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Dr.Epic
2010-02-12, 10:18 PM
So if in real life you could have an ability score of 110 (or to rephrase an ability modifier of 100 or +100 to any skill, save, or roll related to the ability) which would it be? Now keep in mind we are talking about you, not a person in a fantasy world. You wouldn't be able to cast spells or have class features from D&D (unless there's actually a way to acquire them in real life).

Me, I'd go charisma. I could basically get away with anything. "Yes I'm qualified to perform surgery." "No I wasn't robbing that bank." I could run for any position and win with my smooth words.

My second choice would be dexterity. AC over 100. All I'd need to do is get uncanny dodge and BAM! I'm untouchable. I'd also try to get weapon finesse and I'm the world's greatest martial artist.

UglyPanda
2010-02-12, 10:21 PM
Int obviously. All someone needs to do is level up once and they'd have at least 25 new skills*. A PH.D. in everything, being able to invent anything, and being able to cure everything would be obscenely useful.

*Cross-class

Cybren
2010-02-12, 10:22 PM
i can has con?

Dr.Epic
2010-02-12, 10:22 PM
being able to invent anything, and being able to cure everything would be obscenely useful.s

Not when you're suffering from a fatal case of death.

edit:

i can has con?

Sure. You'd pretty much be immune to disease and could consume an ocean of alcohol. (not to mention all that HP)

Gamgee
2010-02-12, 10:24 PM
Not when you're suffering from a fatal case of death.

edit:


Sure. You'd pretty much be immune to disease and could consume an ocean of alcohol. (not to mention all that HP)

I dare say he would qualify for Brosiden god of the Brocean of Alcoholic beverages.

UglyPanda
2010-02-12, 10:25 PM
Not when you're suffering from a fatal case of death.But none of the other attributes have any direct effect on human lifespan, so that point is moot.

And this is a hypothetical, it's not like you magically have to start fighting CR 10 monsters.

deuxhero
2010-02-12, 10:25 PM
+100 to diplomacy is pretty cool. Anyone not hostile is a fanatic in 6 seconds, while anyone that is at least helpful.

Forrestfire
2010-02-12, 10:25 PM
EDIT: Forgot about diplomacy; charisma --> intelligence --> dexterity.

It's a toss up between intelligence and dexterity. With dex +100, I'd be able to dodge bullets! Also, i'd be the best marksman in the world.

With int, I'd find a way to level, pick bard, and BAM! Instant knowledge in everything!

Terazul
2010-02-12, 10:26 PM
Not when you're suffering from a fatal case of death.
With that much int you could probably cure that. And invent ways to get all the other stats. Yeah I'd also go the int route. Also easier to be inconspicuous with, as long as you aren't flaunting it everywhere.

Dr.Epic
2010-02-12, 10:27 PM
But none of the other attributes have any direct effect on human lifespan, so that point is moot.

Con sort of does. I mean it helps you not be dead.

And this is a hypothetical, it's not like you magically have to start fighting CR 10 monsters.[/QUOTE]

But you be able to talk on any person in martial combat.

Demons_eye
2010-02-12, 10:30 PM
Con.


Whats max falling damage again.....?

UglyPanda
2010-02-12, 10:31 PM
But you be able to talk take on any person in martial combat.And how often does anyone need to be able to do that in real life?

I'd prefer the millions of dollars coming in from award-winning novels, Nobel Prizes, lucrative patents, awards, and grants for scientific papers written during a half-hour break.


Con.


Whats max falling damage again.....?20d6.

Elfin
2010-02-12, 10:32 PM
200hp...and you'd have around fifty...but still pretty good.

Dr.Epic
2010-02-12, 10:32 PM
It's a toss up between intelligence and dexterity. With dex +100, I'd be able to dodge bullets! Also, i'd be the best marksman in the world.

That's why dex is my second choice. I'd make Adrian Veidt and Keenu Reaves looks like slow, drunken fools. Still, going cha because with those kind of speaking skills I could rule the world.

Crow
2010-02-12, 10:37 PM
I would go with Wisdom. Nobody could lie to you, excellent senses, wise enough to know the best course of action in any situation. Plus, it's an ability which has far-reaching potential, but is still subtle enough that you won't stand out as a potential target.

With intelligence that high, you'd probably be a de-socialized recluse who has gone crazy. We're social creatures, even if a person only has a small group of friends/family. Can you imagine living in a world where literally nobody is even remotely near your level of intelligence? It's a fast-track to insanity.

Demons_eye
2010-02-12, 10:41 PM
200hp...and you'd have around fifty...but still pretty good.

Unless some one is higher then level 1 and if max damage is 20d6 thats 120 unless my math is off. Third level person could fall from space and live to tell the tale.

UglyPanda
2010-02-12, 10:43 PM
I would go with Wisdom. Nobody could lie to you, excellent senses, wise enough to know the best course of action in any situation. Plus, it's an ability which has far-reaching potential, but is still subtle enough that you won't stand out as a potential target.

With intelligence that high, you'd probably be a de-socialized recluse who has gone crazy. We're social creatures, even if a person only has a small group of friends/family. Can you imagine living in a world where literally nobody is even remotely near your level of intelligence? It's a fast-track to insanity.Couldn't you say the same about Wisdom? You always know exactly how everyone feels about everything. You know every little lie, every thought, every feeling. People stop talking to you because they know they don't have to, or they're afraid, afraid of the man who stares deep into their soul and knows every dark secret.

Anyway, my point is that having anything too powerful can have downsides, but you'll never know until you actually see it. And we'll never see it, because it'll never happen.

Ashram
2010-02-12, 10:44 PM
I would go with Wisdom. Nobody could lie to you, excellent senses, wise enough to know the best course of action in any situation. Plus, it's an ability which has far-reaching potential, but is still subtle enough that you won't stand out as a potential target.

With intelligence that high, you'd probably be a de-socialized recluse who has gone crazy. We're social creatures, even if a person only has a small group of friends/family. Can you imagine living in a world where literally nobody is even remotely near your level of intelligence? It's a fast-track to insanity.

I was just going to ask if anyone wanted to be wise, considering I'd rather be wise than smart for the reasons you listed.

Eurus
2010-02-12, 10:45 PM
Dexterity. Don't tell me you've never wanted to dodge bullets.

EDIT: Actually, I see someone else mentioned that exact perk. Oh well.

deuxhero
2010-02-12, 10:47 PM
I would go with Wisdom. Nobody could lie to you, excellent senses, wise enough to know the best course of action in any situation. Plus, it's an ability which has far-reaching potential, but is still subtle enough that you won't stand out as a potential target.

With intelligence that high, you'd probably be a de-socialized recluse who has gone crazy. We're social creatures, even if a person only has a small group of friends/family. Can you imagine living in a world where literally nobody is even remotely near your level of intelligence? It's a fast-track to insanity.

Oh, you could possibly will people out of existence in the right setting with that much wisdom.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-12, 10:50 PM
I'd have to see about splitting the +100 amongst Int, Wis, and Cha. +33 to each would be far more than any person would really NEED to really get anywhere.

Heck, Hawking and Einstein are/were likely no more than 20 or 22 Int (with a build focus on Knowledge skills, of course).

Crow
2010-02-12, 10:52 PM
I was just going to ask if anyone wanted to be wise, considering I'd rather be wise than smart for the reasons you listed.

Even someone with an INT of 110 can die horribly trying to do something they saw in a parkour video on youtube. Or on the other end of the spectrum, push an envelope in the physical sciences or similar discipline that was not meant to be pushed. Just because it's possible, and you figured out how to do it, doesn't mean it's advisable.

"He was brilliant, but sometimes just didn't make the best choices in life."

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 10:53 PM
Intelligence.

There is absolutely no question about it. Most anything that the other abilities could do, Intelligence can probably eventually do better. You'd be rich off numerous patents, not to mention that you'd probably single-handedly achieve scientific breakthroughs, the likes of which only occurs rarely in a century.

I don't the lack of Wisdom is really a problem unless that has somehow going to get you killed. Otherwise, you're still capable of learning from your mistakes. If the least of your worries is that you got a ticket for speeding. Well. Hey.

Wisdom would be the second best, since it generally has to do with things like discipline, insight, forethought and judgement. This is useful since you could push yourself to the full limits of human potential without breaking down under stress or arrogance.

Charisma is somewhat nebulous. And anybody who has a 110 in Int or Wis could probably substitute pretty easily. Frankly, you're breaking the scale. Realistically, Charisma would be a product of the other abilities.

Constitution would be nice for a long life, I suppose. Being relatively free of disease is nice.

golentan
2010-02-12, 10:55 PM
Wouldn't it be 210 to get a +100 mod?

Anyway, I'd probably go Wisdom, and take more martial arts (get myself counted as a monk) and Intuitive Attack. I'd like to be crazy aware and in tune with myself and others, plus get physical bonuses for it.

UglyPanda
2010-02-12, 10:56 PM
Or on the other end of the spectrum, push an envelope in the physical sciences or similar discipline that was not meant to be pushed. Just because it's possible, and you figured out how to do it, doesn't mean it's advisable.Screw that, fire up the Large Hadron Collider*!


*I'm well aware the LHC isn't that bad. It was just the only one-liner I could think of.

Eurus
2010-02-12, 11:00 PM
Intelligence.

There is absolutely no question about it. Most anything that the other abilities could do, Intelligence can probably eventually do better. You'd be rich off numerous patents, not to mention that you'd probably single-handedly achieve scientific breakthroughs, the likes of which only occurs rarely in a century.

I don't the lack of Wisdom is really a problem unless that has somehow going to get you killed. Otherwise, you're still capable of learning from your mistakes. If the least of your worries is that you got a ticket for speeding. Well. Hey.

Wisdom would be the second best, since it generally has to do with things like discipline, insight, forethought and judgement. This is useful since you could push yourself to the full limits of human potential without breaking down under stress or arrogance.

Charisma is somewhat nebulous. And anybody who has a 110 in Int or Wis could probably substitute pretty easily. Frankly, you're breaking the scale. Realistically, Charisma would be a product of the other abilities.

Constitution would be nice for a long life, I suppose. Being relatively free of disease is nice.

And dexterity? :smalltongue:

EDIT: Although... maxing out every skill would be very, very nice.

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 11:01 PM
Even someone with an INT of 110 can die horribly trying to do something they saw in a parkour video on youtube. Or on the other end of the spectrum, push an envelope in the physical sciences or similar discipline that was not meant to be pushed. Just because it's possible, and you figured out how to do it, doesn't mean it's advisable.

"He was brilliant, but sometimes just didn't make the best choices in life."
What.

Did you seriously give us a "Where Man Was Not Meant To Tread" speech?

I mean, there's a difference between playing with ridiculously dangerous toys just because you can and engineering something useful enough to get some venture capital.

Also, keep in mind that society typically is pretty good about creating safeguards to ensure that the experiment does not go horribly wrong.

So unless your "wisdom" is horridly abyssmal for some reason, I don't think it's an actual problem.

Dimers
2010-02-12, 11:02 PM
Strength. 'Cos it'd be fun. :smalltongue:

Nah, I'd probably pick Wisdom. The world could use some boddhisattvas (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/boddhisatva). Seriously.

Crow
2010-02-12, 11:04 PM
Strength. 'Cos it'd be fun. :smalltongue:

Yes, and one summer olympics later, you wouldn't have to see another tv commercial starring Michael Phelps ever again.

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 11:04 PM
And dexterity? :smalltongue:

EDIT: Although... maxing out every skill would be very, very nice.
What about it?

I'm sure I could be a genius rifleman or surgeon. And the latter only if I'm intelligent and motivated enough to begin with.

Otherwise, it seems kind of pointless.

Eurus
2010-02-12, 11:07 PM
Still won't help you if someone jumps you in a dark alley. Not that that's likely, but still, you'll wish you had it if you need it. :smallwink:

And hey, if you could figure out how to get Evasion it'd be even better. A 95% chance to survive an atomic bomb? Yes, please.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-12, 11:08 PM
I'm really not sure getting a +100 to any one score (without adding to other scores) would be that great. And, in several cases, would be a very bad idea.

+100 Str would mean that your own body would tear itself apart, as it's not advisable to put that much physical stress on your skeletal system (nor on your circulatory system). You'd have to have a considerable Con for that much Strength.

+100 Dex wouldn't really be that useful. You'd be crazy-flexible, and you'd be good at accuracy-related games, but that's about it.

+100 Con wouldn't extend your lifespan (barring severe injuries, which you really shouldn't expose yourself to), though this would be the best candidate out of the physical scores, for sure.

+100 Int would, as was mentioned, probably drive you crazy, as you'd be alienated to the point of solitude, due to nobody on earth having the mental capacity to understand 90% of your ideas.

+100 Wis would drive you to distraction, as you could see, hear, and feel everything around you (even that fly buzzing 100 ft away, outside your house), and you couldn't turn it off. You'd be like Daredevil, having to sleep in an utterly soundproof room, where every sense you had was dampened.

+100 Cha would end with the entire world stalking you, and you'd probably be assassinated by some crazy lunatic who felt, 'if I can't have him, no one can!' Which would be bad.

Your best bet is to split the bonus up, and simply be awesome in lots of areas (ie, balanced), rather than so-incredibly-awesome-in-one-area-that-you-can-no-longer-function.

