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Real life class and stats

SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
edited October 2015 in General Discussion (Spoiler Warning!)
Hello all,

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EDIT: Alot of funny discussions, as expected :) Just wished more ppl would dare to post nt only their view of their stats, but also their view on what class and alignement they would have! Anyways, I've decided to bump down a couple of stats after reading what some ppl wrote below. I realize I probably exagerated some stats, due to my poor WIS ofc, and since my knowledge in the ability system is less than many others in here, I will change them. //Skat.
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Maybe this has already been done, but something I've been thinking of after doing a couple of those online tests to determine my "real life" class, alignment and stats is that nevermind what those tell me: what do I think myself best suits me? So, just contemplating my own view of myself, what stats, alignment, class and race would I assign myself? I'm no bhaal spawn, so no super powers what so ever. Just a random dude with average genetics.

What differ this thread from others like it? Well, my intent is to NOT exaggerate my stats because I want to be superstrong or smart like Einstein. I will do my best to really think about what I _should_ have, not what I _wish_ I had.

STATS

STR 14 - I'm slightly above average if I look at my surroundings. I crossfit, workout and are generally in decent shape for a 34 year old. I can't benchpress more than ~90 kilos etc, but I can carry heavy weight for a long time, lift most things I need (like refrigerators etc, hehe). If 10 is the norm, then I think I have 14.
DEX 12 - I'm quite clumsy and have poor balance, but I have quite good hand to eye coordination and has always been a fairly good shot, even with slightly less good eyesight on my right eye. I'd say my sniping skills is why I rate myself higher than the norm. I would do well with a bow and arrow, but poorly in acrobatics. I climb fairly well though.
CON 14 (I'm not superhuman, bumping this one down) - Seldom sick and with an iron gut, I can eat and drink everything without much complications. I have a quite high pain threshold as well. I have always been able to drink alot more booze than my friends of the same size and shape, on par with people double my size. Dunno why, it's just genes I guess. Never been poisoned except once when someone spiked my drink with a massive dose of GHB. Survived that but with a huge hangover. I'm not superhuman, bumping this one down
INT 14 (bumped down. I have a masters degree in business economics and work as a global business controller for a multi billion dollar company. Not many % of the population does that.) - I regularly score high on IQ tests, averaging around 120-30, as well as, succeeding quite well in problem solving overall. I can read a book once and take the exam and score fairly high. School was a breeze.
WIS 10 - Wisdom is the most difficult to appreciate yourself, I think. It's hard to say that I am wise, but I have been told that I appear to have a fairly high common knowledge. I have a good memory, so shit just stick, but it has gotten worse with age. I act before I think alot of times, so I guess in terms of AD&D I can't be considered wise, however, I shouldn't get a lore penalty since if I had read about some magic sword in a dusty tome, I would remember it.
CHA 12 (bumped down, alot. My obvious lack of self-restricting before posting this show that I'm not as good of a crowd pleaser as I thought I was, haha) - I may exaggerate this one, but I often become the centre of a party and have my fair share of female (and male) attention. I am often considered a gentleman and a jester, depending on my alcohol level, hehe.. I'm not the prettiest face in the world, but it seems others think I look decent. I choose my outfits with care and, overall, take my apperance quite seriously.

So, 76 (edited) points.

