Strength: The strength characteristic of a human or humanoid of any type,
and of player-characters in particular, is more than a simple evaluation of the musculature of the body.
Strength is a composite rating of physical power,
endurance,
and stamina.
A rating of 3, for example, indicates that the creature in question has little of each of the three categories,
a score of 10 or thereabouts shows that the creature has the norm for a human adult male
(based on an assumed medieval standard where the typical individual was in "good shape" due to the necessity of hard labor),
while a score of 18 means that the creature has a composite rating far above average in all respects.
By way of comparison, kobolds will have an average strength rating of 9,
    goblins 10, orcs 12, hobgoblins 15, gnolls 16, bugbears 17, ogres 18, and trolls a strength rating of 18+.
Gnomes have an average strength rating of 10,
    dwarves 14, elves 12, halflings 8, and giants 19 and up.

Exceptional Strength: Assume further that a strength of 18 indicates that the creature can lift weight equal to its own body weight, or 180 pounds,
whichever is the greater,
above its head.
This rating is modified by a restriction that
no creature of human/humanoid nature can lift more than twice its own body weight above its head.
A human with an 18 strength and an additional percentile dice roll
    is able to lift 1 additional pound for every percentage point up to and including 50%,
    4 pounds for every percentage point from 51% to 90%,
    and 8 pounds for each percentage point from 91% to 00%.

Intelligence:

The intelligence rating roughly corresponds to our modern "IQ" scores.
However, it assumes mnemonic,
reasoning,
and learning ability skills in additional areas outside the written word.

Wisdom: For game purposes wisdom ability subsumes the categories of willpower,
judgment,
wile,
enlightenment,
and intuitiveness.
An example of the use of wisdom can be given by noting that while the intelligent character will know that smoking is harmful to him, he may well lack the wisdom to stop (this writer may well fall into this category).

Dexterity: The dexterity rating includes the following physical characteristics:
hand-eye coordination,
agility,
reflex speed,
precision,
balance,
and actual speed of movement in running.
It would not be unreasonable to claim that a person with a low dexterity might well be quite agile,
but have low reflex speed, poor precision, bad balance, and be slow of foot (but slippery in the grasp).

Constitution: This character ability rating is a general heading under which folk the character's physique,
health,
resistance,
and fitness.
An individual who catches cold if exposed to a slight draft has a constitution of 5 or less in all probability.
Rasputin had an 18 constitution!

Charisma:

Many persons have the sad misconception that charisma is merely physical attractiveness.
This error is obvious to any person who considers the subject with perceptiveness.
Charisma is a combination of physical appearance,
persuasiveness,
and personal magnetism.
True charisma becomes evident when one considers such historic examples of Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonoparte, and Adolf Hitler. Obviously, these individuals did not have an 18 score on physical beauty,
so it is quite possible to assume that scores over 18 are possible,
for any one of the named historical personalities would have had a higher charisma score
-- there can be no question that these individuals were 18's --
if they would have had great attractiveness as well as commanding personal magnetism and superb persuasiveness.

<Comeliness, slightly revise Cha descrip>

Hi Elfdart,

To be in the Guard, a Frenchman had to be at least six feet tall, so there were surely some thousands of tall men in France in Napoleon's time.

No matter, as I agree that diet affects size and health. Interestingly enough, though, the current increase in average height seems to be an anomaly, for it is occuring where diet has not been significantly improved.

For 18 Constitution I think of Mountain Men.
For 18 Strength I envisage the participants in "The World's Strogest Men" contests 
The latter are generally above average height.

Cheers,
Gary

dcas wrote:
Col_Pladoh wrote:
For 18 Strength I envisage the participants in "The World's Strogest Men" contests  The latter are generally above average height.
 

. . . and weight. 

Indeed, increased weight goes with the height and muscle mass muscle tht does not look like that of a body builder 

Cheers,
Gary
 

Yorlum wrote:

...

All of that is to say that I don't think you can fairly compare any leader since 1815 to Napoleon Bonaparte. He is like Caesar, a law and an example unto himself.
 

And in the final analysis was a tyrant akin to Caesar. a great conqueror but a failure as a great human being.

Cheerrs,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Agback
Did you know that Hitler had a plan to restore the Duke of Windsor as king of England? There is even reason to believe that the Duke was not entirely averse to the idea. In 1940, as the French were collapsing, he refused to leave Paris. Churchill sent an 'aide de camp' and a 'bodyguard' and orders that said in effect "General the Duke of Windsor, you are an officer in the British Army, and your post is as governor of Bermuda. Go there now with this escort, or come to England under arrest and spend the war in Pontefract Castle (if you know what I mean)".

I have read a bit about that. There were a fair number of Nazi sympathizers amongst the British nobility as well. Of course hitler was most charismatic...

cheers,
Gary
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gentlegamer
And clearly a prime example of 18 Charisma, in AD&D terms!  <maybe not: read carefully>

In reading about Hitler it is evident that he could influence almost anyone that spoke with him, even if that individual was quite opposed to the ideas being proposed by Hitler.
He was also a master showman and manipulator.

Cheers,
Gary

<organize these>
 
 

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