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 11:10 PM
Still won't help you if someone jumps you in a dark alley. Not that that's likely, but still, you'll wish you had it if you need it. :smallwink:

And hey, if you could figure out how to get Evasion it'd be even better. A 95% chance to survive an atomic bomb? Yes, please.
Presumably, I'd have a 110 Con if they jumped out at me from an alley.

If I had a Wis of 110, I'd already know he was in the alley.

If I have an Int 110, I may be screwed. But it's not a problem unless you're just dumb enough to go into a bad neighborhood when you don't actually live there.

Lycanthromancer: Except that's not how it works. The score just functions as though that faculty were that powerful, for whatever reason (magic or sheer Ubermensch awesomeness). You could say that the combination of ability scores can contextualize and explain why some scores are higher or lower than others.

At least, until the magic or superheroism sets in.

In earlier versions of D&D going up even 1 point in any score was a rare lifetime event. Getting a 19 in any score put you out of the realm of mortal limits to a kind of godlike status. I think Con 19 literally meant that you got regeneration in 2e. A wisdom of 19 means that you automatically see through illusions of level one (20 for level 2 illusions, etcetera).

You're a supernatural being by that point.

In 3e, you're just pumping an abstraction to the point of breaking the scale. That isn't even supposed to occur in the game. Even for gods.

UglyPanda
2010-02-12, 11:15 PM
Yes, and one summer olympics later, you wouldn't have to see another tv commercial starring Michael Phelps ever again.The funny thing is, D&D swimming is horrendously slow. It caps at half your base speed (per round). This means your maximum speed is about 2 mph (Barring lots of extra feats). Micheal Phelps is clocked at over 4 mph. You're actually better off sinking to the bottom and running to the other side (Wouldn't be allowed in the Olympics, of course). Never mind, forgot epic swimming checks.

I don't agree with the Intelligence=psycho thing. Intelligence isn't going to automatically make you a recluse. How many times have you given up a friend because he was dumber than you? And who cares about your social skills if you cure cancer? Hell, you know how many women have those pink ribbons on their cars?

Magnor Criol
2010-02-12, 11:15 PM
Int or Wis -> the other one -> Cha -> Dex -> Con -> Str

Though, I'd prefer to do the same thing Lycanthromancer suggested and split it among my three mental stats. Or at least Int and Wis.


Wouldn't it be 210 to get a +100 mod?

Yes, it would. Either we're discussing a +50 bonus or 210 in the ability score...but at these levels, it's all absurdly high, so it's not really an important distinction. :smalltongue:



I don't agree with that. Intelligence isn't going to automatically make you a recluse. How many times have you given up a friend because he was dumber than you?

We're talking about being so vastly intelligent that you're orders of magnitude smarter than the smartest person that ever existed on this planet. Even the DnD deities, when you see their statblocks, don't have triple digit intelligence scores. I don't think that we can relate to how much of a mental gulf there would be between you and everyone else.

Optimystik
2010-02-12, 11:17 PM
+100 Wis would drive you to distraction, as you could see, hear, and feel everything around you (even that fly buzzing 100 ft away, outside your house), and you couldn't turn it off. You'd be like Daredevil, having to sleep in an utterly soundproof room, where every sense you had was dampened.


Nah, you can voluntarily fail Spot and Listen checks. No distraction necessary.

+100 Wis would definitely be my choice - I could be a master surgeon (Heal) with an insanely successful medical practice (Profession [Doctor]), be able to tell if anyone on earth was lying to me even casually (SM), predict the weather, never be lost - anywhere - and feed myself in the wild. (Survival.)

Fostire
2010-02-12, 11:18 PM
+100 Wis would drive you to distraction, as you could see, hear, and feel everything around you (even that fly buzzing 100 ft away, outside your house), and you couldn't turn it off. You'd be like Daredevil, having to sleep in an utterly soundproof room, where every sense you had was dampened.
Actually you would have the mental discipline to NOT be distracted by those sounds, and to selectively ignore them if you so wished to.

and nit-pick: an ability score of 110 would give a +50 ability bonus.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-12, 11:19 PM
+100 Wis would definitely be my choice - I could be a master surgeon (Heal) with an insanely successful medical practice (Profession [Doctor]), be able to tell if anyone on earth was lying to me even casually (SM), predict the weather, never be lost - anywhere - and feed myself in the wild. (Survival.)And just think: swordsages like having high Wisdom scores.

YOU'D BE DR. MC- *splat*

Ninja'd!

Lin Bayaseda
2010-02-12, 11:21 PM
Two adventurers get a Ring of Wishes, with two wishes left. One asks for Charisma 100. *poof*, he's the most charismatic man the world has ever known. Dames fall at his feet, sages provide him with free advice, shopkeepers shower him with free gear, armies beg to serve under his banner.

The other shrugs and asks for Intelligence 100. *poof*, he's the smartest man ever. For a moment, he just sits there quietly, eyes glazed. His friend, worried something happened, touches his shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
"I should have chosen Charisma..."

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 11:21 PM
Eh. Too much gamist logic.

The whole point of the score is that there aren't penalties involved if it's above 10. It just means that your capacity for say, filtering out signal from noise and making intuitive leaps has reached a profound level (Wisdom). It doesn't mean that your ears are suddenly tuned into every frequency and that it's sensitive to every level of intensity.

Again, you're breaking the scale here. That's to be expected to a point since you can improve it with magic or by I'm just that awesome.

A 110 is just ridiculously high though.

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 11:23 PM
Two adventurers get a Ring of Wishes, with two wishes left. One asks for Charisma 100. *poof*, he's the most charismatic man the world has ever known. Dames fall at his feet, sages provide him with free advice, shopkeepers shower him with free gear, armies beg to serve under his banner.

The other shrugs and asks for Intelligence 100. *poof*, he's the smartest man ever. For a moment, he just sits there quietly, eyes glazed. His friend, worried something happened, touches his shoulder.
"Are you alright?"
"I should have chosen Charisma..."
Eh. Yeah right.

What you don't mention is that he instantly gained like 30 levels in Wizard.

Created a unified field theory for magic. Earning him world-wide acclaim. Made a crap-ass load of money off his skills.

Invented antibiotics, modern medicine, industry and agriculture.

Then laughed at the man with Charisma.

Lin Bayaseda
2010-02-12, 11:25 PM
Eh. Yeah right.

What you don't mention is that he instantly gained like 30 levels in Wizard.

Created a unified field theory for magic. Earning him world-wide acclaim. Made a crap-ass load of money off his skills.

Then laughed at went to work for the man with Charisma.Fixed. :smallsmile:

Eurus
2010-02-12, 11:25 PM
Eh. Yeah right.

What you don't mention is that he instantly gained like 30 levels in Wizard.

Created a unified field theory for magic. Earning him world-wide acclaim. Made a crap-ass load of money off his skills.

Invented antibiotics, modern medicine, industry and agriculture.

Then laughed at the man with Charisma.

Except... suddenly having a sky-high intelligence doesn't give you wizard levels any more than suddenly having a sky-high charisma gives you sorcerer or bard levels. And the guy with the charisma instantly makes you fanatic for him. :smallbiggrin:

Optimystik
2010-02-12, 11:26 PM
And just think: swordsages like having high Wisdom scores.

Well if I was going Martial at all I'd be a Psywar. I prefer Ardent though. :smallsmile:

Also, once I do selectively choose what I want to Spot and Listen to, I could start curing all the world's diseases. That's right, I'd hear the exact pattern in which cancer cells multiply, and know precisely how much chemo to use, and when.

Or I could just be a spy :smalltongue:

EDIT: Forgot the biggest benefit - the guy with 100 Cha can't make me his b*tch, because I have Sense Motive up the wazoo.


YOU'D BE DR. MC- *splat*

Ninja'd!

You went over my head again >.<

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 11:29 PM
Except... suddenly having a sky-high intelligence doesn't give you wizard levels any more than suddenly having a sky-high charisma gives you sorcerer or bard levels. And the guy with the charisma instantly makes you fanatic for him. :smallbiggrin:
Which doesn't obligate him to do anything for him.

He's just a really big part of the fan club.

Charisma man died a lonely death being surrounded by sycophants who didn't really actually love him.

UglyPanda
2010-02-12, 11:30 PM
We're talking about being so vastly intelligent that you're orders of magnitude smarter than the smartest person that ever existed on this planet. Even the DnD deities, when you see their statblocks, don't have triple digit intelligence scores. I don't think that we can relate to how much of a mental gulf there would be between you and everyone else.Ants are several orders of magnitude dumber than us. People still find them amusing. It doesn't matter whether or not you talk to people, so long as you're getting something out of life.

Then again, if everything goes wrong, you could always perform brain surgery on yourself. You don't need to be knocked out for that type.

Kantolin
2010-02-12, 11:31 PM
EDIT: Forgot the biggest benefit - the guy with 100 Cha can't make me his b*tch, because I have Sense Motive up the wazoo.

Sense motive (Success): The target thinks you are incredibly wise and would like you to work with him. He's incredibly convincing and you're nigh-guaranteed to go for it.

Sense motive would matter if he was lying to you. :P There's no secret (necessarily) about what he's doing.

Lin Bayaseda
2010-02-12, 11:31 PM
Which doesn't obligate him to do anything for him.The rules beg to differ.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#diplomacy

SurlySeraph
2010-02-12, 11:36 PM
I'd go with Int, invent a way to either radically extend my lifespan or upload my mind into a less-perishable form, and become a one-man Illuminati manipulating humanity for fun science SCIENCE! the greatest possible good in the long term. You could do the same with Wis, but you'd have to predict what people would do after your death accurately.

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 11:42 PM
The rules beg to differ.
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm#diplomacy
Yes, for maybe a year at the most. If that.

Demons_eye
2010-02-12, 11:43 PM
Could you, with 110 con, force march yourself from ocean to ocean? Or at lest from, say, one side of lake Michigan to the other?

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-12, 11:43 PM
You went over my head again >.<Doctor...plus ninja...equals Dr. McNinja. (http://drmcninja.com/)

LurkerInPlayground
2010-02-12, 11:44 PM
Could you, with 110 con, force march yourself from ocean to ocean? Or at lest from, say, one side of lake Michigan to the other?
Well, you could probably be shot several times and just "walk it off."

Eurus
2010-02-12, 11:44 PM
Ants are several orders of magnitude dumber than us. People still find them amusing. It doesn't matter whether or not you talk to people, so long as you're getting something out of life.

Then again, if everything goes wrong, you could always perform brain surgery on yourself. You don't need to be knocked out for that type.

People fry ants with magnifying glasses. :smalleek:

Kallisti
2010-02-12, 11:45 PM
Definitely Intelligence. I'll just invent some miracle cure for death. And disease. And, while I'm at it, make a device that can alter the brainwave patterns of everyone in the world and make them 13% nicer people. Because I could.

Crow
2010-02-12, 11:46 PM
Charisma man died a lonely death being surrounded by sycophants who didn't really actually love him.

Except that they actually do because he is that charismatic. We're not talking about some millionaire heiress airhead here.

Unlike the Intelligence man, who is so alienated from the rest of humanity that the only ones near to him are those who tolerate being so only for the opportunity to benefit themselves.


Well, you could probably be shot several times and just "walk it off."

"Get up, ya pansy!"

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-12, 11:49 PM
We're not talking about some millionaire heiress airhead here.Incidentally, she has, like, a 5 Cha.

It's horrific, and has a personality fabricated personality to match.

BizzaroStormy
2010-02-12, 11:50 PM
I see all these people talking about using diplomacy and bluff when it comes to charisma. Intimidate is there too people. Plus, with the UMD check, I could just threaten to blow the world up using stonehendge.

UglyPanda
2010-02-12, 11:52 PM
Unlike the Intelligence man, who is so alienated from the rest of humanity that the only ones near to him are those who tolerate being so only for the opportunity to benefit themselves.Why is it that you keep pushing this intelligence=isolation idea? Why can't the intelligent man just save humanity from a lab? No non-scientist actually knows what the majority of "famous scientists" look like. The intelligent guy can just blend in.

Why can't the smart guy just join a bowling league? Or play baseball? Or fish? Why does all of his happiness have to come from deep intellectual discussion?

Thrawn183
2010-02-12, 11:52 PM
I gotta agree with Crow on the not-intelligence thing. Being so smart that everyone else around you seems like they're mentally retarded? I'd go nuts. Wisdom or Charisma would probably be my top 2 choices.

I dunno, Charisma would get me into and back out of a lot of trouble, whereas Wisdom would avoid it in the first place. Really, I think I'd have to consider how exciting I'd want my life to be first.

Edit: A drawback on the whole Con thing would be how slowly you heal. Sure you can take immense amounts of damage, but what if you only heal 1 or 2 HP a day?

Blaine.Bush
2010-02-12, 11:57 PM
I'm gonna agree with UglyPanda. Obviously, none of us know what being a super-genius is like, but why couldn't one just enjoy the simpler things? Their entire life doesn't need to revolve around sharing their ideas.

erikun
2010-02-13, 12:00 AM
Intelligence, then Wisdom. I'd like to think I'm both smart enough and wise enough to reason that the entire world isn't full of idiots in need of flocking, so I should hopefully withstand having an Intelligence around 100 points higher. Having +50 to all knowledge and crafting skills, thus making me a master craftsman at anything I care to learn, would be wonderful at finding work.