CLASS

I'm not a fighter, that's for sure. I try to avoid fights and never start them. If I see ppl fight I will avoid or try to break it up, not join in just for fun. No fighter kit fits either. I would never have the tenacity to reach grand mastery in anything since I am far too impatient.
I'm definitely not a paladin or a ranger. I would not bend myself backwards to help everyone else. I do so, but more in the background by giving money to charity etc.
I'm not clever enough to be a mage, nor do I enjoy studying enough to excel at it. It intrigues me though, and magic would be something I would focus on if that was possible. I would avoid combat if possible or use magic to get the upper hand in some way.
I'm most definitely not a cleric or druid in any way. I don't believe in gods at all (though it would ofc be different if I lived in FR rather then the real world). No, this doesn't apply to me at all.
I would never be a monk. The spartan life style would not be for me. I like things, to own them, but I want to buy them and not steal them.
I'm leanign towards thief, but it doesn't feel like a perfect fit either since it's hard to apply my alignment to that class.
So with all this said, I think either bard or thief/mage best suits my personality. Never mind minimun requirements etc. The bard, being a rather outspoken and charismatic character, not the best fighter, not the best mage, but a little of everything sounds like a fairly good fit actually. The thief/mage is similar, and the multiclass aspect (I have trouble in real life to fully determine what I should do with my life) may be a better fit. But I think bard and possibly the skald kit fits me best. The skald is based on norse mythology and being swedish that's another thing that make the class suit me. Also, the skald seem to me to rather recite heroic deeds of valor and combat rather then just sing pretty (I can't sing at all), so regular bard would not suite me. Blade could be an option since his song is weaker and don't evolve and he focus more on showmanship.

RACE

If there were no race restrictions I think dwarf would have been my choice of race. I'm not short, but they are stocky and bulky rather than graceful and agile. They like to eat and drink and are driven by lust and greed. They have good CON but less DEX, which sound like me. They aren't known for their charisma and I don't have the biggest beard in the world though. So maybe dwarf is just wishful thinking.. I guess halfelf would be a better fit. Not a human, nor an elf. Something in between.

ALIGNEMENT
I follow the rules of the world, which make the bard class conflicting with my alignment, but I don't approve of how they are set. I am innate good and favour it greatly in real life. I despise criminals and people who thrive for conflict. So even though I follow (most) rules I think neutral good better describe my personality.

So there we have it, Skatan's real life CHARNAME:

Skatan
Bard (Skald or Blade) - level 3 perhaps? Know to little PnP to make an assessment of this.
Neutral Good
14/12/14/14/10/12 (76 total)
Proficiences:
* Shortbow
* Long sword

Ok, so now I just have to create this char.
Post edited by Skatan on
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Comments

  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    joluv said:

    I propose a seventh stat, SEL, for self-awareness. For random dudes with average genetics, it is calculated by 18 - |sum of other stats - 63| / 3. Your SEL is 11.

    Haha, 11 is still slightly above the norm! I don't know if you were making fun of me or not, I choose to believe it was the latter.
    (Which may just prove that my WIS should be bumped down a bit due to poor judgement.)
  • joluvjoluv Member Posts: 2,137
    I think it makes more sense in this context to assume that everyone is rolling 3d6 for INT. Then 17 would put you in the 98.15-99.55 percentile range, which corresponds to 131-142 IQ, depending on the scale.

    If you're a regular dude, then your SEL range is 7-18.

    @Skatan: It was light ribbing for describing yourself as normal and then giving yourself a roll total that has a 0.08% probability. Consistent with the 11 SEL, I think this is a perfectly normal thing to do.
  • MirageMirage Member Posts: 81
    edited October 2015
    Skatan said:

    Haha, 11 is still slightly above the norm! I don't know if you were making fun of me or not, I choose to believe it was the latter.
    (Which may just prove that my WIS should be bumped down a bit due to poor judgement.)

    Well whatever your WIS score is, I think you just finished reading a "Tome of Understanding"!
    It will help with your "lore" also :smile:
  • ArunsunArunsun Member Posts: 1,592
    Strength: 12. I am about average I guess
    Dex: well, rather hard to determine but I am not that bad at tasks that require precision, 14 I guess
    Con: 14: Hardly ever sick, endure pain decently, recover quickly enough.
    Intelligence: 16 if IQ is ranged the same way intelligence is.
    Wisdom: 11 Very hard to evaluate though.
    Charism: 13, once again, about average

