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Sill Alias
Senior Scribe
Kazakhstan
588 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Jul 2011 : 08:30:22
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I was talking with few pals about how it is important to roleplay your high strength, constitution and dexterity. We believe with proper ability scores we should think of how the characters look to the other.
And here is my question: is there an official appearance chart based on these three characteristics existent? I am tired of scrawny little lithe human women who can raise a big hulk of a man in air like a plaything.
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You can hear many tales from many mouths. The most difficult is to know which of them are not lies. - Sill Alias
"May your harp be unstrung, your dreams die and all your songs be unsung." - curse of the harper, The Code of the Harpers 2 ed.
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2011 : 08:50:49
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Try fat men who can do martial arts with finesse, ala Kung Fu Panda. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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chamber101
Seeker
57 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2011 : 17:40:46
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Its easy to assume that a character with an 18 STR looks a bit like two Arnolds taped together. I think its down to the player how their character looks, within reason. I know fairly wirey people who have the strength of an ox.
I think CON is more of a measure of physique as it is a measure of the characters fitness but again, does a low CON mean they are fat or malnourished?
I wouldnt say DEX effects appearance though a good roleplayer might describe their low DEX character tripping up or dropping stuff.
I'm of course speaking from my own campaign, for example in my game CHA does not mean attractiveness (beauty is in the eye of the beholder; for the same reason I dont use Comeliness stat from first edition Unearthed Arcana).
I think we all know people who aren't exactly brad pitt or megan fox but seem to have a way with the opposite sex or are able to talk people round to their way of thinking (max ranks in diplomacy no doubt!).
By the same token we all know 'handsome/beautiful' people who turn out to be total ****** (insert appropriate expletive here)
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Edited by - chamber101 on 14 Jul 2011 17:42:55 |
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chamber101
Seeker
57 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2011 : 17:42:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Try fat men who can do martial arts with finesse, ala Kung Fu Panda.
...Or Sammo Hung |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8066 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2011 : 18:19:30
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| Darth Vader had charisma, though yes, he was rather unattractive in physical appearance. Unless I suppose a necromancer finds atrophied pasty gray flesh physically attractive. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Sill Alias
Senior Scribe
Kazakhstan
588 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2011 : 07:37:14
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| I believe that STR shows how big the muscles are, when CON shows their hardness and DEX elasticity. But I wonder if there is any official ability score vs physique table for various races or something? |
You can hear many tales from many mouths. The most difficult is to know which of them are not lies. - Sill Alias
"May your harp be unstrung, your dreams die and all your songs be unsung." - curse of the harper, The Code of the Harpers 2 ed.
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8066 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2011 : 09:27:08
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| 1E Unearthed Arcana pretty much introduced detailed rules for the comeliness (appearance) stat and all the racial interaction tables, although a few Dungeon and Dragon issues carried such charts and tables to extremes, and 2E encounter reaction modifiers from kits/etc could produce many interesting combinations. Back in those glorious days of primitive AD&D gaming such extensive tables and numbers really served little purpose beyond allowing the DM and players to antagonize each other. |
[/Ayrik] |
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The Simbul
Learned Scribe
173 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 03:31:46
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| Storm Silverhand and Dove Falconhand have portraits that depict both their beauty and their high strength scores in the interior artwork of Silverfall (Artwork which, while gorgeous, sadly does not seem to be available anywhere online) |
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Aryalómë
Senior Scribe
USA
666 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 03:45:59
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| I have all of my male characters muscular, regardless of strength score, etc. It's just what I like and they look better, lol. |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 06:33:07
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| I don't think it really matters except in extremes of ability scores. The higher the score, the more likely the character is to be more fit in that ability- like larger muscles for a high strength, etc. I also like to play to the other scores like wis and int, as well- high-Int characters will probably have a more "bookish" or clever appearances, (faces being more open, animated expressions, obviously intelligent eyes, and the like). Same goes for high-Wis characters appearing sagacious and knowing. Charisma might make a Pc look more appealing, regardless of their actual attractiveness. (Think of the difference between a blonde bimbo Barbie-clone, and someone who is not as beautiful, but has more personality. Which one will be more attractive to most people?) |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4704 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 13:34:21
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I simple do no see stats making much difference in appearance, body size and weight.
Str, might get the best, however I know lighter weiegt people have more strength the some heavier people.
Con is how well one survives disease or other trauma, a resilient factor. How tall or heavy is not a consideration.
Dex, is not shape it is how moe moves. Dodging can be done at any size, though being a bigger target can make a slight difference what Dex is about is getting entire body into safer position. |
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"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36998 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2011 : 15:51:53
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| Most of my characters have been fit -- not ripped, but not flabby, either. I've only had one that was obviously muscular -- my minotaur. I played him in 2E, and he started off with a STR of 19, which was beyond human strength (without magical enhancement). Since he was that strong, to me it made sense that he had the bulging muscles. |
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Sill Alias
Senior Scribe
Kazakhstan
588 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jul 2011 : 09:26:53
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| Well, the main issues with characters were about elves with 25+ strength who wanted to look thin and graceful. In my opinion even elf should look like overgrown steroid factory with such strength. |
You can hear many tales from many mouths. The most difficult is to know which of them are not lies. - Sill Alias
"May your harp be unstrung, your dreams die and all your songs be unsung." - curse of the harper, The Code of the Harpers 2 ed.