By contrast, +50 to all profession skills, along with goodies like survival, sense motive, and spot will serve me well in life. Taking a level in Monk would make surviving those theoretical assassination attempts much more viable.

I do, however, consider the best option that has been mentioned: split it between two ability scores. 60 INT and 60 WIS helps with the "insane from smarts" or "wise into catatonia" problems that everyone is assuming (I'm already a bit of a social recluse, so meh), and a +25 to all Intelligence and Wisdom skills is still enough to master just about anything I care to learn. Not to mention that, with 60 INT, I can learn just about anything I'd care to.

Crow
2010-02-13, 12:02 AM
Incidentally, she has, like, a 5 Cha.

It's horrific, and has a personality fabricated personality to match.

Well that is more what I thought Lurker's example represented. I hate that she is famous.


Why is it that you keep pushing this intelligence=isolation idea? Why can't the intelligent man just save humanity from a lab? No non-scientist actually knows what the majority of "famous scientists" look like. The intelligent guy can just blend in.

Why can't the smart guy just join a bowling league? Or play baseball? Or fish? Why does all of his happiness have to come from deep intellectual discussion?

Yes, he can go bowl or play baseball with all of the other retards. Seriously, how often do you go to the local community center to play checkers with mentally disabled children? What if the only social interaction you had was with mentally disabled children? Not to mention that every book ever written was penned by a dumbass.

*I would like to say that I am not trying to be derogatory in any way. I feel deeply for children with obstacles to learning, and for the parents and caretakers who dedicate their lives to caring for them. I would like to apolagize in advance if I may have offended anyone.*

Coplantor
2010-02-13, 12:03 AM
I would pick strenght, so I can beat the crap out of those who picked dexterity.

UglyPanda
2010-02-13, 12:09 AM
StuffWell, it makes them happy. Who says you can't be happy by making other people happy?

I personally think I make a lot of people around me upset. Being able to improve other people's lives permanently would make me very happy.

But, that's just how I'd be. What I'm upset about is that you're asserting that everyone in that position would go crazy. You might go crazy, but not everyone. Hell, even if it were an eventuality, being able to make everyone's life a better place would be worth nearly any amount of crazy in my opinion*.

'Sides, there is always Prozac. And sex. And simply working out can trigger the chemicals in your brain that make you feel less stressed.



*Bear in mind, this isn't necessarily altruism. I may simply have deep-seated emotional issues.

Demons_eye
2010-02-13, 12:14 AM
I would pick strength, so I can beat the crap out of those who picked dexterity.

At that point you still have to roll above a ten and if they picked up weapon finesse you are royal-y boned.

Dr.Epic
2010-02-13, 12:16 AM
Wouldn't it be 210 to get a +100 mod?

Yeah. My mistake. Change that to 210 ability score but the same thing goes: +100 to any check.

Coplantor
2010-02-13, 12:19 AM
At that point you still have to roll above a ten and if they picked up weapon finesse you are royal-y boned.

OP said that other game mechanics were not taken into account, only the stat you chose.
Sure, they'll win initiative, they will probably run, but I can always use thrown weapons.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-13, 12:25 AM
Can I have a +100 to my Craft (Reality with Willpower Alone) checks?

Or perhaps to any and all Luck rolls?

Dr.Epic
2010-02-13, 12:27 AM
He's my choices:

1st: Charisma: I can convince anyone of anything.
2nd: Dexterity*: You can't touch me and I'm super sneaky.
3rd: Constitution: I could take pretty much anything you dish out.
4th: Intelligence: To reiterate several post, I could solve many of the problems facing the world.
5th: Strength: For the ladies also it be super fun being able to juggle cars and such.
6th: Wisdom: It's not that useful without spells though I could hear/see anything coming.

*This might have to be first if I can get weapon finesse and uncanny dodge.

Xzeno
2010-02-13, 12:29 AM
My first instinct would be to take charisma, because I routinely point out the cha is the most important stat in real life. I then realize that with the possibility of such power, picking charisma would be selfish and short sighted. My two choices are int and wis, now. I'm not sure which I would pick. If I was wiser, I might know how to save the world (if you will), but if I was smarter, I might be able to do it.

I'd be afraid to pick int because I don't want to lose touch with reality and I couldn't trust myself with that kind of power. Besides, I might not want to learn the world's awful truths.
I'd be afraid to pick wis because I wouldn't want to realize that I should have picked intelligence.

Demons_eye
2010-02-13, 12:35 AM
OP said that other game mechanics were not taken into account, only the stat you chose.
Sure, they'll win initiative, they will probably run, but I can always use thrown weapons.


You wouldn't be able to cast spells or have class features from D&D (unless there's actually a way to acquire them in real life).


1. You just used initiative when, by you logic, would not be there also thrown weapons.

2. He said class features so feats and skills are in.

If a dex person wanted to kill you they could hide in your shadow and slit your throat. At lest that's how I would do it.

Edit: That's not counting guns and other fun ranged weapons.

golentan
2010-02-13, 12:42 AM
I'd like to point out that it's US with these ungodly high stats. Forget weapon finesse, pick up an assault rifle.

Dr.Epic
2010-02-13, 12:46 AM
I'd like to point out that it's US with these ungodly high stats. Forget weapon finesse, pick up an assault rifle.

Right except my body comes with a free pair of hands and you suggestion means getting an assault rifle as well as ammo. I'm not saying it's a dumb idea. I'm just saying fists are something you will always have on you.

Coplantor
2010-02-13, 12:47 AM
1. You just used initiative when, by you logic, would not be there also thrown weapons.

2. He said class features so feats and skills are in.

If a dex person wanted to kill you they could hide in your shadow and slit your throat. At lest that's how I would do it.

Edit: That's not counting guns and other fun ranged weapons.

But first they shouldbe able to catch me!A nd I can climb and jump a lot!

Can I punch the bullets?

Demons_eye
2010-02-13, 12:51 AM
Right except my body comes with a free pair of hands and you suggestion means getting an assault rifle as well as ammo. I'm not saying it's a dumb idea. I'm just saying fists are something you will always have on you.

Some one wants a word with you. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullseye_%28comics%29)

And this guy disagrees (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Hook)

Vizzerdrix
2010-02-13, 01:24 AM
Str, so I could pull cars in half and fly.

A person needs to be able to lift 10-15 times their own weight to get proper lift by flapping of the arms. Well according to my sources Maxim Magazine

absolmorph
2010-02-13, 01:27 AM
I'd go for intelligence. Sure, I might go crazy, but I would also be able to fulfill every single dream I've had involving technology.
Lightsaber? Check.
Faster-than-light travel? Check.
Artificial intelligence? Check.
Control over said AI? Check.
Laser weapons? Check.
Infinite energy? Check.
A method to preserve my mind past my death? Check.
Cure for cancer? Check.
Create a new universe? Possible, but I wouldn't do it until the current one was gonna go poof.
The possibilities are limitless. I would shake the world from my laptop.
Oh, and using my brain as a computer? Check.
I'd go crazy for that. Especially since, once I create AI, I would be able to create intelligence equal to mine.

Pechvarry
2010-02-13, 01:30 AM
All these Int haters seem to be forgetting a fella by the name of Iron Man. Mr. "I can copy just about any other superhero's abilities given some time. And make myself into a cyborg, apparently." Yeah, his last name is 2 sentences long. weird.

Not to mention Reed Richard's "I can use math to see the future!" routine. Which, itself, is a rip-off of an Isaac Asimov concept (combining psychology and heavy mathematics to a sufficiently large population to predict the future of nations).

golentan
2010-02-13, 01:33 AM
I'd go for intelligence. Sure, I might go crazy, but I would also be able to fulfill every single dream I've had involving technology.
Lightsaber? Check.
Faster-than-light travel? Check.
Artificial intelligence? Check.
Control over said AI? Check.
Laser weapons? Check.
Infinite energy? Check.
A method to preserve my mind past my death? Check.
Cure for cancer? Check.
Create a new universe? Possible, but I wouldn't do it until the current one was gonna go poof.
The possibilities are limitless. I would shake the world from my laptop.
Oh, and using my brain as a computer? Check.
I'd go crazy for that. Especially since, once I create AI, I would be able to create intelligence equal to mine.

Assuming, of course, that any of those things are possible, starting from existing technology and physical laws.

Same goes for Iron Man. Let's not forget he has an apparently limitless energy source embedded in his chest.

Coplantor
2010-02-13, 01:42 AM
All these Int haters seem to be forgetting a fella by the name of Iron Man. Mr. "I can copy just about any other superhero's abilities given some time. And make myself into a cyborg, apparently." Yeah, his last name is 2 sentences long. weird.

Not to mention Reed Richard's "I can use math to see the future!" routine. Which, itself, is a rip-off of an Isaac Asimov concept (combining psychology and heavy mathematics to a sufficiently large population to predict the future of nations).

And dont forgetabout the god damned batman!

CockroachTeaParty
2010-02-13, 01:46 AM
Strength, baby. Then, I could finally emulate my idol, George Washington, and throw a knife into heaven, kick people apart, have a pocket full of horses, etc. I'd get a wig for my wig.

taltamir
2010-02-13, 01:51 AM
intelligence!
Then I could invent super technology like nanobots that will give me arbitrarily high scores in whatever I want :P
I'd ascent into godhood.

Quietus
2010-02-13, 01:53 AM
Assuming, of course, that any of those things are possible, starting from existing technology and physical laws.

Same goes for Iron Man. Let's not forget he has an apparently limitless energy source embedded in his chest.

I think with an int of... 110? 210? You could probably create a limitless energy source pretty quickly.

golentan
2010-02-13, 01:58 AM
I think with an int of... 110? 210? You could probably create a limitless energy source pretty quickly.

Sure, I'll wait while you rewrite the Law of Conservation of Energy.

I can see power requirements for most of those things being met. But FTL, for example, conservatively requires the sort of power you get with a 100% efficient conversion of Jupiter to energy. That's a big honking annie plant we're talking.

Still, can you imagine what you could do with a craft skill of +100? Epic...

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-13, 02:01 AM
Sure, I'll wait while you rewrite the Law of Conservation of Energy.

I can see power requirements for most of those things being met. But FTL, for example, conservatively requires the sort of power you get with a 100% efficient conversion of Jupiter to energy. That's a big honking annie plant we're talking.

Still, can you imagine what you could do with a craft skill of +100? Epic...You wouldn't necessarily have to move the object faster than light. Just the space that it's in.

Or you need to bypass space somehow.

Or turn the object into something other than an object, if only temporarily.

taltamir
2010-02-13, 02:01 AM
+100 Str would mean that your own body would tear itself apart, as it's not advisable to put that much physical stress on your skeletal system (nor on your circulatory system). You'd have to have a considerable Con for that much Strength.
Presumably, you would get free "companion powers"... aka, your skeleton and other systems will be capable of supporting said strength.
But unless you become bullet immune then it really doesn't matter. You can lift as much as a large vehicle, big woop. STR has been obsolete for hundreds of years.


+100 Dex wouldn't really be that useful. You'd be crazy-flexible, and you'd be good at accuracy-related games, but that's about it.
Be the best sniper ever. the uber sniper... still, i'd pass.


+100 Con wouldn't extend your lifespan (barring severe injuries, which you really shouldn't expose yourself to), though this would be the best candidate out of the physical scores, for sure.
Well, that depends on the interpretation of the rules in terms of what makes you die (ageless characters die when their "time is up" via pretty much magic in DND). But even if it doesn't extend your lifespan, it can save your life and save you from dying young... it is also useful if your goal is to have as many children as possible.
You can also take hundreds of stab wounds before being killed, and heal really fast.
Overall the best physical stat by far, but physical stats suck.

+100 Int would, as was mentioned, probably drive you crazy, as you'd be alienated to the point of solitude, due to nobody on earth having the mental capacity to understand 90% of your ideas.


+100 Wis would drive you to distraction, as you could see, hear, and feel everything around you (even that fly buzzing 100 ft away, outside your house), and you couldn't turn it off. You'd be like Daredevil, having to sleep in an utterly soundproof room, where every sense you had was dampened.
Meh, I already feel that way. Every day in my life is like being the guy from "idiocracy". and there are many others... I really should join mensa already.
Anyways, with int 110 you will find it much easier to ascent, create the tech singularity, clone yourself (thus have clone/children who are your mental equals), etc.
Best choice by far.


+100 Cha would end with the entire world stalking you, and you'd probably be assassinated by some crazy lunatic who felt, 'if I can't have him, no one can!' Which would be bad.
You can convince anyone of everything you desire. making an impossible trade like a castle for a piece of string is like +20 to difficulty check on opposed roll. have +100 bonus means you always win, period.
You will rule the world. And you could then organize massive teams of researches to develop super tech for your ascension.
Overall, also an amazing choice, and for those afraid of "being too smart" this is the safest one.

absolmorph
2010-02-13, 02:02 AM
Assuming, of course, that any of those things are possible, starting from existing technology and physical laws.

