by Rodford E. Smith
 

-	-	-	-	-
Dragon #24	OD&D	-	1st Edition AD&D	Dragon magazine

Many of the detractors of RPGs, especially those that
are set in fantasy situations, complain about the unusual qualities
possessed by most high-level characters. A simple answer to that is that
people with such abilities are the most likely to survive to high levels. But
is there any justification for the high concentration of super strong, super
charismatic, et cetera, characters?

There most certainly is! Take, for example, almost any adventurer
from classical mythology. Odysseus was a King, and noted for his
cleverness. Daedalus was an engineering genius. And Hercules was the <what kind of engineer?>
son of Zeus!

Even in English folklore there are many examples. Robin Hood
was the greatest<?> archer. Merlin the greatest<?> wizard, and Arthur destined
from before birth to pull the sword from the stone.

Taking a look at contemporary literature, we find characters like
John Carter, Conan, and everyone’s favorite Kyptonian. It seems that <Kyptonian?>
only in real life are heroes ordinary people, and even there
extraordinary men and women can be found.

Perhaps it is the idea of super-humans performing super-human
feats that is so intriuging, or maybe some inner desire in each of us to be
better than we are that makes such stories so popular, or maybe having
such abilities is the only way out of an otherwise impossible situation. At
any rate, the next time someone scoffs at a fighter with 18/00 strength,
ask them what they think the rating of Hercules’ strength would be.