Realistic Charisma Bonuses

Heinrich

One of the few things I dislike about the Baldur's Gate games is that you would have to have unrealistically high stats in order to have any decent bonuses and it feels like I'm playing a Mary Sue. I know that this is 2nd Edition and I could use the Bigg Tweaks mod to change the primary stat bonuses but I think the charisma score could use some tweaking in my honest opinion...

Charisma bonuses are currently this:
CHA: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Bonus: -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -2 -1 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 4 5 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

I think we could do a little shift to something like this:
CHA: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Bonus:-10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -2 -1 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

I don't see why you need a perfect charisma score to get a few extra goodies in places like CandleKeep. You can get what you want and influence people without having heroic-level charisma. I think it is spread more evenly this way.

*Waits for people to complain how it's imbalanced or is full of munchkiness*

Zafiro

Pff..I find this to be imbalanced; you should be hanged!

Brude

I agree, but I also think this points to a larger issue: CHA's effect in the game is mostly binary. If you don't meet a certain threshold, it doesn't really matter if you have a +2 bonus or no bonus, and past a certain point it does nothing for you.*

As it stands, I've only seem the difference when at the extreme ends of the scale: a CHA of 7 or so makes picking up certain NPCs impossible with your main character, and a CHA of 18 or above might net you slightly better rewards on occasion.

It would have been neat if there was a noticeable difference in NPC reactions and rewards between 10 and 16 CHA throughout the game, but that would have meant a lot more writing. This goes to a core design decision that is, I think, impossible to change now.

* The shop discounts are nice and do scale, but considering how much money there is in the game, they aren't really necessary either.

Heinrich

I was able to change the CHA bonuses by editing a filed called, "RMODCHR.2DA" and doing a simple edit and I managed to make a difference in charisma bonuses using Notepad or NearInfinity. It actually worked, I got rewards from Candlekeep inhabitants with a lower charisma score, if that is what you mean.

Grieg

There is not much problem with bonuses from charisma. There is problem that there is almost no circumstances to use it properly and should be more charisma/intelligence/wisdom - related dialogs.

Those small goodies are awards for the best charisma-users and if you lower requirements for it there will be even less useful, if you want to get goodies be 18 charisma only for that reason (and there is not many of treasures to get).
But yes it could be lowered from RPG-point of view, you don't have to be super-talkative-leader to get a little extra 20 gold coins.

So my point is to lower requirements for current little extra goodies and insert other more important charisma-based decisions.

Edit: but yes I know that there is not enough time for implementation all those nice little features:/.

Zwiebelchen

Hmm... I'm all in for more CHA bonuses:

CHA 16: evil aligned characters might not leave your party anymore when doing too good; same other way round (maybe increase the reputation offset by +1 so that they only leave on 20 rep).
CHA 17: same as above, just that they will never leave
CHA 18: temples provide services for free
CHA 19: If pickpocketing fails, npcs will not turn enemy (as you are able to talk your way out of it)
CHA 20: if pickpocketing in a shop window fails, npcs will not turn enemy
CHA 21: Allows you to actually wear the golden pantalons. Fancy!
CHA 22: Disallows the use of armor, 'cause I'm too sexy for this chainmail...
CHA 23: Aerie, Viconia and Jaheira will join a foursome
CHA 24: ???
CHA 25: profit!

ryu1

mmmh elf-on-elf action, nice!

Zwiebelchen

ryu1 said:

mmmh elf-on-elf action, nice!

If we consider the D&D standard in point distribution leveling, a stat of 18 means you are almost a genius in your discipline. So basicly, CHA 18 is a supermodel/pornomancer.

If so, what is a 20 in CHA. Or a 23? Oo

ryu1

20 in CHA = domimatrix
23 in CHA = nympho

Edvin

Hey, this is actually good idea.

Most thing what you wrote is overembellish but i really like idea charisma what somehow afect world.

Some bonus to romance is good idea and not leaving group memebers if you have very hight charisma is also good.

bigdogchris

I'm interested in following the Core Rules as closely as possible.

LadyRhian

@bigdogChris If you want, I can post the original table from the Player's handbook here. I think there should be party limits as well for low Charisma. You know, if you take a 3, you only have Imoen following you. Because who else would?

Roller12

Since when one does have to have bonuses in order to play this game.

PS. roll a 13/13/13/13/13/13
PPS. good looking people have it easier in our world.

bigdogchris

LadyRhian said:

@bigdogChris If you want, I can post the original table from the Player's handbook here. I think there should be party limits as well for low Charisma. You know, if you take a 3, you only have Imoen following you. Because who else would?

I don't min/max my char's so it wouldn't affect me