Hello all, a group of friends and I have begun playing 5th Ed and have had 2 sessions so far and I'm beginning to run into an issue with how I run my character. I have some experience with Tabletop RPGs but haven't really attempted to play a character like my current one, a Dragonborn Barbarian with good physical attributes but all sub 10 mental attributes (8 int, 9 wis, 7 char) and as a result I'm struggling after our second session to really get a feel for how to run this character without either: having him seem more intelligent or wise then what one might expect from his mental attributes, or making him just a mindless brute which is the end of the spectrum I've been keeping him at so far. Throughout both of my group's sessions my barbarian has basically been a Hulk-like character, charging into fights or at enemies without thinking anything but smash, going as far as to charge towards a group of enemies head first into a cloud of daggers spell and ending the round there.
So if anyone could give me some suggestions on how I should treat a character with such abysmal mental attributes it would be greatly appreciated.
Yes you have lower than average in your intelligence, but you also have team mates. Does your character trust them enough to maybe have a better plan than his, especially after that last time with the ooze, and the time before that with the goblins. He can still listen to what the other characters think of for a plan, but if they don't come up with a plan, heck yeah go in like a wrecking ball.
For wisdom you aren't that under average, so you might gamble when its not really a good idea. Perhaps you might do silly things like smelling something you shouldn't or tasting. Might not always make sound decisions but you have your trusty team mates to get advice from.
For Charisma, well you are a little dumb, might not care about this fact, and you always talk loud. Those together would make you a rather abrasive person to be around. Or you just look like... an avocado.
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
I actually just starting laughing at work when I read this thank you for that XD
AOD, My dm always tells me 8 Int is about your average person in the real world. I can agree that technically since the modifier is -1 that you would be a little less than that though. However, I would say that your character is far from a mindless brute. Maybe your plan of action is just a little risky when it doesn't have to be or you don't use big words (you really shouldn't :P) or use big words incorrectly that could add a humor break into a very serious moment stuff like that. Do things that you think aren't a great idea but aren't going to get your character killed (you know it's not a good idea because you are at least averagely intelligent or more, but your character might think it's a great idea because he/she is a little less than average.) In reality as long as you are having fun and the rest of your party is having fun who cares :)
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Breeze, the Air Genasi Rogue in G.M.O.A.T.S sunless citadel Guldrum, the Dwarf Barbarian in Ye ol' Yarn Spun Legend Baku, the Tortle Bloodhunter in Coliseum of Conquest
I always considered 10's to be the average. Your C student at 10, and then 8 to me would be maybe D student. They can still think their way through a problem but it might take some time, and you may have to explain the problem to them a couple times.
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"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
You're a dragonborn Barbarian... watch Conan the Barbarian a few times and channel your inner Arnold!
I have a Lizardfolk Barbarian/Druid in a game. Int and Cha: 8, Wisdom: 16. So, not everything would apply directly to you obviously.
I try to take situations at face value. If someone says something and it's not totally unreasonable, then I go for it. Lying isn't a think he really puts much thought into. He knows what lying is and if someone said "oh, no he's lying." then he'd understand.
I also try to use metaphors but weirdly. Like when the party is talking about assaulting a fortress, maybe explain it as how to eat a porcupine.
Weirdly enough "Scales" has often become the party face, I think the party likes watching me explain situation to NPCs. One key thing is never be destructive to the plot or the path the rest of the Party wants to take.
One thing you can do, is remember as a Dragonborn you probably don't have facial muscles in the same way elves, humans, dwarves, etc... have them. So, come up with some other ways you can describe how you express emotion.
Finally I'll leave you with this quote from the late Terry Pratchett
“Animal minds are simple, and therefore sharp. Animals never spend time dividing experience into little bits and speculating about all the bits they've missed. The whole panoply of the universe has been neatly expressed to them as things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. This frees the mind from unnecessary thoughts and gives it a cutting edge where it matters. Your normal animal, in fact, never tries to walk and chew gum at the same time." -Equal Rites
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Hello all, a group of friends and I have begun playing 5th Ed and have had 2 sessions so far and I'm beginning to run into an issue with how I run my character. I have some experience with Tabletop RPGs but haven't really attempted to play a character like my current one, a Dragonborn Barbarian with good physical attributes but all sub 10 mental attributes (8 int, 9 wis, 7 char) and as a result I'm struggling after our second session to really get a feel for how to run this character without either: having him seem more intelligent or wise then what one might expect from his mental attributes, or making him just a mindless brute which is the end of the spectrum I've been keeping him at so far. Throughout both of my group's sessions my barbarian has basically been a Hulk-like character, charging into fights or at enemies without thinking anything but smash, going as far as to charge towards a group of enemies head first into a cloud of daggers spell and ending the round there.
So if anyone could give me some suggestions on how I should treat a character with such abysmal mental attributes it would be greatly appreciated.
Yes you have lower than average in your intelligence, but you also have team mates. Does your character trust them enough to maybe have a better plan than his, especially after that last time with the ooze, and the time before that with the goblins. He can still listen to what the other characters think of for a plan, but if they don't come up with a plan, heck yeah go in like a wrecking ball.
For wisdom you aren't that under average, so you might gamble when its not really a good idea. Perhaps you might do silly things like smelling something you shouldn't or tasting. Might not always make sound decisions but you have your trusty team mates to get advice from.
For Charisma, well you are a little dumb, might not care about this fact, and you always talk loud. Those together would make you a rather abrasive person to be around. Or you just look like... an avocado.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Breeze, the Air Genasi Rogue in G.M.O.A.T.S sunless citadel
Guldrum, the Dwarf Barbarian in Ye ol' Yarn Spun Legend
Baku, the Tortle Bloodhunter in Coliseum of Conquest
I always considered 10's to be the average. Your C student at 10, and then 8 to me would be maybe D student. They can still think their way through a problem but it might take some time, and you may have to explain the problem to them a couple times.
"Where words fail, swords prevail. Where blood is spilled, my cup is filled" -Cartaphilus
"I have found the answer to the meaning of life. You ask me what the answer is? You already know what the answer to life is. You fear it more than the strike of a viper, the ravages of disease, the ire of a lover. The answer is always death. But death is a gentle mistress with a sweet embrace, and you owe her a debt of restitution. Life is not a gift, it is a loan."
Thanks for the input, I'll be sure to keep what yall said in mind come the next time my group meets for a session
You're a dragonborn Barbarian... watch Conan the Barbarian a few times and channel your inner Arnold!
I have a Lizardfolk Barbarian/Druid in a game. Int and Cha: 8, Wisdom: 16. So, not everything would apply directly to you obviously.
I try to take situations at face value. If someone says something and it's not totally unreasonable, then I go for it. Lying isn't a think he really puts much thought into. He knows what lying is and if someone said "oh, no he's lying." then he'd understand.
I also try to use metaphors but weirdly. Like when the party is talking about assaulting a fortress, maybe explain it as how to eat a porcupine.
Weirdly enough "Scales" has often become the party face, I think the party likes watching me explain situation to NPCs. One key thing is never be destructive to the plot or the path the rest of the Party wants to take.
One thing you can do, is remember as a Dragonborn you probably don't have facial muscles in the same way elves, humans, dwarves, etc... have them. So, come up with some other ways you can describe how you express emotion.
Finally I'll leave you with this quote from the late Terry Pratchett