Same goes for Iron Man. Let's not forget he has an apparently limitless energy source embedded in his chest.
As Vaarsuvius has pointed out (using magic, but this is beyond DEITY-LEVEL intelligence), with sufficiently high Intelligence you can tell the laws of physics to shut up and sit down while you do what you want.


Sure, I'll wait while you rewrite the Law of Conservation of Energy.

I can see power requirements for most of those things being met. But FTL, for example, conservatively requires the sort of power you get with a 100% efficient conversion of Jupiter to energy. That's a big honking annie plant we're talking.

Still, can you imagine what you could do with a craft skill of +100? Epic...
Emphasis mine.
People don't seem to understand that with +100 Int, even at level 1 you're getting into EPIC LEVEL SKILL CHECKS.
Of course, most Int-based skills don't have them, but whatever. You know everything, ever, can make anything, ever, and can basically do any mental work far more effectively than anyone.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-13, 02:10 AM
If I had to add +100 to anything (or +200 on a stat), I'd likely choose Cha, actually. I could make the people of the world conform to anything I wanted, just by broadcasting on television. And I could then use that power to stop some of the senseless crap people do to make the world horrible. Like overpopulation (convince people to stop having children). Mass starvation (lower populations on a global scale, and take from Overabundance and Wasteland and send it to Too Poor to Eatville). Public education for everybody (based on actual, y'know, science and knowledge). I'd convince the pharmaceutical companies to actually start getting cures developed and marketed, rather than just treatments (because, seriously, why cure something and get paid once when you can get paid to treat someone for the rest of their lives?). I'd convince the drug lords to stop, the slavers in South Africa to stop doing the blood diamond thing, and shut down the cigarette companies. Not to mention develop environmentally friendly alternative energy sources (Big Oil can go hang). Racism, sexism, gay bashing, and so on, would need to stop. And it'd be nice if greed weren't the overarching concern of various parties, both private and public (you know who you are!).

Might take away certain freedoms (should someone have the freedom to screw others over for their own avarice? Really?), but it'd give a lot more freebies overall if someone had the power to put a stop to some of that crap.

PhoenixRivers
2010-02-13, 02:12 AM
Int.

Basically the question is...

Str: Fragile Hulk
Dex: Better than Bruce Lee Martial Artist (but 20's still always hit you)
Con: Ultimate world class endurance runner
Int: Tony Stark (Ironman)
Wis: Sage of some sort (plus you'd rock at professions)
Cha: Mental Manipulator

Honestly? It disturbs me how many people would choose to bend others to their will, and deny free will.

I'd personally go with Intelligence, as gadgetry can emulate most stats.

Str? Pneumatics/Electronics (Power suit, of sorts)
Con? Heavy duty ablative armor, Assisted armor (Power Suit)
Dex? Neural communication, computer assisted motion (built into a power suit)
Wis? Eh, that one's hard.
Cha? Mind-control drugs for personal interaction, PR assistants for mass media.

There's a reason Batman would beat superman, and Joker is considered one of the most dangerous villains alive. They're both geniuses.

golentan
2010-02-13, 02:34 AM
You wouldn't necessarily have to move the object faster than light. Just the space that it's in.

Or you need to bypass space somehow.

Or turn the object into something other than an object, if only temporarily.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of.

Space bending (up in media discussions recently): Jupiter mass-energy equivalence.

Human sized wormhole stable long enough to pass through: Jupiter mass energy equivalence.

absolmorph
2010-02-13, 03:25 AM
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of.

Space bending (up in media discussions recently): Jupiter mass-energy equivalence.

Human sized wormhole stable long enough to pass through: Jupiter mass energy equivalence.
That's why infinite energy comes first.

Cespenar
2010-02-13, 03:58 AM
If you somehow gain a single rank in Autohypnosis (learn to meditate?), Wisdom gains a whole bunch of new stuff to do with a high score like that.

Soonerdj
2010-02-13, 04:16 AM
I'd go for Wisdom...

Then train as a mentalist to be able to use Auto hypnosis skill.
With this one skill I can memorize anything, grant myself 110 temp points a day, gain Dr/2, Resist poison and fear and dying.

Other good ones are...

Heal: Perfect Recovery gives you the ability to cause 6 people to gain hit points in an hour like they would gain with a week of full care or 14-21 hit points which is more than enough to take anyone from -9 to full in an hour. Plus making anyone to poisons and disease would be sick.

Listen: Fun cheese like being able to understand perfectly what is said over 900 ft. away or you can hear whispering people through two walls 500 ft away. And with the AutoHyp you can remember all of it.

Sense Motive: In addition to bluffs you can detect surface thoughts at will. Also discern full alignment.

Assuming I was a level one commoner with 10 int I'd put my one rank Profession: Gambler and use my detect surface thoughts to read their minds.

Spot: Read lips and see 1000 feet. And beat disguise and such.

Survival: Predict the weather up to 18 days in advance and go any place that you have seen once.

Dr.Epic
2010-02-13, 05:51 AM
There's a reason Batman would beat superman, and Joker is considered one of the most dangerous villains alive. They're both geniuses.

Charisma is an aspect of you mental power. Are you saying people who are charismatic aren't geniuses?

PhoenixRivers
2010-02-13, 05:58 AM
Charisma is an aspect of you mental power. Are you saying people who are charismatic aren't geniuses?

If we're defining "genius" as an intellectual giant, then yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.

Intelligent people (geniuses) make bombs, guns, and death rays.
They then hand them over to their Wise boss.
He then hands them over to his charismatic leader.

"Genius" isn't always all it's cracked up to be.

Seffbasilisk
2010-02-13, 06:07 AM
I would definitely not choose Int. I already have a hard enough time dumbing down my concepts for my 'peers'. I can only imagine the nightmare of dating when I'm that much smarter than her.

If I was wise I'd choose Wisdom. Focus my writing, help me with discipline, increase senses constantly, be far more in-tune....

Not mention Healing, Profession, Survival, and that whole pesky unlock my Godhood bit.

If I was prideful? Strength or Dexterity. A number of friend groups I'm in, I'm the strongest. It is a beautiful feeling, I really need to work out more. Dexterity? Well, throwing knives have this sweet moment of satisfaction when they stick just right...and hell, imagine the BALANCE checks, if nothing else.


I suppose the biggest thing I could do to emulate it, if I couldn't unlock the Godhood myself, would be the Charisma boost. As that'd be constant, unlike my...rather sporadic bursts. Shock trooper fanatics are generally a good card to hold.

BobVosh
2010-02-13, 06:54 AM
Int, build tech, etc.
Then cha, make friends etc.
Then dex, do silly things etc.

Heliomance
2010-02-13, 07:24 AM
Quite possibly Dex, just for the Epic balance checks. I can walk on water, and if I get lucky I can fly!

Narazil
2010-02-13, 07:27 AM
Quite possibly Dex, just for the Epic balance checks. I can walk on water, and if I get lucky I can fly!
Balance DC of a cloud is 120. :smallamused:

Innis Cabal
2010-02-13, 07:29 AM
Balance DC of a cloud is 120. :smallamused:

To bad you won't be able to breath.

Heliomance
2010-02-13, 07:35 AM
Balance DC of a cloud is 120. :smallamused:

No, balance DC for a cloud is 100. Balance DC for thin air is 120. Which with a +100 to balance, especially if you have a few ranks, is doable if you get lucky.

ScIaDrd
2010-02-13, 07:51 AM
Wisdom without any question. I´v always been a sucker for Wis with my base score equivalent to 7:smalleek:. Yeah sucks. Or better yet can I get a five way split of +20 to everything except sternght?(Iin which i have the equivalent of a pretty reasonable 12-13 anways.) Yay balance:smallbiggrin:

Malacode
2010-02-13, 08:00 AM
Wisdom, always and forever wisdom. Then I'd use that wisdom to piss off my Buddhist buddies by becoming enlightened :smalltongue:.

Maybe Int, but I'm happy with my 16 Int for now :smallbiggrin:

Noble Savant
2010-02-13, 08:16 AM
I think that with enough wisdom you could meditate and figure out the meaning of existence. With that kind of information, immortality is only a small step away.

Perhaps I will merge with the universe and become a god-like being within the minds of all sentient being. Something cool is bound to happen.

V for Victory
2010-02-13, 08:24 AM
Strength.

Imagine this: your walking down the street and all of a sudden I THROW THE STREET AT YOUR FACE!

PhoenixRivers
2010-02-13, 08:34 AM
Strength.

Imagine this: your walking down the street and all of a sudden I THROW THE STREET AT YOUR FACE!

Dexterity.

Imagine this: You start to pick up the street, and get shot. Don't you wish you had Con now?

GolemsVoice
2010-02-13, 08:41 AM
Well, it's still better to have 200 HP and heal 1 or two points a day, than to have 10 and heal 1 or 2 a day.

I'd too go with Charisma, assuming that higher stats ONLY mean higher boni (so none of that "your body tears itself apart" nonsense). I'd ahve a force of personality big enough to blow apart concrete, and people would probably feel a strange sense of extasy months before I decide to visit their country. I mean, a score of 100 means you're GOD. 20 is good, very good, you're 5 times as good. Gods in D&D have stats in the 40s. You're still more than twice as good as them. The people WILL love you, they maybe couldn't really explain why if you're a jerk, but they will still love you.

Optimystik
2010-02-13, 08:44 AM
No, balance DC for a cloud is 100. Balance DC for thin air is 120. Which with a +100 to balance, especially if you have a few ranks, is doable if you get lucky.

Just take 10, and run across the sky at your leisure.

Exeson
2010-02-13, 08:44 AM
Dex. Why?

I'm already smart and fairly wise, I'm perfectly secure in the idea that I can make a good living for myself in the future. I'm already pretty strong so I'm not too fussed about that. Dex would be so fun, My balance would be very good, meaning I'm faster, I could do loads of cool acrobatics, my agility would be through the roof which would mean I could fulfill my dream of fighting judo at an international level and I would be a great archer.

Foryn Gilnith
2010-02-13, 09:27 AM
Strength: Not much about this is good except for the lolz.
Dexterity: More utility than strength, but still mostly for the lolz.
Constitution: Damn useful.
Intelligence: I'd probably go mad. All the mental stats would involve a profound change to your identity (my personality, as-is, could not accomodate 210 Cha/Int without stretching) - and I don't trust my mental stability to accomodate that.
Wisdom: The result of this would depend heavily on what the truth of the universe is. In any case, I'd consider this - sure, my mind would be blown, but my newfound Wisdom would allow me to bear it.
Charisma: I'd probably go mad. All the mental stats would involve a profound change to your identity (my personality, as-is, could not accomodate 210 Cha/Int without stretching) - and I don't trust my mental stability to accomodate that.

So, in order of preference: Wisdom (to fulfill my curiosity about the world), Constitution (endurance is damn nice), Dexterity, Strength, Intelligence/Charisma. Int/Cha might do something nice for me; but I'm too scared to try.

AstralFire
2010-02-13, 09:34 AM
Charisma.

My profession is writer. I'm pretty sure all of the arts fall under Charisma. This is a no-brainer.

UglyPanda
2010-02-13, 11:56 AM
Charisma.

My profession is writer. I'm pretty sure all of the arts fall under Charisma. This is a no-brainer.Actually, writing, painting, etc. are Int.

Craft (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/datafind/skills/craft.shtml) skill, scroll down to art.

The only artistic abilities requiring Cha are those which require performances. In other words, writing a song requires Int, performing the same song requires Cha.

Overshee
2010-02-13, 12:01 PM
For the first time in my life I'm working with people smarter than me (I just got an internship at a research lab), and I kinda miss being the smartest guy on the block (a lot of it comes from the fact that the most work I've done in Biology was my AP Bio class last year but still). With a +100 in Int, I can't even imagine how much good I could do for the world.

PhoenixRivers
2010-02-13, 12:01 PM
Intelligence: I'd probably go mad. All the mental stats would involve a profound change to your identity (my personality, as-is, could not accomodate 210 Cha/Int without stretching) - and I don't trust my mental stability to accomodate that.

Charisma: I'd probably go mad. All the mental stats would involve a profound change to your identity (my personality, as-is, could not accomodate 210 Cha/Int without stretching) - and I don't trust my mental stability to accomodate that.

So, in order of preference: Wisdom (to fulfill my curiosity about the world), Constitution (endurance is damn nice), Dexterity, Strength, Intelligence/Charisma. Int/Cha might do something nice for me; but I'm too scared to try.

I'd assume that mental stability falls under the same fiat as physical stability. Otherwise, the first time you tried to use your phenomenal Str or Dex, your body would rip itself apart.

So too with the mental stats.

Still, nicely thought out.

Harperfan7
2010-02-13, 12:20 PM
I'd go for intelligence.

Yeah, 100 dexterity would be amazing, but I've got good dexterity already, and having better dexterity wouldn't make me much happier.

100 wisdom would make you the ultimate go-to guy (understatement), but I think eventually you would wish for higher intelligence.

100 charisma would get very tiring, very fast and you would begin to hate humanity.

So I would go with intelligence. Intelligence is the key to the universe. If there's a problem, screw vanilla ice, you'd solve it. If I had +100 intelligence, humanity would be on Mars tommorrow.

It's not literally this simple, but whatever you wanted could be yours. If there was something about the world you didn't like, you could change it.

