I wouldn't equate a 140 IQ to an 18 INT, since a 140 IQ is pretty much just within the gates of genius. Granted, a 140 IQ would be in the 99.5th percentile if I recall correctly, but it wouldn't allow for higher IQ's to be represented. I would think that a 140 IQ would be somewhere between a 14-16 INT.
From a probability distribution point of view, that's how the distribution works. The standard deviation of standard IQ tests is usually 15, with a mean of 100. IQ distributions follow a normal curve, meaning 50% will have a score of 100 or higher; 16% will have a score of 115 or higher; 2% will have a score of 130 or higher and 0.2% will have a score of 145 or higher. In theory, 0.1% would have a score of 160 or higher, but I believe that most tests can't score IQs higher than 150 or so.
Because a score of 18 on 3d6 accounts for 0.46% of all dice rolls, it would translate roughly to IQ of about 140 and up. It is not surprising that a game mechanic does not have the same level of granularity as real IQ measurements, since it's not actually meant to model real-world abilities. But, since we're asking what-if questions about how our abilities would translate into D&D ability scores, that seems as good a measure as any.
Interestingly, IQ scores much above 140 are probably not all that relevant, because at some point you are "smart enough" to handle the task at hand. In much the same way that a super-strong individual is not able to lift a pillowcase full of feathers any better or more easily than a person of average strength, beyond a certain level of intelligence it probably isn't any easier for you to master any particular intellectual concept.
I would be inclined to force an artificial distribution, since the percentages based on a D20 die roll are a bit too clunky in my opinion. Supposedly there is a big difference for every 20 points of IQ, so there would need to be some way to represent the benefits of a higher IQ, perhaps reserving a 19 INT for someone who is of an almost superhuman intellect.
For what it's worth, my IQ is 140, but I don't consider that anywhere near top tier, and wouldn't be inclined to give myself a score of 18 INT. The mad wizard with his zany schemes, or a mastermind like Charlie Sheen (I wish I got rich blowing coke and banging porn stars...sheer brilliance!), need to have the 18 INT.
Of course, this is all subjective. I wonder if the game developers ever discussed this.
The author makes an interesting argument for drawing upon a more diverse measurement of intelligence than just IQ scores. IQ tests have changed over time and there is always some degree of cultural bias within those tests, so there should be other ways to evaluate intelligence besides standarized testing.
For what it's worth, my IQ is 140, but I don't consider that anywhere near top tier, and wouldn't be inclined to give myself a score of 18 INT. The mad wizard with his zany schemes, or a mastermind like Charlie Sheen (I wish I got rich blowing coke and banging porn stars...sheer brilliance!), need to have the 18 INT.
Of course, this is all subjective. I wonder if the game developers ever discussed this.
I don't know much about the life of Charlie Sheen, but I'd rather attribute his behaviour and situation as a matter of circumstances he has been placed in. I would consider it very intelligent (or at least wise, which in my book is an important part of intelligence) to strive to lead a happy, fulfilled life where you are content and in good standing with your relations. That isn't the Charlie Sheen I know. I'm not saying he is unintelligent, just that I've not been given any indication that his intelligence is anything out of the ordinary. What I know of him is that he was born into a rich life, and likely uses drugs and domestic violence to cope with unresolved conflicts or angst. Hardly "brilliant".
Several times, I've seen people here assuming that players of BG are of above average intelligence. There is a great danger in this: essentially assuming that your own tastes are a good measure of intelligence. Why would a love for BG indicate that you are intelligent as opposed to, say, loving to watch or play soccer?
Alright. I've listed eight tests that will generate five sets of ability scores (the last four on the list test only for specific ability scores). I've indicated the edition of (A)D&D upon which the scores are based. Happy testing!