    Race: I got ears that slightly look elven but my body is not elven. Half Elf fits.
    Class: Definitely Mage of some sort. Illusionist is nice.
  • GemHoundGemHound Member Posts: 801
    edited October 2015
    STR 16 - I have pushed a 1 ton truck up hill
    DEX 8 - I'm a clutz with bad motor skills
    CON 16 - I am like Typhoid Mary
    INT 17 - I am in the low to high 90's in all of my university courses. IQ between 125 - 140(been a few years since I took an actual test)
    WIS 15 - People often listen to what I have to say, as I look at things impartially and hopefully as they are.
    CHA 10 - I am average looking. Base it off of my avatar.
    Post edited by GemHound on
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    I wouldn't be too surprised at some of the INT scores. People sometimes mention their jobs in their community and you hear them working on some pretty high-level stuff.
  • SertoriusSertorius Member Posts: 172
    edited October 2015
    Don't get me wrong, I don't doubt that there are some pretty smart people on this board, but I agree with the assumptions @joluv makes about intelligence (though I would place 17 Int at a somewhat higher IQ rating). You have to admit that it is something of a statistical curiosity, that so many people here are in that percentile.
  • joluvjoluv Member Posts: 2,137
    To be clear, my numbers about INT were just meant to suggest a concrete meaning to the claims here, not to express skepticism. I have absolutely no reason to doubt that @semiticgod has 17+ INT by any reasonable interpretation.

    But in general, yeah, it seems likely that some of us are overestimating our own smarts. (The only reason I haven't posted my stats is because I feel sheepish about doing the same thing.)
  • semiticgoddesssemiticgoddess Member Posts: 14,903
    I was actually thinking more about other people's INT scores, not mine. There are some very smart people around here.
  • OnestepOnestep Member Posts: 225
    edited October 2015
    Yeah, but if we take 10 as the average intelligence and equivalent to an IQ of 100, then all these people saying 16+ are claiming to have IQ of 160. That's rare prodigy level.

    Remember that an INT of 18 is the highest humanly possible in 2nd edition. That is, without magical/divine enchancement, you can't be any smarter than that. People around that level of intelligence should be extremely rare, and only aren't because game mechanics demand mages be super geniuses.

    The simple fact of the matter is that most people would struggle to break the 14 point mark on even a single attribute score, because even a score of 14 means 'Well above average'. The characters we play as are heroes in the making, not your average Joe.
  • OnestepOnestep Member Posts: 225
    edited October 2015
    semiticgod said:

    @Onestep: Intelligence is not equal to IQ times 10. Intelligence, the 3-18 value that's standard in D&D, is generated by a 3d6 dice roll, which results in a bell curve (the middle values are very common; higher values get increasingly uncommon as you go up). IQ is also graded on a bell curve. People in the top ~2% of the population in terms of IQ have an IQ of about 130; people in the top ~0.5% of the population have an IQ of about 140. On a 3d6 dice roll, you've got a ~2% chance of rolling a 17 and a ~0.5% chance of rolling an 18.

    So, if somebody's claiming to have an Intelligence of 16, that amounts to an IQ in the 120s, assuming we deem IQ and Intelligence to be measuring the same thing. Claiming a 16 Intelligence value is not claiming an IQ of 160... which is indeed extremely uncommon.

    And for what it's worth, I know several people with IQs in the 120s, 130s, and 140s. A 120 is pretty common for a college grad; a 130 is pretty common for a professor or doctor.

    While I'll admit I was oversimplifying it, the D&D scores don't run on a parallel bell curve similiar to that of reality.

    Take a strength score of 18/00, the highest natural score possible. According to the Player's Handbook, a character with this strength can life a 480 pound weight above his head and carry it there for some time. At the time of writing, the world record for lifting a weight overhead was 465 pounds.

    Assuming that the other ability scores have similar comparisons, an intelligence of 18 would be more along the lines of of Garry Kasparov's 190 IQ than a more mundane (but still extremely rare) 140 IQ.
  • OnestepOnestep Member Posts: 225
    edited October 2015
    semiticgod said:

    I'm starting to quibble here, but whatever. I'll continue in the awareness that it's a quibble, in spoilers to avoid cluttering the thread.