(if it were a question of +10 to an ability score, I would pick charisma)

term1nally s1ck
2010-02-13, 12:30 PM
Dex or Cha.

Cha, and I can do a lot of things, including effectively casting 'suggestion', Find any piece of information out every without raising suspicion, and make an entire crowd love me by playing the armpit trumpet.

Dex, and I can stand on water, or on a cloud if I try often enough, squeeze through a letterbox, be completely undetectable due to hide/move silently, Make someone next to me disappear, Ignore falling damage (DC 100 tumble check), or animate a Rope.

I kinda like dex, actually...

Frozen_Feet
2010-02-13, 12:36 PM
Having any ability that far past human limits would be awesome. Strenght? Swim across oceans, climb to the highest mountains and jump so far you can practically fly. Dexterity? Walk on water, fall from orbit without dying, become invisible, squeeze trough cracks in walls. Constitution? Perfect health till you die from old age, no matter how crazy life you lead. Intelligence? Omniscience. Wisdom? Clairsentience and ability to defy death by willpower alone. Charisma? Unite mankind under your iron rule.

Overall, I'd pick wisdom. Just look what you can fool yourself to do with that modifier. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/skills/autohypnosis.htm) From physical stats, I'd pick strenght. I'd be unstoppable!

Eloel
2010-02-13, 12:38 PM
Easy question right there. Cha.

Next...

Siegel
2010-02-13, 12:53 PM
Wisdom - make me buddah because buddah was allways happy

PirateMonk
2010-02-13, 01:01 PM
With no negative consequences, Intelligence for SCIENCE! or Charisma for benevolent world domination. With negative consequences but also required secondary superpowers, anything mental sounds insanity-inducing, while strength would be very destructive, so probably Dexterity for skills. Without required secondary superpowers, Constitution is probably safest.

Kaerou
2010-02-13, 01:11 PM
I'm tempted to say intelligence, but I wouldnt want to end up a changed person.. all Vulcan logic or whatever. Might take all the fun out of life.

Wisdom? Same thing.

Charisma is the most useful in real life. Experience has taught me that those with the gift of the gab get further. You could probably get whatever job you wanted.

Strength would be useless as in real life, there would come a point where your muscles and bones couldnt handle the weight you can lift or strike with.

Dexterity or constitution are probably the best picks. Constitution is essentially a clean bill of health all your life, dexterity means you'd be like.. a ninja.

Maybe a straight skill.. Knowledge (Biology) could be used to keep clean health if you had access to a lab. You could breeze a doctorate and land yourself a job in research or medicine, cure any disease you put your mind to and maybe make yourself some kind of super soldier serum.

Tiki Snakes
2010-02-13, 01:23 PM
Intelligence. You still have your wisdom and charisma, so you won't get any less wise or any more anti-social, but you will become intelligent enough to figure out pretty much anything you want to.

Charisma would be the last I'd choose, actually. Being that charismatic would be terrible, how would you ever know if someone liked you for who you really are, when you know full well you can pretty much talk anyone you want into anything you want. You can have anything, so suddenly nothing has any value.

Anyone here played Fable, or Fable 2? You enjoy being mobbed by sycophantic nobodies clamouring for your attention, babbling on endlessly about stuff that you aren't remotely interested in?
Discussing your outfit, demanding wedding rings, audibly basking in your radiance...all the time you're in the town areas of the game?

Not to mention, beloved people have died at the hands of people who generally love them now and then, after all. That's down in the teens and low twenties of charisma. You're telling me that a man with 100+ mod on his Charisma score is going to be safe doing anything, ever?

Crow
2010-02-13, 02:10 PM
For the first time in my life I'm working with people smarter than me (I just got an internship at a research lab), and I kinda miss being the smartest guy on the block (a lot of it comes from the fact that the most work I've done in Biology was my AP Bio class last year but still).

It sounds like you have just gotten "Guitar Hero'd".

It's the same situation as when a person enjoys being the strongest or fastest person within their social circle, but when they get outside of that circle and meet people who really are strong and fast, the individual realizes that he was never as strong or fast as he thought.

The terminology comes from the game of the same name. Once you start playing guitar hero on 'hard', you start to think you're pretty good, until you head over to your buddy's house and he is playing on expert and you can't keep up.

It is actually a great situation to be in, because having superior peers pushes you to go harder in whatever your discipline is, which in turn causes you to progress further than you would if you were always training with people who were 'slower' than you.

Congrats on the job man! Just imagine a few years down the road when a guy just like you is going to show up to 'your' lab, and think of the strides that new guy is going to make in his new environment.

Frozen_Feet
2010-02-13, 02:15 PM
To you people who diss strenght, you aren't thinking it trough - mundane physical capability is very useful in everyday life. Without secondary superpowers, you'd still be as strong as a human can, and even that enables some ridiculous feats. With secondary superpowers, you could change the freakin' landscape. If that isn't cool, what is?

Overshee
2010-02-13, 02:20 PM
It sounds like you have just gotten "Guitar Hero'd".

It's the same situation as when a person enjoys being the strongest or fastest person within their social circle, but when they get outside of that circle and meet people who really are strong and fast, the individual realizes that he was never as strong or fast as he thought.

The terminology comes from the game of the same name. Once you start playing guitar hero on 'hard', you start to think you're pretty good, until you head over to your buddy's house and he is playing on expert and you can't keep up.

It is actually a great situation to be in, because having superior peers pushes you to go harder in whatever your discipline is, which in turn causes you to progress further than you would if you were always training with people who were 'slower' than you.

Congrats on the job man! Just imagine a few years down the road when a guy just like you is going to show up to 'your' lab, and think of the strides that new guy is going to make in his new environment.

Oh working at a world renowned lab is fantastic! I'm super lucky to have gotten the job but suddenly I'm out of high school surrounded by people who are either smarter than me or have more schooling or both and it's intimidating (I am learning a hell of a lot though).

Anyways, definitely intelligence. I'd honestly think I'd become a 'bad' person if I had +100 cha.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-13, 02:21 PM
I'd go for intelligence.

Yeah, 100 200 dexterity would be amazing, but I've got good dexterity already, and having better dexterity wouldn't make me much happier.

100 200 wisdom would make you the ultimate go-to guy (understatement), but I think eventually you would wish for higher intelligence.

100 200 charisma would get very tiring, very fast and you would begin to hate humanity.

So I would go with intelligence. Intelligence is the key to the universe. If there's a problem, screw vanilla ice, you'd solve it. If I had +100 +200 intelligence, humanity would be on Mars tommorrow.

It's not literally this simple, but whatever you wanted could be yours. If there was something about the world you didn't like, you could change it.

(if it were a question of +10 to an ability score, I would pick charisma)Fixed.


screw vanilla iceThat's where Frostburn comes in.


Oh working at a world renowned lab is fantastic! I'm super lucky to have gotten the job but suddenly I'm out of high school surrounded by people who are either smarter than me or have more schooling or both and it's intimidating (I am learning a hell of a lot though).Just let us know when you get bitten by a radioactive spider manatee.

absolmorph
2010-02-13, 02:43 PM
To you people who diss strenght, you aren't thinking it trough - mundane physical capability is very useful in everyday life. Without secondary superpowers, you'd still be as strong as a human can, and even that enables some ridiculous feats. With secondary superpowers, you could change the freakin' landscape. If that isn't cool, what is?
You have fun with your insanely powerful muscles that would require extreme control to be usable in most situations.
I'll make a suit of power armor. Oh, and I think I'll add in wings. And eventually make it small enough I can wear normal clothes over it with not issues.
With a high enough Int, you can be a wizard WITHOUT MAGIC.

Overshee
2010-02-13, 02:44 PM
Just let us know when you get bitten by a radioactive spider manatee.

More likely it'd be a mouse, but I mostly deal with dead ones and we don't do anything with radiation or isotopes in our lab, so as cool as "Mouseman" would be I don't think it will happen.

Frozen_Feet
2010-02-13, 02:57 PM
You have fun with your insanely powerful muscles that would require extreme control to be usable in most situations.
I don't really get or agree with the idea that becoming strong would remove my existing ability to use my strenght on the level I'm used to. Usually, it takes effort and control the get everything out of your body, not the other way around. So I hold that if I suddenly got out-of-the-wazoo-strenght, I'd be able to retain my everyday utility; beyond that, it would be a matter of learning. I don't know of you, but I can imagine many situations where even a little more strenght would be of good use.



With a high enough Int, you can be a wizard WITHOUT MAGIC.
With what resources? It's a long way from having a bright ideas to implementing them. Even omniscience in otherwise human body doesn't guarantee you can do everything - on the contrary, you could quickly realize that most of really awesome stuff would still be out of grasp.

Note though, that I'm not arguing that strenght is the coolest ability - as I said before, my first pick would be wisdom. I'm just arguing that it isn't useless, like some here claim.

RS14
2010-02-13, 02:59 PM
I gotta agree with Crow on the not-intelligence thing. Being so smart that everyone else around you seems like they're mentally retarded? I'd go nuts. Wisdom or Charisma would probably be my top 2 choices.


I think that both Wisdom and Charisma would produce the same result, though. Do you really want to live surrounded by obvious liars with no common sense? Or aware that you can manipulate anyone--even your family and closest friends--into any action?

Eloel
2010-02-13, 03:03 PM
Do you really want to live surrounded by obvious liars with no common sense?
That's how we all live anyway, why bother?

Or aware that you can manipulate anyone--even your family and closest friends--into any action?
YES!

Frozen_Feet
2010-02-13, 03:05 PM
I think that both Wisdom and Charisma would produce the same result, though. Do you really want to live surrounded by obvious liars with no common sense? Or aware that you can manipulate anyone--even your family and closest friends--into any action?
With wisdom comes heroic willpower... so with supreme wisdom, yes you could. If we are to derive meaning from the ability scores, we can't forget what they mean within the system they're used.


It's the same situation as when a person enjoys being the strongest or fastest person within their social circle, but when they get outside of that circle and meet people who really are strong and fast, the individual realizes that he was never as strong or fast as he thought.
That's why I hold that it's often foolish to compare oneself to others - there's bound to be someone better. Comparing one's current self to past self is usually better, as it tells without doubt whether or not you've advanced.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-13, 03:07 PM
Or aware that you can manipulate anyone--even your family and closest friends--into any action?It's not manipulation if all I do is ask nicely.

Wouldn't you like to stop murder etc by just asking people not to and appealing to their better natures?

SaintRidley
2010-02-13, 03:44 PM
To only one score? Intelligence, no questions asked.

If I could split it? Intelligence, Wisdom, and Dexterity in an even split.

I'd be the best fencer ever.

absolmorph
2010-02-13, 03:45 PM
I don't really get or agree with the idea that becoming strong would remove my existing ability to use my strenght on the level I'm used to. Usually, it takes effort and control the get everything out of your body, not the other way around. So I hold that if I suddenly got out-of-the-wazoo-strenght, I'd be able to retain my everyday utility; beyond that, it would be a matter of learning. I don't know of you, but I can imagine many situations where even a little more strenght would be of good use.

It wouldn't remove existing control, but the control you have is for a relatively minute amount of strength. Any action you make would have an effect 100 times as powerful. If this strength was from birth and grew as if it were normal strength (as in, you're just as strong compared to the end result at all points in you life), control would likely stop being an issue when you're very young.
However, if the strength was gained after reaching adulthood, it would be a major issue. Because you would have to get used to the fact that you flicking someone is as effective as someone else punching them. And that you need to turn doorknobs gently, or you might rip them out of the door.


With what resources? It's a long way from having a bright ideas to implementing them. Even omniscience in otherwise human body doesn't guarantee you can do everything - on the contrary, you could quickly realize that most of really awesome stuff would still be out of grasp.

Note though, that I'm not arguing that strenght is the coolest ability - as I said before, my first pick would be wisdom. I'm just arguing that it isn't useless, like some here claim.
If I don't have the resources, I'll figure out a way to get them legally with my massive intellect.
Like, for example, combining various chemicals to create a necessary part of an invention. Or combining metals to create the alloy I need.
When you have that much brain power, it's more a matter of how long it takes to get the supplies than how to get them. Starting with, say, $1000.
Think up something that would cost up to $500 to make from scratch and would be a new invention. Make a proto-type, sell it to a company. Repeat as necessary. Once you have enough money, start making the really cool stuff and get the patent for yourself. Start production when you have enough money (possibly from allowing companies to use your plans to create them).
You end up with all the money you need, and likely government help.

randomhero00
2010-02-13, 03:53 PM
Tough call, any of the mental abilities would be great.

Wisdom and charisma would almost feel like cheating though, so unless you can be more specific on how this stat magically gets raised...intelligence. Naw screw it, charisma; jedi mind tricks here I come ;)

I'm assuming I can purposefully tone it down though and that my friends will still treat me relatively normally and not get all sex crazed on me (hey, you *can* purposefully fail rolls.)

Intell would be nice, but its been shown that after a certain degree intelligence usefulness drops off. And after all, all I'd really get is a cool job inventing things...something I can already get, just not as smart obviously. Plus it could be dangerous, the things I could invent. Woops...created a black hole on earth...sorry... *woosh*

Wisdom is the best answer, but that really does feel like cheating. Life is about learning, and auto winning on wisdom would almost take the meaning of life out of things. Might make me super depressed. So charisma it is!