This one gave me: STR: 11 DEX: 14 CON: 9 INT: 13 WIS: 12 CHR: 14
Which I agree with sans Wisdom. Maybe my Strength is lower than 11 though. I have a higher Wisdom than Intelligence, no doubt about it. Not surprising it's only 12 though since like half the questions were "so are you absent-minded?". Sure that's part of Wisdom but I believe a larger part is just knowledge of life and how life works.
i think humans should be able to have at least an 18/something in this, in my world 200 lbs just isnt that much, i wouldnt be runnin, but i wouldnt be slowing down that much either, and i think intelligence should be IQ divided by 10, which could work, mages average 17 intelligence which makes sense 170 IQ, apparently sheldon from big bang theory has around 180 or so, so i think just for ease of use that is how INT should work, so based on that i think i would be:
Lets see, my stats can be: Str: 10 Dex: 8 Con: 18 (lots of meditation can be a huge help, being healthy) Int: 20 (iq 145) Wis: 12 i have to learn more... Cha: 14 maybe:)
@Trist Apparently, we have professional-level weightlifters and super-geniuses amongst us.
@sarevok57 in 1e/2e AD&D, an 18 (90) strength should be able to overhead press 330 lbs. Can you really do that?
I know the average STR score I got from the tests said 10, but there's no way I could overhead press 115 lbs.
@szdobos If you're basing your INT score on the formula (10 + INT modifier from 3e D&D, multiplied by 10), then your 145 IQ would translate to a 19 INT. Since there have been recorded IQs of around 200, I would make that the maximum human intelligence (18) and a 30 or below IQ the minimum (3). This would produce a distribution something along the lines of:
Being too lazy to take any of those ability tests mentioned....
Str: 10 - Naturally very stocky but never work out (will be soon). Friends always tell me I'd be a great wrestler. Dex: 11 - Not flexible, but good hand-eye coordination Con: 9 - Sick somewhat often Int: 14 - IQ test results... Wis: 6 - Very unaware of what's going on around me and very gullible, absent-minded, very forgetful although somehow I'm aware of this fact... Cha: 16 - Literally everyone seems to like me, even people I don't like myself. I'm also a great liar, and play multiple instruments.
For what it's worth, my IQ is 140, but I don't consider that anywhere near top tier, and wouldn't be inclined to give myself a score of 18 INT. The mad wizard with his zany schemes, or a mastermind like Charlie Sheen (I wish I got rich blowing coke and banging porn stars...sheer brilliance!), need to have the 18 INT.
Of course, this is all subjective. I wonder if the game developers ever discussed this.
I don't know much about the life of Charlie Sheen, but I'd rather attribute his behaviour and situation as a matter of circumstances he has been placed in. I would consider it very intelligent (or at least wise, which in my book is an important part of intelligence) to strive to lead a happy, fulfilled life where you are content and in good standing with your relations. That isn't the Charlie Sheen I know. I'm not saying he is unintelligent, just that I've not been given any indication that his intelligence is anything out of the ordinary. What I know of him is that he was born into a rich life, and likely uses drugs and domestic violence to cope with unresolved conflicts or angst. Hardly "brilliant".
Several times, I've seen people here assuming that players of BG are of above average intelligence. There is a great danger in this: essentially assuming that your own tastes are a good measure of intelligence. Why would a love for BG indicate that you are intelligent as opposed to, say, loving to watch or play soccer?
I was just kidding about Charlie Sheen...
As for the intelligence of people that would play this game, I can only speak from personal observations. Looking back to high school and college, in which most of the people were around the same age so would have had the same amount of time to refine themselves, it seemed like most of the people that gravitated toward games such as this one, or D&D in general, were some of the smarter ones by my estimation. Either that, or the show Seinfeld had it right: Lack of sex makes one more intelligent. I think it has more to do with the fact that more intelligent people are willing to invest the time to try to learn game systems that are more complicated than Monopoly or Chutes and Ladders. I'm not saying that there is a causation, but there certainly seems to be a correlation.
After doing all the tests, i got different averages than i expected.
Str: 14(or 17 AD&D) - I'm a bit confused about this, i can bench more than 300lbs but not overhead lift that, and can't deadlift 800lbs like i should be doing with what i bench according to D&D. Then again, i'm not trained to lift, i'm trained to hit things hard, but i don't think strength is measured just like that. Training build up my strength a lot, but i don't think it's 16 or 17, more like 14 in 3ed terms, or 17 in AD&D. For this result, i didn't follow the tests, which said 16(or 18/51), because i think they're bollocks
Dex: 8 - I suck, not much to say, i don't think anything changed from the last test, maybe i have more than 5, which i thought i would have.
