real Wizard's spellbook. When you counterspell say "Nuh uh". If you get the reflecting version say "I duwannit, you keep it!" It's pretty easy to pull off, and can be fun. Or really bad. Try to stay away from really bad.
HCL 10-06-07, 08:47 PM	Keep in mind that he should be a sorcerer with high charisma score: Now that you mention it I want to put to put an npc like this in my campaign. You see an incredibly handsome young halforc wizard strolling down the road. You marvel at his wonderful smile, perfect cheekbones and eloquent speech... but after getting to know him you realize he is so ****ing retarded he is a sorcerer who thinks hes a wizard. He should have a genious actual wizard or gentleman barbarian as a "sidekick" who does the thinking for the pair and the retarded sorcerer is the mouth.
DM Zoc 10-06-07, 10:09 PM	He should have a genious actual wizard or gentleman barbarian as a "sidekick" who does the thinking for the pair and the retarded sorcerer is the mouth. It's called a familiar: the sorcerer's one class feature. The familiar of even a first-level sorcerer has an Int of 6 (and ravens can speak a language).
Grod_The_Giant 10-06-07, 10:22 PM	I'd say low Wisdom would be funnier. Fairly intelligent, but completly insane. Kind of like that one guy from Dragonlance, Fizban. "Hmm...a fireball spell! Perfect! I'm sure I remember the words this time!"
The_Shaman 10-08-07, 09:05 AM	Yes, a sorcerer with intelligence 3 with an int-6 raven (so they can speak) might have some comedy value. Mind you, essentially this character will be a gorilla of above-average intelligence and a gift for spellcasting. If it can understand a sentence of above 6 words, it's one of its better days.
HermitIX 10-08-07, 12:32 PM	I'd post a picture of Rincewind but he's smarter then that. Rincewind was really smart, probably the only “Smart” person on the disk. His wisdom is for S**T though. I think the reason he can’t cast spells is because he is a Wizzard not a Wizard.
Manus 10-08-07, 01:23 PM	Thog reminds me of Bizarro Superman. Definitely make him a sorcerer instead of some wizard variant that doesn't use int though. Of course, as other posters have pointed out... having him THINK he is a wizard would be classic. Wasn't there a kender spoon of undead turning that worked the same way?
Prator_the_Legendary 10-08-07, 03:18 PM	Rincewind was really smart, probably the only “Smart” person on the disk. His wisdom is for S**T though. I think the reason he can’t cast spells is because he is a Wizzard not a Wizard. Really? Granny Weatherwax and Captain Vimes are idiots? On topic, I think the character concept is a good one. I would recommend, for it, that your half-orc not use any spells that don't have an obvious, flashy effect, both because they are prettier and because they make more sense in context. Subtle things like illusions and abjurations are for the smart people; your guy is much more likely to holler "THOG BLAST!" and level everything with flaming/electric/freezing/other death.
SquireCrow 10-08-07, 04:14 PM	What I'm about to say is sooooo wrong, on so many levels but: Was I the only one who read the original post and immediately thougt "What if Jar-Jar was a wizard?" Just picture this bumbling, obnoxious-but-kinda-charming, well intentioned fool. "Meesa cast FIREBALL!!!"
MrCustomer 10-08-07, 06:49 PM	Here is an idea. Your a powerful wizard, one day in your lab you were working with powerful magics, blah blah blah, portal, blah blah blah, angry gods, blah blah blah, fabric of the universe, blah blah blah, and were turned into a cat (or other small animal) this is an irreversable curse, you can speak but whatever you say is heard by others as "meow, mew, purrrrr, hisss, meow etc" the force of the magic is soo strong that others still perceive you as being a cat. The only thing you could do is use the last of your powerful magic to dominate the mind of a very stupid Orc. He has a mind of his own but believes he is a Wizard and that he is the one casting the spells, he also gets ideas from time to time, he doesn't know where or why but knows he must listen to these ideas. In actuallity you are the cat and are controlling the Orc with your magics like a puppet on a string, the cat is actually casting the spells. Because the cat can't speak or wiggle his fingers he cannot cast any spells with somantic or verbal components, so he requires the orc in order to utilize his magic properly. It's amystery to everyone else how this idiotic orc can be such a powerful caster. He acts like your typical orc most of the time but suddenly has suprisingly inteligent incite on anceint magical lore "Thog think very old runes say evil deity has curse here", and can cast complex spells. He knows what spells he should "memorize" and when and how they should be "cast" which puzzles everyone "Thog use majik Ms. Ill" while his scruffy tempermental cats sits nearby mewing. Have him reading his spell book upside down, demonstrate that he is illiterate one moment, (reading a menu in a tavern) and then cappable of reading something the next (like a scroll or tome of knowledge). The Player should keep this information away from other Players who just think he is playing an orc wizard and clearly is violating some rule or the other.