Bibliomancer
2010-02-13, 04:00 PM
Intell would be nice, but its been shown that after a certain degree intelligence usefulness drops off. And after all, all I'd really get is a cool job inventing things...something I can already get, just not as smart obviously. Plus it could be dangerous, the things I could invent. Woops...created a black hole on earth...sorry... *woosh*

Good thing I invented a second planet and a teleportation device last Thursday. Now to rebuild the human race with a few...improvements.[/obligatory $6000000 Man reference]


Wisdom is the best answer, but that really does feel like cheating. Life is about learning, and auto winning on wisdom would almost take the meaning of life out of things. Might make me super depressed. So charisma it is!

Actually, with a wisdom score that high, you'd probably enter depression and then go out the other side. Repeat several 42 times, and you'd be able to...something. Maybe start an enlightenment shop.

Personally, I'd go for intelligence, because one could then invent whatever one wanted, including people to which to talk.

Fluffles
2010-02-13, 04:27 PM
20 each into Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha :)

faceroll
2010-02-13, 04:29 PM
An ability score of 110 gives you +50, not +100. Formula for bonuses from ability scores is (score-10)/2

Bibliomancer
2010-02-13, 04:39 PM
An ability score of 110 gives you +50, not +100. Formula for bonuses from ability scores is (score-10)/2

The OP specified that the bonus was +100. Yes, their math was incorrect for their initial offhand number.

That said, which score would you boost?

faceroll
2010-02-13, 04:52 PM
The OP specified that the bonus was +100. Yes, their math was incorrect for their initial offhand number.

That said, which score would you boost?

Charisma, because then I could at least hide what a freak I was. Leading a double life (or triple or quadruple) would be very easy. Any other ability score that high above human ability would lead to a life of isolation.

Frozen_Feet
2010-02-13, 04:54 PM
It wouldn't remove existing control, but the control you have is for a relatively minute amount of strength. Any action you make would have an effect 100 times as powerful.

This is exactly what I don't get. Why would I suddenly be exterting that extra strenght unconsciously? Why do you assume that I wouldn't feel the difference to the amount of strenght I used before? That's effectively assuming that I suddenly go numb from extra power - I can as well assume my senses stay within normal human boundaries and alert me when I'm going overboard, and it would require effort on my part to apply that extra strenght.

Also, learning body control in asulthood isn't very diffucult. I've seen adults well past my age improve their control and reflexes notably within span of weeks - and I'm still young. Within a month or two, I'd be functional, in a year, I'd start putting it to use and during my lifetime I'm sure I'd get the most out of it

Crow
2010-02-13, 04:57 PM
It wouldn't remove existing control, but the control you have is for a relatively minute amount of strength. Any action you make would have an effect 100 times as powerful. If this strength was from birth and grew as if it were normal strength (as in, you're just as strong compared to the end result at all points in you life), control would likely stop being an issue when you're very young.
However, if the strength was gained after reaching adulthood, it would be a major issue. Because you would have to get used to the fact that you flicking someone is as effective as someone else punching them. And that you need to turn doorknobs gently, or you might rip them out of the door.

I'm sorry, but you are so wrong it is not even funny anymore.

There is no evidence whatsoever that supports what you are saying. I know people who can snatch 330 lbs overhead, but that does not mean that they automatically throw 90 mph fastballs to their children when they play catch with them in the backyard.

Even with a sudden gain in strength, your body would adapt very quickly (like in a matter of minutes). Go to the gym and do some weighted pull-ups with about 50lbs hanging from you. Go until failure, and then drop the weight and do some unweighted pull-ups. You will find that those unweighted pull-ups seem to launch you through the ceiling.

But now rest for five minutes, and do another set of unwieghted pull-ups. You will find that you are no longer launching yourself through the roof. Your body has adapted to use only the strength required to the task. Just because your body is *capable* of doing bodyweight+50 pull-ups, does not mean it is automatically going to exert at that capacity.

UglyPanda
2010-02-13, 05:00 PM
Can we just add a little line to the initial question that says "You do not receive any downsides directly caused by your choice."?

Bibliomancer
2010-02-13, 05:03 PM
Can we just add a little line to the initial question that says "You do not receive any downsides directly caused by your choice."?

Then definitely Intelligence. You just gave me protection from my ninja time-traveling robot army of Batmans.

Lysander
2010-02-13, 05:15 PM
Can we just add a little line to the initial question that says "You do not receive any downsides directly caused by your choice."?

I assumed that from the start. I'm baffled by the whole "that high a STR score would make your body explode" meme in this thread. STR isn't a pure measure you muscle strength. It's a measure of how good you are at doing anything related to physical strength. You don't have to make fortitude checks to avoid getting bruised when you make a STR check to force open a door, being that tough is part of STR.

As for my choice, I'd take WIS. You know why? Profession checks. I could instantly become a master in every field in the world. Why bother using mind-control with charisma when I could instead make amazingly high Profession Politician checks? I'd rather actually have good ideas about what to do then poorly manage an army of loyal fanatics.

Prime32
2010-02-13, 05:20 PM
I'd personally go with Intelligence, as gadgetry can emulate most stats.

Str? Pneumatics/Electronics (Power suit, of sorts)
Con? Heavy duty ablative armor, Assisted armor (Power Suit)
Dex? Neural communication, computer assisted motion (built into a power suit)
Wis? Eh, that one's hard.
Cha? Mind-control drugs for personal interaction, PR assistants for mass media.This.

Screw "resources", with high enough intelligence you can pull off Amadeus-Cho (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeus_Cho)-on-drugs stuff and throw a toothpick at a guy in such the right way that it starts a chain reaction that converts him into a fully-equipped research lab.

GenPol
2010-02-13, 05:30 PM
Hmm, I think I'd take Charisma. Dexterity, Strength, and Constitution are what you get if you just work out. Intelligence can be raised as well, but Charisma is something that you are born with, and I can't really think of a way to raise that. By getting 110 Charisma, you could probably convince people to give you money, so you could basically spend all day improving your other scores, or doing whatever the hell you want.

Wisdom I would be careful about magically changing, just because I think it is more or less who you are, and I would be careful, at least, about changing that.

Volkov
2010-02-13, 05:32 PM
I'd split it evenly among the scores. I'd essentially become the perfect human being. Sure I would not be able to match any of you in your individual strengths, but I can make up for it in other areas. Otherwise, Intelligence all the way. My sheer mental prowess would be so vast that I'd be able to compete with Marvin the android.

faceroll
2010-02-13, 05:46 PM
I assumed that from the start. I'm baffled by the whole "that high a STR score would make your body explode" meme in this thread. STR isn't a pure measure you muscle strength. It's a measure of how good you are at doing anything related to physical strength. You don't have to make fortitude checks to avoid getting bruised when you make a STR check to force open a door, being that tough is part of STR.

Nerd bigotry is my guess. Look at all the int wank. Int still isn't going to pick up chicks. I guess you could always build yourself a bunch of robots.


As for my choice, I'd take WIS. You know why? Profession checks. I could instantly become a master in every field in the world. Why bother using mind-control with charisma when I could instead make amazingly high Profession Politician checks? I'd rather actually have good ideas about what to do then poorly manage an army of loyal fanatics.

Even the slimiest of politicians won't escape the purging fires of Revolution.


This.

Screw "resources", with high enough intelligence you can pull off Amadeus-Cho (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeus_Cho)-on-drugs stuff and throw a toothpick at a guy in such the right way that it starts a chain reaction that converts him into a fully-equipped research lab.

Uh, I'm pretty sure all the int in the world won't help you break physical laws.

Interestingly, craft is an int based skill, when most of the stuff that has to do with using your hands is dex or wisdom based. A robot without an int score can make a circuit board, but Stephen Hawking couldn't wire an AC motor to save his life.

Overshee
2010-02-13, 05:46 PM
I'd split it evenly among the scores. I'd essentially become the perfect human being. Sure I would not be able to match any of you in your individual strengths, but I can make up for it in other areas. Otherwise, Intelligence all the way. My sheer mental prowess would be so vast that I'd be able to compete with Marvin the android.

http://www.brainthesizeofaplanet.net/ :smallwink:

UglyPanda
2010-02-13, 06:06 PM
Why are people assuming that other people are getting these boons in this hypothetical?

You get a stat of 210. The question wasn't "You and eight other people who hate your guts get a stat of 210".

randomhero00
2010-02-13, 06:29 PM
I disagree, about the intelligence +100 mod letting you invent anything. The problem with that is you might have an idea on how to invent nearly anything, but you wouldn't have the resources/time/money/scale for such stuff. You'd be limited by the decade you were in. You can only leap ahead so far with current technology.

And you can only do so much by yourself. So you either A) have to do dumber things that you can delegate the menial labor to people or B) focus on like only 1 project that's going to take 20 years...have fun with that...plus first you have to find the money (not hard with int mod of 100 but again, gonna take time) by the time you invent anything super cool, you'll have used up half your life. During which time you'll have made no new friends, or had much fun, etc. That's assuming B, if you go A, then go back to my original post about not being much better than normal current day inventors.

EDIT plus, even tho you learn super fast, again, there's that time component. You want to do stuff that's never been done before there's a ton of time involved in trial and error. It has nothing to do with intelligence. There are hard coded limits so to speak in what you're able to accomplish.

Foryn Gilnith
2010-02-13, 07:24 PM
Why are people assuming that other people are getting these boons in this hypothetical?

Who made that assumption? Didn't notice those posts.


Can we just add a little line to the initial question that says "You do not receive any downsides directly caused by your choice."?

That would simply be unrealistic. High intelligence will do bad things to my mind. I don't know about you (well, actually, I do, since you said you could handle it), but mental trauma (or, rather, amplification of existing trauma) will ensue. It's a fundamental part of it as much as longevity is a fundamental part of high Con.

The "strength is even more useless because you'll kill yourself using it" is BS, though, IMO. If your muscles can have 210 Str your bones can too.

UglyPanda
2010-02-13, 07:30 PM
That would simply be unrealistic. High intelligence will do bad things to my mind. I don't know about you (well, actually, I do, since you said you could handle it), but mental trauma (or, rather, amplification of existing trauma) will ensue. It's a fundamental part of it as much as longevity is a fundamental part of high Con.It's not physically possible for humans to have +100s to stuff. Epic escape artist requires you to have bones made of putty. A strength of 210 means you can carry 17000 tons as a light load. Nothing about this hypothetical was realistic to begin with. The hypothetical situation is pretty much just plain magic. You might as well just hand wave it.

The thread is becoming "Magical stats which will never happen and have no basis in reality don't work that way!".

Foryn Gilnith
2010-02-13, 07:41 PM
You might as well just hand wave it.

I cannot go against what is in my heart.

drengnikrafe
2010-02-13, 07:42 PM
I place a much lower value on physical stats than mental ones. Sure, if I had an insane strength I could lift large buildings without breaking a sweat. If I had the incredible dexterity I could probably effectively teleport with how quickly I could sprint. If I had the awesome constitution, I could probably get a tommy gun clip emptied into me, and laugh at it.
I don't want any of that. Sure, it would be cool, but I don't feel like it would make that much of a difference in the world.
So, with an +100 intelligence, I could probably learn everything in the entire world. Pretty quickly, too. The problem is, even though that's one of my (unrealistic) goals... it's limited. With a +100 charisma, I could be the world's most popular person. I'd be rated The World's sexiest man every year until the day I die (maybe?). I could be a star actor. That would be awesome. Also, my entire life would (effectively, in my eyes) become a lie. I don't care about that stuff. That leaves wisdom.
As much as the negative ramifications of a 210 wisdom could really hurt me, some things would never run out.

In the real world, I really like my (something above average) intelligence. Without thinking about it, I would instantly suggest I would take the intelligence. When I truly consider it... I come right back to wisdom.
If I could split it 50/50 between Int and Wis I would. If I could split it 10/45/45 (Dex, Int, Wis), I would do that too. Of the physical stats, I care about dex most. If I had only one, Wisdom.
Sorry for repeating myself. I was typing this stream of thought style.

Samb
2010-02-14, 11:10 AM
INT is more a processing power thing. You get things faster than others, you can make abstractions easier, things click faster. It doesn't make you more knowledgable (though it helps a bunch).

I'm a physician and I deal with people less intelligent than me all the time. I consider myself rather sane and I don't hate my patients' lack processing power. I find it very pompous that everyone assumes intelligent people hate others.

That being said I would go CHR. I would have vastly improved bed side manner, I get promoted to any position I want, published on pure force of personality, convince my wife that a harem is good, for her.

term1nally s1ck
2010-02-14, 11:13 AM
With +100 Cha, you could bluff the laws of physics into doing something else for a while...I'm going with Cha.

THE_BIG_CHEESE
2010-02-14, 11:37 AM
I would just like to say that it seems as though many are going under the idea that totally upping one score craps on the others, when it doesn't. You're still an average human being, average social capabilities, tolerance to substances and wounds, etc, just ludicrous in one particular thing. Personally I too would go with intelligence, massive skill points, smart enough to do just about anything, and as one person pointed out, likely smart enough to find ways to artificially enhance all of your other ability scores.

Flarp
2010-02-14, 11:42 AM
Int, obviously. You get everything else through skills.