Con: 12 - My stamina is big from training, and i'm trained for years in pain endurance, but i'm not sure what i pressed and got mixed results , i guess a 12 is ok though.
Int: 12 - Not much to say, average result was 12.
Wis: 10 - Not even motivated to explain why, hence the 10 .
Cha: 15 - Higher than i expected for the average. I thought i was about 12-13 tops, and probably i am, but whatever.
I need 17 Cha for Blackguard but i was accepted because i'm spershul
For what it's worth, my IQ is 140, but I don't consider that anywhere near top tier, and wouldn't be inclined to give myself a score of 18 INT. The mad wizard with his zany schemes, or a mastermind like Charlie Sheen (I wish I got rich blowing coke and banging porn stars...sheer brilliance!), need to have the 18 INT.
Of course, this is all subjective. I wonder if the game developers ever discussed this.
I don't know much about the life of Charlie Sheen, but I'd rather attribute his behaviour and situation as a matter of circumstances he has been placed in. I would consider it very intelligent (or at least wise, which in my book is an important part of intelligence) to strive to lead a happy, fulfilled life where you are content and in good standing with your relations. That isn't the Charlie Sheen I know. I'm not saying he is unintelligent, just that I've not been given any indication that his intelligence is anything out of the ordinary. What I know of him is that he was born into a rich life, and likely uses drugs and domestic violence to cope with unresolved conflicts or angst. Hardly "brilliant".
Several times, I've seen people here assuming that players of BG are of above average intelligence. There is a great danger in this: essentially assuming that your own tastes are a good measure of intelligence. Why would a love for BG indicate that you are intelligent as opposed to, say, loving to watch or play soccer?
I was just kidding about Charlie Sheen...
As for the intelligence of people that would play this game, I can only speak from personal observations. Looking back to high school and college, in which most of the people were around the same age so would have had the same amount of time to refine themselves, it seemed like most of the people that gravitated toward games such as this one, or D&D in general, were some of the smarter ones by my estimation. Either that, or the show Seinfeld had it right: Lack of sex makes one more intelligent. I think it has more to do with the fact that more intelligent people are willing to invest the time to try to learn game systems that are more complicated than Monopoly or Chutes and Ladders. I'm not saying that there is a causation, but there certainly seems to be a correlation.
Ah, the limitations of understanding humour over the internet.. or maybe it was me. Anyway, sorry for the rant then.
As for intelligence, you said "... by my estimation." Again, it's good to be humble when it comes to one's own estimations. Kids may have the same amount of time, but that doesn't mean they have the same opportunities to develop in different areas.
Don't get me wrong, I was a geek who loved Baldur's Gate and viewed jocks as less intelligent, but I don't anymore. Not saying that roleplaying games are bad, I still love them and probably will for the rest of my life. But on the negative side, roleplaying games can be a sign of social isolation and escapism, which I believe lies closer to the truth concerning teens playing complex, nerdy games. After all, soccer, icehockey or basketball are extremely tactical games. Or so I've been told. Being a geek I know little of such things. :P
Anyway, long story short. As I've gotten older I've realized that many things that I took for granted when I was younger (such as the intelligence of misfits and the stupidity of jocks) simply aren't that simple. It's good to acknowledge that my reason for playing RPG's wasn't entirely healthy, but also a form of escapism.
When I was a teen I ranked my whole family on their ability stats - my mom never let me forget that I had her intelligence as 1 point less than my dad's
I did 4 tests, this is what I got for them (last test just did the physical components)
Strength: 18, 19, 18/50, 16 (I am a pretty high level competitive powerlifter) Dex: 9, 15, 9, 8 Con: 15, 17, 15, 14 Int: 15, 14, 12 Wis: 10, 12, 15 Cha: 15, 16, 16
When 10 is considered the average ability score, how is having three scores in the exceptional range and one score in the very high range make you "very average?"