    Strength has percentage values because it's a special case--it is not like the other values. If Strength had the same bell curve as Intelligence, Intelligence would have percentage values as well, at least for mages. No, Strength is the odd one out, the one that accounts for people in the top 0.005% of the population. The others only show the top 0.5%, which is about the chance of rolling three 6's on a 3d6 roll.

    It's true that real life doesn't match the bell curve. Values of 190 for IQ can't be matched on a 3d6 roll. If there was a percentage value attached to it, then it might be possible. An 18/90 Intelligence or so might be a 190 IQ (or maybe that's more like an 18/9001; I wouldn't know), but an 18 Intelligence with no percentage value would be a 140.

    What does player's handbook say about a character with only 18 Strength, not 18/00? Is it still more rare than the top ~0.5% of the population, as a 140 IQ would be? I don't think 18 Intelligence is the equivalent of 18/00 or even 18/01 Strength. I think it's just the equivalent of 18 Strength.
    That's a fair point, but I'm going to quote the Player's Handbook section on Intelligence here. I'll spoiler it too, as you're definitely right that the thread's getting a bit cluttered.

    ''This ability gives only a general indication of a character's mental acuity. A semiintelligent
    character (Int 3 or 4) can speak (with difficulty) and is apt to react instinctively
    and impulsively. He is not hopeless as a player character (PC), but playing such a
    character correctly is not easy. A character with low Intelligence (Int 5-7) could also be
    called dull-witted or slow. A very intelligent person (Int 11 or 12) picks up new ideas
    quickly and learns easily. A highly intelligent character (Int 13 or 14) is one who can
    solve most problems without even trying very hard. One with exceptional intelligence
    (Int 15 or 16) is noticeably above the norm. A genius character is brilliant (Int 17 or 18).
    A character beyond genius is potentially more clever and more brilliant than can possibly
    be imagined.''

    It considers an Int value of 11-12 to be very intelligent. The example character of Rath given in the handbook, who they describe as an intelligent, bookish tinkerer always fiddling with new ideas and inventions, has an Int of 13.

    What you're saying makes a lot of logical sense, but it doesn't seem to match how the designers envisioned the scores.
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    edited October 2015
    joluv said:

    I think it makes more sense in this context to assume that everyone is rolling 3d6 for INT. Then 17 would put you in the 98.15-99.55 percentile range, which corresponds to 131-142 IQ, depending on the scale.

    If you're a regular dude, then your SEL range is 7-18.

    @Skatan: It was light ribbing for describing yourself as normal and then giving yourself a roll total that has a 0.08% probability. Consistent with the 11 SEL, I think this is a perfectly normal thing to do.

    I personally think that a game such as this attract to a certain crowd and I wouldn't be suprised at all if the average player of BG has a higher INT then the average player of FIFA. I know that's prejudice, but it's what I believe none the less.

    If I am overstating my own INT or suffer of hybris, shouldn't my SEL have been even lower?

    And btw, I don't mind the ribbing at all. I was very aware that a post like mine would generate some of that (I had actually expected more). It's all part of the fun and I don't have trouble with making fun of myself (or others, hehe).

    EDIT: Btw, my whole post was about NOT CONSIDERING rolling dice, but instead focus on your perception of your own abilities and not take into consideration what would be plausable in creating a character in the game. So if an average human can lift 100 kilos and you can lift 120, you are above norm and therefore should have more than 10 in STR etc. As said, WIS, CHA and even CON can be difficult to estimate due to trouoble with measuring against your peers. Not many ppl get poisoned or beaten very often where I live.
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    joluv said:


    But in general, yeah, it seems likely that some of us are overestimating our own smarts. (The only reason I haven't posted my stats is because I feel sheepish about doing the same thing.)

    Lets just decide to not judge eachother :) Therefore there is no shame whatsoever whatever you post, should you choose to dare it. You seem like a reasonable person, I'm sure you would have the distanced* view of yourself to make a decent assessment of your strenghts and weaknesses.