Think about it - put one point into every knowledge skill worth doing so, getting a +100 ability bonus for "natural talent". Bam, you know close to everything.

Then dump the remaining ~380 points into diplomacy. Sure, you might not be good looking, but now you have the main benefit of Cha!

Honestly, diplomacy only really needs 75, given how low diplomacy DCs are. With a diplomacy modifier of 75, you could seriously bring about world peace. Or, start a global thermonuclear war. And, as a psychotic halfling once said, that would just be too funny not to try.

That gives you... 305 points to distribute as you wish. You'll suck in general physical areas, but jumping, swimming? Hell, spotting, listening, hiding?

You can make up ANY ability wish enough skill points.

Heliomance
2010-02-14, 12:04 PM
You're still only level 1, maybe 2. How are you getting 380 ranks in diplomacy?

Volkov
2010-02-14, 12:06 PM
You're still only level 1, maybe 2. How are you getting 380 ranks in diplomacy?

You get 4x skill points at level one.

lord_khaine
2010-02-14, 12:12 PM
Nerd bigotry is my guess. Look at all the int wank. Int still isn't going to pick up chicks. I guess you could always build yourself a bunch of robots.


Sure it will, you just have to invest 10-15 skillpoints in diplomacy, and you are set.


Even the slimiest of politicians won't escape the purging fires of Revolution.


Slime is a defensive trait, and with enough of it you can end up as the Hero of the Revolution.


Uh, I'm pretty sure all the int in the world won't help you break physical laws.

Interestingly, craft is an int based skill, when most of the stuff that has to do with using your hands is dex or wisdom based. A robot without an int score can make a circuit board, but Stephen Hawking couldn't wire an AC motor to save his life.

Its true int wont allow you to change the laws of nature, but it might very well allow you to create a paradime shift where you redefine the laws of nature.

Emmerask
2010-02-14, 12:13 PM
EDIT plus, even tho you learn super fast, again, there's that time component. You want to do stuff that's never been done before there's a ton of time involved in trial and error. It has nothing to do with intelligence. There are hard coded limits so to speak in what you're able to accomplish.

Well with such superhuman intelligence I´m pretty sure you could run all those trial and error tests in your mind and thousands of them simultaneously the practical part is limited sure but the practical application others can do based on your theories.

So yes I would go with the intelligence 110 ^^

Samb
2010-02-14, 12:14 PM
Int, obviously. You get everything else through skills.
.....
Then dump the remaining ~380 points into diplomacy. Sure, you might not be good looking, but now you have the main benefit of Cha!

expect for the obvious fact that you can't have more skill ranks than CL+3 for each skill. So you just end up with a bunch of skill ranks that go wasted. So your assessment is inaccurate to say the least.

absolmorph
2010-02-14, 12:18 PM
Who made that assumption? Didn't notice those posts.



That would simply be unrealistic. High intelligence will do bad things to my mind. I don't know about you (well, actually, I do, since you said you could handle it), but mental trauma (or, rather, amplification of existing trauma) will ensue. It's a fundamental part of it as much as longevity is a fundamental part of high Con.

The "strength is even more useless because you'll kill yourself using it" is BS, though, IMO. If your muscles can have 210 Str your bones can too.
To achieve +100 strength (lifting 17000 tons, for example), your muscles would need to be so large they would actually hinder your efforts. As in, they would weigh more than they can lift.
The only possible way to achieve a +100 bonus in Str is magic that prevents the negative side effects.
Since you're making this assumption for Str, I'll make it for Int, which means that while I will know pretty much everything, I'll still stay sane.
Oh, and if you're the smartest and richest man in the world (and, lets face it, if you can create anything, it'll happen), you don't NEED Cha to pick up chicks.

On the subject of not having the technology necessary to create things:
That's why you create designs (AT LEAST) for everything you need that isn't around, starting from the most basic things and moving up until you're creating designs for reality-bending machines.
You don't go from modern day to super-sci-fi in a couple days. It would take at least a decade or two total just to make all the stuff.


You get 4x skill points at level one.
But only a max of 4 ranks in a skill.
So, you could have 103 (2 base+100 Int+1 Human) skills maxed out.
That's EVERY SINGLE SKILL EVER PUBLISHED.
And a ton of knowledge and craft skills.

Samb
2010-02-14, 12:33 PM
Nerd bigotry is my guess. Look at all the int wank. Int still isn't going to pick up chicks. I guess you could always build yourself a bunch of robots.
A bunch a robots..... I might jst change my vote to INT thanks to you. But the truth is women are attracted to talent, and having a stat of 210 makes you very talented indeed. CHR would make you a master pick up artist, but any stat that will still garantee a great deal of success when lookng for a mate.



Uh, I'm pretty sure all the int in the world won't help you break physical laws.

it could help you break our current concept of the laws of physics. You culd find a way so that energy isn't conserved, to stop entropy, to unify quantum and Newtonian physics.



A robot without an int score can make a circuit board, but Stephen Hawking couldn't wire an AC motor to save his life. I'm sure Hawkings could figure it out with little trouble. Unless his ALS prevents him from doing so. In which case it is very insensative of you to point that out.

Voldecanter
2010-02-14, 12:36 PM
I would defiantly choose intelligence , and if I was feeling secluded or isolated I would just think some Tulpas into existence that were my peers and we could have fun parties together . See , you don't have to go crazy with intelligence !

Foryn Gilnith
2010-02-14, 12:51 PM
A bunch a robots..... I might jst change my vote to INT thanks to you.

This is an unprecedented opportunity. You could unite the world under your peaceful rule, solve the deepest quandaries of philosophy, or advance technology a few hundred years. Your choice will massively shape the world. And you're going to make a decision because somebody used harsh language to attack a group you're not part of? Rather petty of you.

Samb
2010-02-14, 01:08 PM
This is an unprecedented opportunity. You could unite the world under your peaceful rule, solve the deepest quandaries of philosophy, or advance technology a few hundred years. Your choice will massively shape the world. And you're going to make a decision because somebody used harsh language to attack a group you're not part of? Rather petty of you.

Huh? Who used harsh language on me? I have no idea what you are talking about. Your whole post made no sense to me. Are you referring to INT or CHR (both could techanically do what you said)? Did I make decision? Who used harsh language on me? Who invite you? How am supposed to respond to your harsh language? Why should I bother?

Fix your post please.

Foryn Gilnith
2010-02-14, 01:10 PM
faceroll made the legitimate statement that certain people have been overzealous in their defense of choosing INT, albeit with grossly exaggerated language. You expressed disgust at his actions and stated that as a result of them, you would change your vote to INT. I expressed incredulity that you would make a decision solely based on the fact that somebody made a reference to sexbots.

Samb
2010-02-14, 01:26 PM
faceroll made the legitimate statement that certain people have been overzealous in their defense of choosing INT, albeit with grossly exaggerated language. You expressed disgust at his actions and stated that as a result of them, you would change your vote to INT. I expressed incredulity that you would make a decision solely based on the fact that somebody made a reference to sexbots.
first of all no need to insult sexbots. They provide a much needed service to guys everywhere. Second, get a sense of humor. Then Yu could tell the difference between a joke and a serious statement. Stop Being so uptght.

Crow
2010-02-14, 02:06 PM
To achieve +100 strength (lifting 17000 tons, for example), your muscles would need to be so large they would actually hinder your efforts. As in, they would weigh more than they can lift.

Your muscles wouldn't necessarily need to be large. They would need to be dense. That is why you see guys who weigh in at 165 with 8% bodyfat, who can put up the same weight as guys at 205 with 8% bodyfat. While it's not the norm, it is certainly possible.

Why would the muscle weigh more than they can lift? You don't see bodybuilders who are unable to sit up in bed because their "muscle is too heavy".

Johel
2010-02-14, 02:18 PM
first of all no need to insult sexbots. They provide a much needed service to guys everywhere. Second, get a sense of humor. Then Yu could tell the difference between a joke and a serious statement. Stop Being so uptght.

+1 for sexbots.

This being said, a man whose prime motivation to choose INT is to be able to build himself advanced sex dolls while he could accomplish far greater things with said INT, that man sure needs that INT boost in the first place... or rather, a WIS boost !!

...By the way, I think you guys just explained why most wizards aren't concerned with directly controlling the world : they know they could but it feels so much better to spend his days raping an enchanted piece of rubber. :smalltongue:

Crow
2010-02-14, 02:25 PM
...By the way, I think you guys just explained why most wizards aren't concerned with directly controlling the world : they know they could but it feels so much better to spend his days raping an enchanted piece of rubber. :smalltongue:

"She was leading me on!"

UglyPanda
2010-02-14, 02:26 PM
Math time! Please correct me if I'm wrong. I haven't done physics in a while.

t = mass of muscle needed to lift 1 ton
s = 17000*t = total mass of muscle needed to lift 17000 tons
v = volume of a bodybuilder
d = s/v = density

v is approximately 20 gallons, but we'll estimate high with 30 gallons.
s is the important part. We'll start by estimating very high with 20 pounds of muscle can lift 1 ton.
This leaves d at 1.1 x 10^4 lb/g.

11.750 lb/g is the average density of the sun.
125 lb/g is the average density of its core.

A non-magical man with 200 strength is practically nuclear and approaching a white dwarf.


I really just want the whole infeasibility issues handwaved.

Samb
2010-02-14, 02:30 PM
+1 for sexbots.

This being said, a man whose prime motivation to choose INT is to be able to build himself advanced sex dolls while he could accomplish far greater things with said INT, that man sure needs that INT boost in the first place... or rather, a WIS boost !!

...By the way, I think you guys just explained why most wizards aren't concerned with directly controlling the world : they know they could but it feels so much better to spend his days raping an enchanted piece of rubber. :smalltongue:

Sexbots with AI so advanced that they rebell, become the bene gesirit (or honored matres) and enslave us all, while acheiving technilogical singularity.

My goals are more small scale, and usually involves self promotion and self gratification, I'm not out to change the world, just make mine better. So for me, CHR would suit me better. If I had to pick INT, then I'm sure I would be just as well off but it would not be nealy as fun.

Any stat at 210 or 110 would be great, but if I had to pick? CHR all the way.

JoshuaZ
2010-02-14, 02:42 PM
Nerd bigotry is my guess. Look at all the int wank. Int still isn't going to pick up chicks. I guess you could always build yourself a bunch of robots.


Well, there are a lot of people in this thread who might not care about that. You're assuming that everyone in the thread is a het male. Moreover, even under that assumption, int might not help you pick up the many of the "chicks" but it really does help with certain classes of girls, dare I say it, the sort of girls that most nerds will do well with? Frankly, if someone doesn't find intelligence attractive, they probably aren't someone I'd want to date.

And even if you don't work that way, and still want a large pool to be your own, you can probably get a fair bit of power and money with a 100 int score. So um, yeah use that.

Now more seriously, I'm not sure that 100 int is inherently unreasonable. It is very hard to connect any specific stat to what it corresponds to in real life, and this is most the case with intelligence. Trying to measure or even define what we mean by degrees of intelligence is a very open issue. I'm not sure moreover that some really, really smart people might not already actually have an int score in this range. Say Terrence Tao or Steven Chu for examples. For what it is worth, both of them seem to get along in the real world just fine. The stereotype that ultra-smart= has trouble interacting with normals isn't that accurate.

Emmerask
2010-02-14, 02:57 PM
Well, there are a lot of people in this thread who might not care about that. You're assuming that everyone in the thread is a het male. Moreover, even under that assumption, int might not help you pick up the many of the "chicks" but it really does help with certain classes of girls, dare I say it, the sort of girls that most nerds will do well with? Frankly, if someone doesn't find intelligence attractive, they probably aren't someone I'd want to date.


I agree with that, although with 100 int you would probably be relatively uninterested in humans in general they are not even babies intellectually compared to such a being.



Now more seriously, I'm not sure that 100 int is inherently unreasonable. It is very hard to connect any specific stat to what it corresponds to in real life, and this is most the case with intelligence. Trying to measure or even define what we mean by degrees of intelligence is a very open issue. I'm not sure moreover that some really, really smart people might not already actually have an int score in this range. Say Terrence Tao or Steven Chu for examples. For what it is worth, both of them seem to get along in the real world just fine. The stereotype that ultra-smart= has trouble interacting with normals isn't that accurate.

Well by d&d logic 100 is godlike infact its better then most gods have
So we must assume that the avg intelligence is 10-14 and 20 or 21 is pretty much the maximum a normal human can have. So no it is completely unreasonable and we can not even fathom what a being with such intelligence/str cha or wisdom would be capable of.

My best bet for 100 charisma would be everyone who sees and interacts with you would see what a worthless being he is compared to you and would suicide on the spot or maybe would worship you as a god.

Frozen_Feet
2010-02-14, 03:04 PM
Now more seriously, I'm not sure that 100 int is inherently unreasonable. It is very hard to connect any specific stat to what it corresponds to in real life, and this is most the case with intelligence. Trying to measure or even define what we mean by degrees of intelligence is a very open issue.
My approach towards this was to simply look what a skill modifier past +100 would let you do under d20 epic rules. Honestly, it's all speculation, so why not use existing speculations as basis? Under epic rules with 210 INT, you could effortlessly dismantle complex mechanisms, forge documents you've never even seen, know the true value of an object by qlancing at it, and learning everything there is to know about a subject within very short timespans etc.

