Where We're At

[Pete Nash]

Wouldn't that argument advocate for all the characteristics being rolled on 2d6+6 for humans?

It all depends on how you interpret the abstract values of the other characteristics.

For example, I personally consider adult humans with STR 3 as people who suffer or suffered from;

1) cultural or rank based dietary restrictions, whether as an adult or a growing child

2) muscular dystrophy, polio or some other congenital disorder

3) failed to perform any physical exercise, either from laziness, religious observation, tribal superstition and so on

So for me there's no problem with 3d6 STR. Its not so much whether a human can be a weak as a rabbit, but whether a significant proportion of the population can be that debilitated naturally. Sadly, throughout much of human history such conditions are far more prevalent than most people imagine.

[dragonewt]

For example, I personally consider adult humans with STR 3 as people who suffer or suffered from;

1) cultural or rank based dietary restrictions, whether as an adult or a growing child

2) muscular dystrophy, polio or some other congenital disorder

3) failed to perform any physical exercise, either from laziness, religious observation, tribal superstition and so on

If it is fair (and considered playable) for a character to have below standard STR (or any other stat), then INT should be treated equally. Implications for INT could be caused by:

1) cultural or rank based dietary restrictions, whether as an adult or a growing child (lead in sweets or paint, lead goblets [cf: Roman Empire], Mrs Ploppy's sausages, alcoholic, the gas at Delphi)

2) disease that directly affects brain or cranial development (plenty to choose from, in addition to many types of general infection that indirectly affect the brain, as well as some parasites)

3) failed to perform any mental exercises, either from laziness, religious observation, tribal superstition, social convention and peer pressure, and so on (also sports, boxing)

4) hit by a bus, dropped as a baby

5) deep psychological impairment, psychosis, mental stress and breakdown

Given that the core "playable nature" of characters is often based on their ability to reason and make choice as a mental conduit for the player (even when role-playing the fool or village idiot) then it almost makes sense to have a minimum INT for player characters (playing a paraplegic has greater potential than playing someone who is brain-dead [unless playing a psychic or POW-based game). Even so, any degree of disability would (in general) be equally debilitating when comparing stats.

If I do use 2d6+6 for INT, the underlying reason differs in that it isn't for a smarter species average.

Edited May 1, 2012 by dragonewt

[Pete Nash]

Fair enough, although you have pretty much answered why low INT make playing a character rather tough. On the other hand I've never had a problem with playing characters with substandard physical stats. I even had a professional merc character last year with CON 6, which made combat rather chancy... and up until a few weeks ago I've been playing a small English boy thrown into a fantasy world with only a single characteristic in the 2 digit range.

Anyway I digress. Something which should be taken into consideration is that most versions of BRP from CoC to Elric have assumed human level sapience starts at INT 8. Which sort of paves a rather major tradition to follow.

[frogspawner]

Wasn't it the case, anyway, that the original RuneQuest utilized a uniform 3d6 for all scores?

Yep, the original RQ2 had 3d6 for all stats. Earliest I know of using 2d6+6 for INT/SIZ was Trollpak.

I quess they thought a SIZ 3 human was silly, and INT 3 just an excuse for mindless hack-and-slay (non-)roleplaying.

[rust]

Wouldn't that argument advocate for all the characteristics being rolled on 2d6+6 for humans?

This is how the Ringworld RPG did it, where it made sense because an

affluent futuristic high tech society would most probably use genetical

engineering to ensure that no severely handicapped humans with extre-

mely low characteristics are born.

[frogspawner]

This is how the Ringworld RPG did it... an affluent futuristic high tech society would most probably use genetical engineering...

Except for POW - but that's Luck, which the human 'breeding program' would take care of...