    *not sure about the correct english term, but I mean looking upon one self as unbiased and objectively as possible.
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    edited October 2015
    Onestep said:

    That's a fair point, but I'm going to quote the Player's Handbook section on Intelligence here. I'll spoiler it too, as you're definitely right that the thread's getting a bit cluttered.

    ''This ability gives only a general indication of a character's mental acuity. A semiintelligent
    character (Int 3 or 4) can speak (with difficulty) and is apt to react instinctively
    and impulsively. He is not hopeless as a player character (PC), but playing such a
    character correctly is not easy. A character with low Intelligence (Int 5-7) could also be
    called dull-witted or slow. A very intelligent person (Int 11 or 12) picks up new ideas
    quickly and learns easily. A highly intelligent character (Int 13 or 14) is one who can
    solve most problems without even trying very hard. One with exceptional intelligence
    (Int 15 or 16) is noticeably above the norm. A genius character is brilliant (Int 17 or 18).
    A character beyond genius is potentially more clever and more brilliant than can possibly
    be imagined.''

    It considers an Int value of 11-12 to be very intelligent. The example character of Rath given in the handbook, who they describe as an intelligent, bookish tinkerer always fiddling with new ideas and inventions, has an Int of 13.

    What you're saying makes a lot of logical sense, but it doesn't seem to match how the designers envisioned the scores.
    Personally I think that way of determening INT is somewhat hard to interpret. The difference between being "highly intelligent who can solv most problems without trying to hard" and being "noticeable above the norm and with exceptional intelligance" is quite hard to determine. Where would Stephen Hawkings/Einsten be? Where would the chief director of your contry's best university be? Where would the CEO of the biggest companies be? The difference between 13 and 16 based on the description you cited seem very hard to differentiate.
  • OnestepOnestep Member Posts: 225
    Skatan said:

    Onestep said:

    That's a fair point, but I'm going to quote the Player's Handbook section on Intelligence here. I'll spoiler it too, as you're definitely right that the thread's getting a bit cluttered.

    ''This ability gives only a general indication of a character's mental acuity. A semiintelligent
    character (Int 3 or 4) can speak (with difficulty) and is apt to react instinctively
    and impulsively. He is not hopeless as a player character (PC), but playing such a
    character correctly is not easy. A character with low Intelligence (Int 5-7) could also be
    called dull-witted or slow. A very intelligent person (Int 11 or 12) picks up new ideas
    quickly and learns easily. A highly intelligent character (Int 13 or 14) is one who can
    solve most problems without even trying very hard. One with exceptional intelligence
    (Int 15 or 16) is noticeably above the norm. A genius character is brilliant (Int 17 or 18).
    A character beyond genius is potentially more clever and more brilliant than can possibly
    be imagined.''

    It considers an Int value of 11-12 to be very intelligent. The example character of Rath given in the handbook, who they describe as an intelligent, bookish tinkerer always fiddling with new ideas and inventions, has an Int of 13.

    What you're saying makes a lot of logical sense, but it doesn't seem to match how the designers envisioned the scores.
    Personally I think that way of determening INT is somewhat hard to interpret. The difference between being "highly intelligent who can solv most problems without trying to hard" and being "noticeable above the norm and with exceptional intelligance" is quite hard to determine. Where would Stephen Hawkings/Einsten be? Where would the chief director of your contry's best university be? Where would the CEO of the biggest companies be? The difference between 13 and 16 based on the description you cited seem very hard to differentiate.
    That's true, the wording isn't particularly good. But it is made clear that even a score as humble as 11 is above average. I can definitely agree that RPG gaming and roleplaying (particularly with classic games like this) tend to attract people with an above average IQ.


    I think we can safely say that Steven Hawkings and Einstein hover around the 16-18 stat score.

  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    Onestep said:


    That's true, the wording isn't particularly good. But it is made clear that even a score as humble as 11 is above average. I can definitely agree that RPG gaming and roleplaying (particularly with classic games like this) tend to attract people with an above average IQ.


    I think we can safely say that Steven Hawkings and Einstein hover around the 16-18 stat score.