@Mortianna i can bench press over 330 lbs, and if i could choose which class i would be, i would definately be a monk plus i based my stats off of what i would think they would be in bg not in dnd 3e
I did this before, going to do it again (because I'm drunk and what!) but I'm quoting myself from aaaages back when I reviewed my own IRL stats, ugh, OK so here are how I'd say TRUTHFUL TO LIFE stats may possibly look .... probably, maaaybe
Although I'm lowering my dexterity by 1 point because I don't really think I can justify 13 dexterity, I don't think being an illustrator really translates to dexterity. Also lowering my wisdom by 1 point too, only 23 init, and I'd say 11 wisdom is possible already pushing it. edit: I do wonder what you guyz think of that eh! edit2: spelling mistakes and oh looky I'm probs a terrible terrible thief based off those stats looool edit3: now I'm sad because I look like a loser, weakling, moron, unintelligible monkey in comparison to everyone else here
@Jaxsbudgie Naw, nothin wrong with those stats. Once you get up in levels, there won't be much difference between you and your peers who have higher stats. You'll all level the same (you might roll higher on HP anyways). I'd say Fighter or Thief.
Took a random test on the internet, was pleasantly surprised by the results.
STR 12 DEX 14 CON 11 INT 16 WIS 15 CHA 16
So yeah, I'm very average. I suppose I'd make a good Fighter/Mage/Thief?
"very average"? Are you kidding me? This is what average looks like:
STR 10 DEX 10 CON 10 INT 10 WIS 10 CHA 10
Give or take a point. Supposing that test is accurate, you are significantly above average!
You know he is just trying to say its the avg of the test.. I took a similar test and got similar result.. just saying.. would I put that as my own views ? no.. I would most likely give myself 25 in all because I am a self centered sociopath that thinks I am a god..
"did you notice some of the sarcasm?"
All in all people are just trying to have some fun and the vast majority I've seen post here actually post test results rather than their own estimate. try enjoying some of the good ones (I've seen alot)
Would you consider me a better person just because I did this instead of my test??
STR 11 (I am maybe a tiny inch stronger than the avg due to being in shape + tall) DEX 9 (I am no acrobat nor do I have any reaction left in me) CON 11 (in general I am pretty healthy and seldom sick, but we all got our problems) INT 13 ( intelligence can't be scored from one test (mensa ie) but all in all I consider myself a logical being. some would say my university degree should add up but I disagree) WIS 14 (I've learned from all my mistake and I consider myself learned in the art of living. I am also the guy people call if they don't know stuff) CHA 17 (I can sell anything and if I talk people listen! I can manipulate most people into doing what I want without any problem whatsoever! its almost like I put a charmed spell on them)
See that would be my honest evaluation about myself.. Class suggestion any ?
Comments
For what it's worth, my IQ is 140, but I don't consider that anywhere near top tier, and wouldn't be inclined to give myself a score of 18 INT. The mad wizard with his zany schemes, or a mastermind like Charlie Sheen (I wish I got rich blowing coke and banging porn stars...sheer brilliance!), need to have the 18 INT.
Of course, this is all subjective. I wonder if the game developers ever discussed this.
Here's an interesting discussion about D&D, intelligence, and IQ scores: http://www.superdan.net/dndmisc/int_iq.html
The author makes an interesting argument for drawing upon a more diverse measurement of intelligence than just IQ scores. IQ tests have changed over time and there is always some degree of cultural bias within those tests, so there should be other ways to evaluate intelligence besides standarized testing.
Several times, I've seen people here assuming that players of BG are of above average intelligence. There is a great danger in this: essentially assuming that your own tastes are a good measure of intelligence. Why would a love for BG indicate that you are intelligent as opposed to, say, loving to watch or play soccer?
(These tests will each give you a full set of ability scores
1. D&D Ability Score Quiz (1e/2e)
2. What Kind of D&D Character Would You Be? (3e)
3. AD&D Stats Quiz (1e/2e)
4. Catto's D&D Ability score Quiz (3e)
(These tests will together give you one full set of ability scores)
5. D&D Stats: Physical Test (Str, Dex, Con) (Classic D&D)
6. D&D Intelligence Test (3e)
7. D&D Wisdom Test (3e)
8. D&D Charisma Test (3e)
Here are my averages (rounded down):
Str: 10
Dex: 16
Con: 10
Int: 16
Wis: 16
Cha: 15
Class suggestions?
