The Dragon’s Breath #9

02 April 2003

Playing the Numbers III:
Of Attributes and Antagonists

By Scott Holden-Jones

So, your lich has a 29 Intelligence, a 14 Wisdom, and a 17 Charisma, but you’re just not sure how to make that obvious to your players? I mean, how can a walking corpse possible have a 17 Charisma? Corpses aren’t pretty! And just what exactly does that 29 Intelligence do for her (or for anyone, for that matter), anyway?

Well, here’s a tip: if you run monsters with a 2 Intelligence the same way you do those with a 10, then a 19 and a 29 are bound to look pretty much alike, as well.

Accurately representing a character’s or a creature’s mental stats can be one of the greatest challenges of roleplaying, either as a player or as a GM. Yet there are a few tactics you can use to emulate high or low mental stats and the way they interrelate.

Intelligence is often treated as the single biggest determinant of a D&D character’s behaviour (aside, perhaps, from the rather artificial designation of "alignment"), with Wisdom playing a largely secondary role. Charisma tends to be relegated to some sort of "passive" third-tier status; players (and designers) tend to think of it simply in terms of a character’s attractiveness or persuasiveness — i.e., in the way the character is perceived by others — rather than as having a more active role. Thus, a smart character applies her intellect to her benefit, solving problems and perfecting skills and techniques, while a charismatic character reaps the benefits of having a high Charisma only in the simple non-act of being liked by people . . . they simply are charismatic.

Remember, however, that no stat exists in a vacuum — a character’s low Charisma will influence the way it applies its high Intelligence, for instance, while a good Wisdom score will both dictate and be influenced by Intelligence and Charisma. Let’s take a look at some of the ways high scores in these three attributes might interrelate:

• High Intelligence complements and enhances the natural (self-)awareness that comes along with a high Wisdom score. A smart and wise character takes the physical evidence of his acute senses and quickly makes reasonable and accurate deductions from them. Most first-rate inventors and gifted writers, for example, would probably have at least reasonably high scores in both Intelligence and Wisdom.

• A highly intelligent character with a good Charisma score is self-confident and attractive (not necessarily physically attractive, but perhaps having instead a certain je n’sais quois), with a dignified charm that makes her sharp mind readily apparent. People like and respect her for both her wit and her personality.

• A very charismatic character with a high Wisdom score is always "in tune" — he is highly self-aware, and he can extend this awareness out to others as well, reading people as he would a book. He may be well liked at least in part because he has the wisdom to know when to speak and when not to.

The above interrelationships are certainly not the only ones, but merely a few examples out of the infinite number of possibilities. Thus, one wise and charismatic character may be well-liked largely because she is always careful, mild-mannered, and reserved, while another may be an outspoken extrovert who always knows just the right thing to say to make people around her laugh. The "trick" is simply to find a way that the two abilities might interrelate, and then to turn that idea into a personality trait.

In terms of running NPCs, keep the following things in mind:

• An NPC with a high Intelligence will tend to use large and/or obscure words (although this can be a matter of upbringing and education as much as raw intelligence); he will often find, or at least be driven to find, answers or solutions to questions or situations others simply accept as fact.

• An NPC with a low Intelligence will speak simply and often be confused by rapid or witty conversation (often "missing the joke"); further, he may misuse or mispronounce words and, in severe cases, may have trouble understanding even simple problems or interpreting basic signs, symbols, and language.

• An NPC with a high Wisdom may have a great deal of "common sense" and will generally remain calm, centred, or "in control" under most circumstances; she will often have an intuitive understanding of the desires that motivate others. In cases of extremely high Wisdom scores (e.g. 20+), average observers, including other NPCs around the character, may perceive this sensitivity or intuition as bordering on the precognitive or supernatural.

• NPCs with low Wisdom are generally imprudent, rash, or hasty, and they may otherwise be fickle or immature. Even if intelligent, they may appear "dopy" or slow.

• NPCs with high Charisma will tend to be gregarious, personable, and/or poised; alternately, they may use calculated or intuitive phrases, mannerisms, and the like to make themselves seem intriguing to others.

• Those with low Charisma tend to be overly loud and/or intrusive, or perhaps extremely reserved — maybe to the point of seeming backward or even "creepy."

In terms of running NPC villains (or at least opponents for the PCs), keep the following things in mind:

• Intelligence dictates one’s ability to plan and organize; it relates directly to mental quickness (i.e. how quickly the mind reacts to new information) and to the ability to analyze situations objectively. Don’t be afraid to give an NPC villain an Intelligence check (DC as set by DM) to be able to react to PC actions as if he or she was expecting them — even, I would suggest, to the point of modifying prepared spells on the fly to counter the situation brought about by the PCs.

• Wisdom has to do with self-awareness, alertness, strength of will, and insight into others’ actions. These traits can play out mechanically in skills such as Spot, Listen, and Sense Motive, and in Will saves, so use these elements liberally for the NPC to emulate her aptitudes. Thus, to continue with the above example, you might allow an NPC with a high Wisdom to make a Sense Motive check (DC 20) to figure out that her opponent is about to pull out that portable hole for some underhanded purpose.

• Finally, Charisma emulates one’s self-perception (as opposed to Wisdom’s self-awareness), self-possession, and self-confidence. For NPCs, it dictates the character’s aptitude/ability for and assertiveness in directing those around her. A charismatic master villain should be allowed a Charisma check (DC varies) to command her many flunkies and henchmen to do things they might otherwise not be willing to do, and you should be liberal in letting her use Gather Information and Diplomacy checks to learn what she wants to know about the PCs.

Let’s face it, a 400-year-old lich with a 29 Intelligence, a 14 Wisdom, and a 17 Charisma should have a pretty good chance to have foreseen and prepared counter-measures for pretty much anything the PCs might throw at him. So when the PCs catch you off guard by suddenly producing a portable hole and trying to bull rush the lich into it, give the lich a Gather Information check (say, DC 10, maybe, depending on how likely it is that one of the lich’s many spies has seen this item in use) to know that the PCs have that item; then give him an Intelligence check (DC 15) to let him have levitate already cast on himself, even though you didn’t have it noted as one of his spells at the beginning of the encounter. You didn’t have 400 years to prepare for any eventuality, and you probably don’t have a 29 Intelligence that would let you see that line of possibility, either.

And don’t forget the Intimidate check that lets the lich freeze the PC in his tracks when he reaches for the device and the lich smiles that disarmingly malevolent smile and says, "Oh, by the way, did you find the surprise I left for you in your little hole, there? I think you’ll really get a bang when you next use it . . . ."

Next Week: In The Dragon’s Breath #10, James Bell returns, this time with some thoughts on ways other than the tried-and-true tavern to bring 1st-level characters together for a campaign. Why would putting all the PCs on the same flight from Hawaii to Australia be a good thing? See what James has to say in "Campaign Kickers"!

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