    Personally I would put them both at 18, without a doubt. If they, and others like the Nobel price winners in medicin, physics, mathematics etc, don't have 18 INT; who has?

    But that's not my point though, my main point is how does one differ someone who has 13 vs someone who has 16 based on the description from the players handbook you quoted? I think it's quite difficult wihtout RL examples, so that's why I wrote about CEO's and other leaders etc. Someone wrote above that just with a university degree you are in the top 2% of the world, not in INT itself, but in knowledge which is part of it. Do these people have 10 INT or should they all score a bit higher? It ofc depends on the education difficulty, but if we generalize I mean.
  • OnestepOnestep Member Posts: 225
    Skatan said:

    Onestep said:


    That's true, the wording isn't particularly good. But it is made clear that even a score as humble as 11 is above average. I can definitely agree that RPG gaming and roleplaying (particularly with classic games like this) tend to attract people with an above average IQ.


    I think we can safely say that Steven Hawkings and Einstein hover around the 16-18 stat score.

    Personally I would put them both at 18, without a doubt. If they, and others like the Nobel price winners in medicin, physics, mathematics etc, don't have 18 INT; who has?

    But that's not my point though, my main point is how does one differ someone who has 13 vs someone who has 16 based on the description from the players handbook you quoted? I think it's quite difficult wihtout RL examples, so that's why I wrote about CEO's and other leaders etc. Someone wrote above that just with a university degree you are in the top 2% of the world, not in INT itself, but in knowledge which is part of it. Do these people have 10 INT or should they all score a bit higher? It ofc depends on the education difficulty, but if we generalize I mean.
    It honestly can't really be done. For instance, just because someone has a role, doesn't mean they have a general level of intelligence that you would expect for that role. Plenty of politicians and CEO's aren't all that bright, and have their positions because of family and the like. Being a CEO doesn't mean you're intelligent, it means that you're a CEO.

    At the same time, intelligence and education are not the same thing. I have little doubt that there are numerous people in the world who never received a formal education, but have superior problem solving skills and a better intuitive grasp on complicated subjects than those who have. So there's innate intelligence vs learned knowledge to be factored in as well.

    I'd say most university educated people would range from 10 - 14 INT as a matter of course, due to the learning skills needed to get through Higher Education. There'll be outliers with higher and lower INT's, but that's my rough guess.
  • jesterdesujesterdesu Member Posts: 373
    I think about this topic a bit everyday...

    I feel a half elf ranger is the closest race and class to my heart. Stats seem difficult to judge, taking it that 18 is professional athlete/ Einstein I'd say the following:

    Str 14, dex 16, con 14, int. 12, wis 14 (that's a difficult one to test), cha 10
  • joluvjoluv Member Posts: 2,137
    Nobel Prize winners in mathematics definitely have 18 INT; they're in the top 0% of the population.
  • bigrobbigrob Member Posts: 10
    The chance of getting 18 with 3D6 is 1/216. So if you were the best sportsman in your year at high school, you probably have 17/18 strength/dexterity. If you were the brightest student in your year at high school, you'll have 17/18 intelligence. I expect most people in this group will have a high intelligence score.
  • BelgarathMTHBelgarathMTH Member Posts: 5,653
    This D&D stat test actually tests your intelligence rather than letting you self-report it. It divides your intelligence score into two kinds of intelligence. When last I took it, I got 14/15.

    It doesn't do as good a job with the other stats, as it relies on the usual self-reporting, but it tries really hard to be as objective as possible.

    I'd recommend that those who think they have high intelligence take the test for that though, just to sort of "put your money where you mouth is."

    http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/terragf/back/xstattest.html
  • joluvjoluv Member Posts: 2,137
    Sequence recognition tests crack me up. The answer to the first question is obviously 42, because the numbers given are the first five zeros of the polynomial x^6-82x^5+2244x^4-27110x^3+152231x^2-362904x+235620.
  • SkatanSkatan Member, Moderator Posts: 5,352
    joluv said:

    The answer to the first question is obviously 42 *snip!*

    If the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42, what is the question?
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