High Octane 10-09-07, 01:14 AM	how about playing a wizard with an int of 3? any ideas on how to roleplay this? Don't. Int 3 is mentally retarded to the point of being clinically unaware of your own actions.
metalmayhem80110 10-09-07, 04:27 PM	Hey, int 3 characters are playable. My int 3 barbarian minotaur was quite enjoyable. But int 3 characters have weaknesses you know. Like presdigitation can take one out, with no save! So half of your wizard's spells would distract him to the point where he couldn't cast them...
ServanWolf 10-09-07, 04:45 PM	you COULD give him int 3... but give him an other thing Idiot genius (racial bonus trait): prerequisites: int <5, wizard or cleric description: Each time that the player have to use an ability or skill using intelligence (if wizard) or wisdom (if cleric) you must roll a d20. The difficulty class is 10 + (5 - int or wis score). If you succeed you roll you temporary have a intelligency score equal to your roll, but you must make this roll each time again even in a same encounter. If you fail, all you skill uses fails and spells cast are under effect of scroll mishappening and are cast randomly on a person. Special: This trait must be choosen for intelligence or wisdom and that choice can't be changed. You cannot take this trait multiple times.
ImpossiblitiesAreEndless 10-10-07, 03:12 AM	It'd be cool if your familiar was keeping you out of trouble. I mean it could make you avoid the obvious bad stuff, but give you advice to say, catch a mouse and give it to a nice person you met on the street, or fly south for the winter. Of course still having an Int under 10 he'd probably better take advice from other PCs too. Taking their advice would help them not be annoyed that the 'wizard' is so stupid.
Ecalsneerg 10-11-07, 03:04 PM	Really? Granny Weatherwax and Captain Vimes are idiots? In Int terms, both are mediocre, however they both have good Wisdom scores. Well, Granny Weatherwax has probably got an above-average Int, but Commander Vimes is only average, as many characters take great pleasure in saying. It's called a familiar: the sorcerer's one class feature. The familiar of even a first-level sorcerer has an Int of 6 (and ravens can speak a language). SORC: "Wizz-ard blast!" RAVEN: "Sorcerer, innit?" SORC: "Sauce blast!" RAVEN: "Close enough."
JudgeK 10-11-07, 03:57 PM	Rincewind was really smart, probably the only “Smart” person on the disk. His wisdom is for S**T though. I think the reason he can’t cast spells is because he is a Wizzard not a Wizard. Being a Wizzard isn't why Rincewind can't cast spells. It's because of that one part of that Epic spell hopped into his mind and booted/scared away all the ones he knew. He would be a decent but lazy and comedically cowardly wizard otherwise.
HermitIX 10-11-07, 05:15 PM	Being a Wizzard isn't why Rincewind can't cast spells. It's because of that one part of that Epic spell hopped into his mind and booted/scared away all the ones he knew. He would be a decent but lazy and comedically cowardly wizard otherwise. That was the theory in the first two books, but then he got rid of the uber spell and he still couldn’t cast anything. Although you could make the case that he can cast expeditious retreat at will and just doesn’t know it. Granny Weatherwax is more charismatic than intelligent, and I would definitely go with an above average Wisdom. Grimes has a high wisdom as well, his spot check alone proves that. The assassins guild send their trainees after him just to see who makes it back! For those of you reading the thread and have know idea what we are talking about try reading the Disc World series by Terry Pratchett. On Topic: You could make the wizard of normal wizard intelligence, but just play him stupid most of the time, with bursts of intelligent. Idiot Savant.
Ultima0071 10-11-07, 08:36 PM	Some pointers: 1. A wizard can only use spells if he has an Intelligence of 10 or higher. So, that gets rid of the spellcasting. 2. All his knowledge and spell checks are a complete waste. FOR GOODNESS SAKES! I rather be a wizard 1 / dragon disciple 5 with all stupid feats and a 1 roll on every hit dice roll. Take it from me, DON'T PLAY AN IDIOT WIZARD!