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jul 2011 : 09:47:55
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Muscle = strength? Not always, most specially in a fantasy setting. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Neo2151
Learned Scribe
USA
118 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jul 2011 : 11:25:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Sill Alias
Well, the main issues with characters were about elves with 25+ strength who wanted to look thin and graceful. In my opinion even elf should look like overgrown steroid factory with such strength.
I find it hard to believe that an Elf is rocking 25 base strength (in my mind, magical enhancements are magical, so why should they affect your character's appearance in any way?)
That being said, there are videos all over of smaller people doing crazy-strong things (pulling vehicles, winning tug-of-war with an ox, etc.) so while I think anyone with a high strength will be muscular, they could have any sort of appearance you want! Like lean and ripped (think Bruce Lee) or tall and built (Dolph Lundgrin) or even barrel-chested and brawny (think many World's Strongest competitors) or even over-weight looking (sumo wrestlers?) and any one would be correct.
Dex, I imagine, would not affect looks at all. Plenty of large people are deceptively agile and/or quick. A high dexterity is something that comes naturally and with training, but doesn't really show without use.
Con wouldn't affect looks at all either. Con is how well you shake off illness, how fast your body can recover from injury, how much punishment you can take before you give out, etc. John McClane (Bruce Willis in Die Hard) would be a great example of someone with a very high Con, and you'll notice he doesn't "look" like anything special.
Hope this helps! |
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-Baerendra Riverhand on The Story of Spellfire |
Edited by - Neo2151 on 18 Jul 2011 11:33:09 |
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Sill Alias
Senior Scribe
Kazakhstan
588 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2011 : 07:18:55
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| This result is not magical, that is why I protest. To start with 20 strength by wood elf and pump power. And they don't want to make the character beefy! |
You can hear many tales from many mouths. The most difficult is to know which of them are not lies. - Sill Alias
"May your harp be unstrung, your dreams die and all your songs be unsung." - curse of the harper, The Code of the Harpers 2 ed.
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Gouf
Seeker
USA
75 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2011 : 00:32:52
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Ok, here are my ramblings on the concept. I think it really depends on the character concept.
For some 2e examples:
Halfling with Str 9, Dex 18, Con 16. This charter looked like the typical 2e potbellied halfling, but under that layer of halfling baby fat, he was solid and could take a hit and was obviously very nimble.
Human cleric, Str 10 weight 200lbs. He's a bit heavy, but his clerics robes hide a great deal of it. I think robes or a cloak can conceal a great amount of a characters build.
The dwarven fighter/cleric pictured below, cleric of a god of battle, Str 18/97, Con 19, (the dice gods liked me) So I kind of envisioned him as a dwarven power lifter build. But another factor to consider is clothing and armor, which can conceal a great deal of a characters physique.
Character out of armor (just having escaped)
http://blue-devil.net/add/max.jpg
Same character in armor, with helm and weapons
http://blue-devil.net/add/Max0003.png
The appearance is radically different in many regards. If the same character were in his clerics robes, he would look different again still, but have the same body type.
It really depends on the player. A really strong paladin would still, if played right, be very humble.
A person's body to them, mainly defines 'normal'. Only if the character was obnoxious would the character pose and flaunt his stats.
A high INT could be a reserved person or Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.
A great in game roleplaying example happened a few weeks ago in our 2e campaign. Our human cleric got knocked out. The elf mage, tried to pick up the 200lb human and failed as he wasn't strong enough and had to drag him instead. He later teased the human cleric about going on a diet. When he did so, the dwarven fighter/priest looked at the elf and said, "What's the big deal? He can't way more than....(looks the elf up and down)...Oh..nevermind."
I would say, Str gives a certain amount of bulk. Dex and Con can be very deceiving as I have seen over weight people with amazing Dex and Con in the real world. Similarly, High Cha can be charming or beautiful, or both...
JMHO |
"Why is the torch burning blue?" |
Edited by - Gouf on 22 Jul 2011 04:20:31 |
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Eltheron
Senior Scribe
740 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jul 2011 : 03:14:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Gouf
I high INT could be a reserved person or Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory.
This struck my funny bone... so I present: stats for Sheldon!
Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D.
Level 18 Theoretical Physicist
Str 8 - couldn't lift more than game console or laptop
Dex 12 - can run from bullies when necessary, but often gets "pantsed"
Con 8 - gets the flu from Penny, even though she wasn't sick but a carrier
Int 20 - winner of the Stephenson Award at age 14!
Wis 8 - never has a practical idea, always sorta kooky
Cha 10 - obnoxious personality combined with puppy dog eyes
Heh... couldn't resist, sorry!
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--Faraer |
Edited by - Eltheron on 22 Jul 2011 03:45:35 |
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Character phisique.