STR: 11
DEX: 14
CON: 9
INT: 13
WIS: 12
CHR: 14
Which I agree with sans Wisdom. Maybe my Strength is lower than 11 though. I have a higher Wisdom than Intelligence, no doubt about it. Not surprising it's only 12 though since like half the questions were "so are you absent-minded?". Sure that's part of Wisdom but I believe a larger part is just knowledge of life and how life works.
STR: 18/90
DEX:16
CON:16
INT:13
WIS:17
CHA:15
I'd say Paladin/Blackguard (depending on your alignment and with a couple of CHA tomes) or Fighter/Cleric would suit those stats best.
Str: 10
Dex: 8
Con: 18 (lots of meditation can be a huge help, being healthy)
Int: 20 (iq 145)
Wis: 12 i have to learn more...
Cha: 14 maybe:)
@sarevok57 in 1e/2e AD&D, an 18 (90) strength should be able to overhead press 330 lbs. Can you really do that?
I know the average STR score I got from the tests said 10, but there's no way I could overhead press 115 lbs.
@szdobos If you're basing your INT score on the formula (10 + INT modifier from 3e D&D, multiplied by 10), then your 145 IQ would translate to a 19 INT. Since there have been recorded IQs of around 200, I would make that the maximum human intelligence (18) and a 30 or below IQ the minimum (3). This would produce a distribution something along the lines of:
18 (200 IQ)
17 (185)
16 (170)
15 (155)
14 (140)
13 (130)
12 (120)
11 (110)
10 (100)
9 (90)
8 (80)
...and so on
The 1e Monster Manual lists intelligence scores as the following:
0 Nonintelligent or not ratable
1 Animal intelligence
2-4 Semi-intelligent
5-7 Low intelligence
8-10 Average (human) intelligence
11-12 Very intelligent
13-14 Highly intelligent
15-16 Exceptionally intelligent
17-18 Genius
19-20 Supra-genius
21+ Godlike intelligence
So, unless you're one in a billion, I doubt you have a 20 INT. I'd say 14 or 15 with a 145 IQ.
My averages gave me a 16 INT, but I'd say I'm more in the range of 13-14, and I'm a year away from obtaining my PhD.
Str: 10 - Naturally very stocky but never work out (will be soon). Friends always tell me I'd be a great wrestler.
Dex: 11 - Not flexible, but good hand-eye coordination
Con: 9 - Sick somewhat often
Int: 14 - IQ test results...
Wis: 6 - Very unaware of what's going on around me and very gullible, absent-minded, very forgetful although somehow I'm aware of this fact...
Cha: 16 - Literally everyone seems to like me, even people I don't like myself. I'm also a great liar, and play multiple instruments.
All my friends tell me I would make a great bard.
As for the intelligence of people that would play this game, I can only speak from personal observations. Looking back to high school and college, in which most of the people were around the same age so would have had the same amount of time to refine themselves, it seemed like most of the people that gravitated toward games such as this one, or D&D in general, were some of the smarter ones by my estimation. Either that, or the show Seinfeld had it right: Lack of sex makes one more intelligent. I think it has more to do with the fact that more intelligent people are willing to invest the time to try to learn game systems that are more complicated than Monopoly or Chutes and Ladders. I'm not saying that there is a causation, but there certainly seems to be a correlation.
Matrix.
Str: 14(or 17 AD&D) - I'm a bit confused about this, i can bench more than 300lbs but not overhead lift that, and can't deadlift 800lbs like i should be doing with what i bench according to D&D. Then again, i'm not trained to lift, i'm trained to hit things hard, but i don't think strength is measured just like that. Training build up my strength a lot, but i don't think it's 16 or 17, more like 14 in 3ed terms, or 17 in AD&D. For this result, i didn't follow the tests, which said 16(or 18/51), because i think they're bollocks
Dex: 8 - I suck, not much to say, i don't think anything changed from the last test, maybe i have more than 5, which i thought i would have.