INeedNoSalt 10-11-07, 09:46 PM	On the topic of idiot casters, though, I played an Orc Shaman in Shadowrun 4e with 1 Logic. He was a blast, and he probably qualified as mildly retarded. But he had awesome intuition, so he usually made good decisions anyway.
The_Shaman 10-12-07, 10:52 AM	For the record, I think Sam Vimes has good wisdom and decent to above-average intelligence, somewhere around 12 (so he doesn't beat Vetinari... who does?). However, his spot and search skills say little for his wisdom: he could have put a good number of ranks in those skills. I personally think he has more than a few rogue levels - one doesn't need to be a thief to make use of them.
High Octane 10-12-07, 06:09 PM	On the topic of idiot casters, though, I played an Orc Shaman in Shadowrun 4e with 1 Logic. He was a blast, and he probably qualified as mildly retarded. But he had awesome intuition, so he usually made good decisions anyway. Shamans us Charisma and Willpower, not Logic. If you made a Hermetic Wizard in Shadowrun with 1 logic, that would be closer to what's being discussed, but still much more viable. It is one thing to play a low intelligence (or logic) CASTER of some sort, (Heck my current Shadowrun shaman has 2 logic and 1 strength) that can be as fun as playing say, a low strength rogue, or a low wisdom barbarian. Both give disadvantages and add flavor to the character, but it doesn't take away from their prime ability attribute! Wizards aren't "usually" intelligent, they HAVE to be intelligent to be an effective caster. And without spells, wizards are basically commoners with a pet.
David 10-15-07, 03:59 AM	Wow. I love al those ideas... Well most of them anyway. Best I came up with was a Half-orc with a weasel familiar named ''Misses Cat.''
Amon_V 10-15-07, 06:34 PM	Int 3 is the boundary between animal intelligence and sapience. It's entirely possible that some animals have Int 3 (as opposed to 2--it is the same mod). So, your character is very smart--for a dog. Your character probably is smart enough to poo in the corner and lick someone when they are bleeding. And you probably have some ability to communicate. Check out the 'Simple English' on Wikipedia; that's probably the scope of your vocabulary. You don't want 'Soup', you want 'Hot water'. You aren't mildly retarded. That would be Int 5-6. You are profoundly retarded and will need continuous care your entire life to function, and you'll never really be an independent, autonomous person. Your Wisdom will prevent you from trying to eat random stuff and cause harm to others, but your Int is low to the point where you'll have grave misconceptions of the world through poor understanding. Why some things bounce and some don't is a matter of magic, as is tying knots, unlocking doors, or starting a fire. If this doesn't sound like fun, don't play the character. I'd personally tell you that you are PK #1--the Enemy will kill your 'Very special' character without remorse.
CoarseDragon 10-15-07, 07:03 PM	Here is an idea. Your a powerful wizard, one day in your lab you were working with powerful magics, blah blah blah, portal, blah blah blah, angry gods, blah blah blah, fabric of the universe, blah blah blah, and were turned into a cat (or other small animal) this is an irreversable curse, you can speak but whatever you say is heard by others as "meow, mew, purrrrr, hisss, meow etc" the force of the magic is soo strong that others still perceive you as being a cat. The only thing you could do is use the last of your powerful magic to dominate the mind of a very stupid Orc. He has a mind of his own but believes he is a Wizard and that he is the one casting the spells, he also gets ideas from time to time, he doesn't know where or why but knows he must listen to these ideas. In actuallity you are the cat and are controlling the Orc with your magics like a puppet on a string, the cat is actually casting the spells. Because the cat can't speak or wiggle his fingers he cannot cast any spells with somantic or verbal components, so he requires the orc in order to utilize his magic properly. It's amystery to everyone else how this idiotic orc can be such a powerful caster. He acts like your typical orc most of the time but suddenly has suprisingly inteligent incite on anceint magical lore "Thog think very old runes say evil deity has curse here", and can cast complex spells. He knows what spells he should "memorize" and when and how they should be "cast" which puzzles everyone "Thog use majik Ms. Ill" while his scruffy tempermental cats sits nearby mewing. Have him reading his spell book upside down, demonstrate that he is illiterate one moment, (reading a menu in a tavern) and then cappable of reading something the next (like a scroll or tome of knowledge). The Player should keep this information away from other Players who just think he is playing an orc wizard and clearly is violating some rule or the other. LOL, this is a great idea. Mind if I use this for an NPC? Wouldn't that be funny.