Con: 12 - My stamina is big from training, and i'm trained for years in pain endurance, but i'm not sure what i pressed and got mixed results
Int: 12 - Not much to say, average result was 12.
Wis: 10 - Not even motivated to explain why, hence the 10
Cha: 15 - Higher than i expected for the average. I thought i was about 12-13 tops, and probably i am, but whatever.
I need 17 Cha for Blackguard but i was accepted because i'm spershul
As for intelligence, you said "... by my estimation." Again, it's good to be humble when it comes to one's own estimations. Kids may have the same amount of time, but that doesn't mean they have the same opportunities to develop in different areas.
Don't get me wrong, I was a geek who loved Baldur's Gate and viewed jocks as less intelligent, but I don't anymore. Not saying that roleplaying games are bad, I still love them and probably will for the rest of my life. But on the negative side, roleplaying games can be a sign of social isolation and escapism, which I believe lies closer to the truth concerning teens playing complex, nerdy games. After all, soccer, icehockey or basketball are extremely tactical games. Or so I've been told. Being a geek I know little of such things. :P
Anyway, long story short. As I've gotten older I've realized that many things that I took for granted when I was younger (such as the intelligence of misfits and the stupidity of jocks) simply aren't that simple. It's good to acknowledge that my reason for playing RPG's wasn't entirely healthy, but also a form of escapism.
I did 4 tests, this is what I got for them (last test just did the physical components)
Strength: 18, 19, 18/50, 16 (I am a pretty high level competitive powerlifter)
Dex: 9, 15, 9, 8
Con: 15, 17, 15, 14
Int: 15, 14, 12
Wis: 10, 12, 15
Cha: 15, 16, 16
STR 12
DEX 14
CON 11
INT 16
WIS 15
CHA 16
So yeah, I'm very average. I suppose I'd make a good Fighter/Mage/Thief?
When 10 is considered the average ability score, how is having three scores in the exceptional range and one score in the very high range make you "very average?"
STR 10
DEX 10
CON 10
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 10
Give or take a point. Supposing that test is accurate, you are significantly above average!
Strength - 11
Dexterity - 12
Constitution - 9
Intelligence - 11
Wisdom - 11
Charisma - 13
Although I'm lowering my dexterity by 1 point because I don't really think I can justify 13 dexterity, I don't think being an illustrator really translates to dexterity. Also lowering my wisdom by 1 point too, only 23 init, and I'd say 11 wisdom is possible already pushing it.
edit: I do wonder what you guyz think of that eh!
edit2: spelling mistakes and oh looky I'm probs a terrible terrible thief based off those stats looool
edit3: now I'm sad because I look like a loser, weakling, moron, unintelligible monkey in comparison to everyone else here
As @Mortianna said, there's nothing wrong with what you have. Compare yourself to the human average, not to the heroes and villains of D&D.
"did you notice some of the sarcasm?"
All in all people are just trying to have some fun and the vast majority I've seen post here actually post test results rather than their own estimate. try enjoying some of the good ones (I've seen alot)
Would you consider me a better person just because I did this instead of my test??
STR 11 (I am maybe a tiny inch stronger than the avg due to being in shape + tall)
DEX 9 (I am no acrobat nor do I have any reaction left in me)
CON 11 (in general I am pretty healthy and seldom sick, but we all got our problems)
INT 13 ( intelligence can't be scored from one test (mensa ie) but all in all I consider myself a logical being. some would say my university degree should add up but I disagree)
WIS 14 (I've learned from all my mistake and I consider myself learned in the art of living. I am also the guy people call if they don't know stuff)
CHA 17 (I can sell anything and if I talk people listen! I can manipulate most people into doing what I want without any problem whatsoever! its almost like I put a charmed spell on them)
See that would be my honest evaluation about myself..
Class suggestion any ?
Plus, you forgot to add the stats for level ups! Every 4 levels a stat :P
They live in a medieval world where physical work is more often, we don't.
So we cheat, and raise our stats through training and whatever else we do :P