And as far as speculation goes, I'm amazed how so many people try their best to come up with negative sides for amazing superpowers. Cynism much?

Bibliomancer
2010-02-14, 03:26 PM
And as far as speculation goes, I'm amazed how so many people try their best to come up with negative sides for amazing superpowers. Cynism much?

Or envy or self-preservation.

A lot of the negative sides revolve around a normal person suddenly being granted the ability without many of the obvious benefits. In the case of Intelligence, a person with a +100 Int modifier could easily create androids that were able to hold stimulating and creative conversations with their creator.

JoshuaZ
2010-02-14, 03:50 PM
My approach towards this was to simply look what a skill modifier past +100 would let you do under d20 epic rules. Honestly, it's all speculation, so why not use existing speculations as basis? Under epic rules with 210 INT, you could effortlessly dismantle complex mechanisms, forge documents you've never even seen, know the true value of an object by qlancing at it, and learning everything there is to know about a subject within very short timespans etc.



Ok. That's a good point. Put that way, humans clearly don't have this level. Although I'm not sure where you getting the "know the true value of an object by qlancing at it" Epic Appraise doesn't let you reduce this to less than 1 minute anywhere I see.

We may be running into the issue also that some of the epic abilities are more or less just breaking the laws of physics. The forgery example seems to be the biggest one. But yes, if these things are even occasionally doable (let alone consistently doable) then real humans simply don't match that.

Iceforge
2010-02-14, 03:52 PM
Maybe I have just seen too much "House", but I keep thinking that if you had 110 con, it would suck to get an auto-immune disease

Samb
2010-02-14, 03:58 PM
Well, there are a lot of people in this thread who might not care about that. You're assuming that everyone in the thread is a het male.
Isn't that why we do anything at all?



And even if you don't work that way, and still want a large pool to be your own, you can probably get a fair bit of power and money with a 100 int score. So um, yeah use that.
I plan on it.


The stereotype that ultra-smart= has trouble interacting with normals isn't that accurate.
It might have something to do with the whole "I'm so smart already and I still can't stand people" outlook that has been expressed on this thread. Maybe you not liking people is the fact that you are antisocial, not smart?

JoshuaZ
2010-02-14, 03:58 PM
Maybe I have just seen too much "House", but I keep thinking that if you had 110 con, it would suck to get an auto-immune disease

There's an example somewhere in an official WoTC material about something that's autoimmune but still gets fort negates. I don't remember what it was. It may have been some monster triggering an allergic reaction. High con isn't just about having a good immune system and strong body, it apparently means you've got a really sensible immune system too.

absolmorph
2010-02-14, 05:16 PM
Your muscles wouldn't necessarily need to be large. They would need to be dense. That is why you see guys who weigh in at 165 with 8% bodyfat, who can put up the same weight as guys at 205 with 8% bodyfat. While it's not the norm, it is certainly possible.

Why would the muscle weigh more than they can lift? You don't see bodybuilders who are unable to sit up in bed because their "muscle is too heavy".
I'm trying to remember where I saw it... I may be incorrect, but my other points still stand.

That much strength could break your own bones, and if it doesn't, then the same protection against the negative effects should apply to Int. All of the stats would have massive benefits to go along with any possible downsides, but the only downsides that most people have brought up for Int and Wis are actually avoidable (it depends on personality, though). The logical downside for Str, on the other hand, requires specific countermeasures.
Dex doesn't have much that I can think of (I think of the Dex bonus to AC as dodging attacks, so if you've got really awesome Dex then you're crazy fast and flexible); the bonuses Con give are pretty logical, since it's an abstraction of your overall health; Cha is also simple, although the issue of the insane stalker-types who won't let anyone else have you may or may not apply.

I'm not saying that Str is a bad choice if the problems I pointed out are protected against; in fact, it's one of the most obviously useful stats in normal life. However, it's also entirely stuff that can be replicated with machines, which you can make with your massive Int.

If I had to choose only one score to put the bonus on, I'd choose Int. But if I had a bonus of +100, total, over all my stats, then I'd split it up more like this:

For the sake of demonstration of my views, I'll use a 2nd level Commoner with Able Learner, Commoner representing my own personal class .
Str 30 (+10), Dex 30 (+10), Con 30 (+10), Int 110 (+50), Wis 30 (+10), Cha 30 (+10)

Feats:
Able Learner (1st level)
Simple Weapon Proficiency (Human bonus)

Skills: (265 skill points; 53 skills maxed)
Appraise 5 (+55, +2 on electronics, machinery or architecture)
Balance 5 (+17)
Bluff 5 (+15)
Climb 5 (+15)
Concentration 5 (+15)
Craft (electronics) 5 (+55)
Craft (architecture) 5 (+55)
Craft (machinery) 5 (+55)
Decipher Script 5 (+55)
Diplomacy 5 (+19)
Disable Device 5 (+55)
Disguise 5 (+17)
Escape Artist 5 (+15)
Forgery 5 (+55)
Gather Information 5 (+15)
Hide 5 (+15)
Intimidate 5 (+17)
Jump 5 (+17)
Knowledge (algebra) 5 (+55)
Knowledge (physics) 5 (+55)
Knowledge (astronomy) 5 (+55)
Knowledge (geology) 5 (+55)
Knowledge (history) 5 (+55)
Knowledge (electronics) 5 (+55)
Knowledge (nature) 5 (+57)
Knowledge (architecture and engineering) 5 (+55)
Knowledge (calculus) 5 (+55)
Knowledge (trigonometry) 5 (+55)
Listen 5 (+15)
Move Silently 5 (+15)
Open Lock 5 (+15)
Ride 5 (+15)
Search 5 (+15)
Sense Motive 5 (+15)
Spot 5 (+15)
Survival 5 (+15)
Sleight of Hand 5 (+17)
Swim 5 (+15)
Tumble 5 (+15)
Use Rope 5 (+17)

That leaves 70 skill points (14 maxed skills) unused and available for languages, knowledge skills, craft skills or whatever skills might be necessary. I didn't give him any points in magic-related skills, either.
Assuming worst case, this character knows most stuff about everything. He'll be able to design new technology, figure out how to create the designs, and is also able to function very well in daily life. The average check on most Int skills is 65.

This character:
*Automatically detects magical auras on items
*Can create reliable forgeries without samples of similar documents
*Know most things about architecture, math, science, electronic devices, nature, history, and (using the extra points) pretty much anything you can think of.


I, personally, put the most worth on mental abilities. I see the benefits of other scores, but being insanely intelligent is something that I've always wanted.
I understand that other people would rather have other statistics higher than normal, but I don't like seeing false arguments used in an attempt to lower the value of a stat.

Woah, Wall of Text.

Thrawn183
2010-02-14, 05:39 PM
I think that both Wisdom and Charisma would produce the same result, though. Do you really want to live surrounded by obvious liars with no common sense? Or aware that you can manipulate anyone--even your family and closest friends--into any action?

Yeah I'm already fine on the whole manipulation front in my personal life so that's really not a big change. As far as lying goes? Not everybody lies about the big things, and why would you really care about the small stuff?

Mushroom Ninja
2010-02-14, 06:22 PM
Intelligence, no question. There's so much good that can be done with knowledge of everything.

absolmorph
2010-02-14, 06:41 PM
Intelligence, no question. There's so much good that can be done with knowledge of everything.
I've said that multiple times. A few people still don't believe me.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 06:44 PM
If I had to add +100 to anything (or +200 on a stat), I'd likely choose Cha, actually. I could make the people of the world conform to anything I wanted, just by broadcasting on television. And I could then use that power to stop some of the senseless crap people do to make the world horrible. Like overpopulation (convince people to stop having children). Mass starvation (lower populations on a global scale, and take from Overabundance and Wasteland and send it to Too Poor to Eatville). Public education for everybody (based on actual, y'know, science and knowledge). I'd convince the pharmaceutical companies to actually start getting cures developed and marketed, rather than just treatments (because, seriously, why cure something and get paid once when you can get paid to treat someone for the rest of their lives?). I'd convince the drug lords to stop, the slavers in South Africa to stop doing the blood diamond thing, and shut down the cigarette companies. Not to mention develop environmentally friendly alternative energy sources (Big Oil can go hang). Racism, sexism, gay bashing, and so on, would need to stop. And it'd be nice if greed weren't the overarching concern of various parties, both private and public (you know who you are!).

Might take away certain freedoms (should someone have the freedom to screw others over for their own avarice? Really?), but it'd give a lot more freebies overall if someone had the power to put a stop to some of that crap.

so... abolish free will and capitalism for a communist "utopia" with the government controlling everything, right down to what you eat and your breeding? (I would complain about the government banning smoking and "non green" technology but its nothing in comparison to the controls of food and breeding)

I somehow don't think it will be as "Utopian" as you think. In fact, I wouldn't want to live there.


Int.

Basically the question is...

Str: Fragile Hulk
Dex: Better than Bruce Lee Martial Artist (but 20's still always hit you)
Con: Ultimate world class endurance runner
Int: Tony Stark (Ironman)
Wis: Sage of some sort (plus you'd rock at professions)
Cha: Mental Manipulator

Honestly? It disturbs me how many people would choose to bend others to their will, and deny free will.

I'd personally go with Intelligence, as gadgetry can emulate most stats.

Str? Pneumatics/Electronics (Power suit, of sorts)
Con? Heavy duty ablative armor, Assisted armor (Power Suit)
Dex? Neural communication, computer assisted motion (built into a power suit)
Wis? Eh, that one's hard.
Cha? Mind-control drugs for personal interaction, PR assistants for mass media.

There's a reason Batman would beat superman, and Joker is considered one of the most dangerous villains alive. They're both geniuses.

wis = perceptions and profession and resistance to mind affecting magic... make yourself into a cyborg with the computor portion controling senses and knowing all professions.

faceroll
2010-02-14, 07:00 PM
Are any of you guys familiar with utilitarian theory? The idea is that there's a magical function out there, that with a big enough computer, you could make everyone as happy as possible. The problem, though, is that we don't have a big enough computer or know all the variables. With 210 wis or 210 int, it suddenly becomes a very real possibility to create an authoritarian system that everyone likes more than a liberal democracy.


I would just like to say that it seems as though many are going under the idea that totally upping one score craps on the others, when it doesn't. You're still an average human being, average social capabilities, tolerance to substances and wounds, etc, just ludicrous in one particular thing. Personally I too would go with intelligence, massive skill points, smart enough to do just about anything, and as one person pointed out, likely smart enough to find ways to artificially enhance all of your other ability scores.

No, it's the ramification of a high ability score without commensurate scores in other stats. Just because you have enough strength to punch through a brick wall doesn't mean you can do so without obliterating your fist and forearm. People with phenomenal strength can hurt themselves by pushing too hard. Running backs (football position) are known to literally run their legs out of their sockets when they get tackled. Can you imagine being so strong and determined that you start pulling your body in half?

210 int coupled with my 8 wisdom would lead to some phenomenally bad choices. If I uncovered any lurking horrors, I would rapidly lose san and go mad.

There's also the isolation that comes with being a freak, and that's what you would be. A freak.


Sure it will, you just have to invest 10-15 skillpoints in diplomacy, and you are set.

How are you getting all those levels?


Slime is a defensive trait, and with enough of it you can end up as the Hero of the Revolution.

Bureaucrats are among the first to be purged. Being the best makes you the biggest target.


Its true int wont allow you to change the laws of nature, but it might very well allow you to create a paradime shift where you redefine the laws of nature.

You still would not be able to "throw a toothpick just right" and get more energy than you put in.


expect for the obvious fact that you can't have more skill ranks than CL+3 for each skill. So you just end up with a bunch of skill ranks that go wasted. So your assessment is inaccurate to say the least.

Actually, you could invest them in tons of craft skills, and then now that you are talented in everything from construction of computers to airplanes to ships in bottles, you can build literally anything.


I'm sure Hawkings could figure it out with little trouble. Unless his ALS prevents him from doing so. In which case it is very insensative of you to point that out.

But also pertinent. Having 1 or 2 dex DOES limit your ability to do things, despite having an 18-20 int score. Just like having 10 dex might hinder your ability to do the stuff you think of with a 210 int.


Well, there are a lot of people in this thread who might not care about that. You're assuming that everyone in the thread is a het male. Moreover, even under that assumption, int might not help you pick up the many of the "chicks" but it really does help with certain classes of girls, dare I say it, the sort of girls that most nerds will do well with? Frankly, if someone doesn't find intelligence attractive, they probably aren't someone I'd want to date.

It was mostly tongue in cheek, braheim. But with +100 to charisma checks, you can get away with anything, with anyone. You can date as many women as you want, any way you want. You can date nerd girls, famous girls, crazy chicks, fat chicks, hot chicks, dumb chicks, all at once. You could get them to all come over an party. You ever see those Axe deoderant commercials? It's be like that, but more so.


For what it is worth, both of them seem to get along in the real world just fine. The stereotype that ultra-smart= has trouble interacting with normals isn't that accurate.

I think a better example would be that huge blue guy on Watchmen. You would just have a hard time relating to people. Everyone would suddenly seem like mentally handicapped children, concerned with trivial and meaningless crap.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-14, 07:21 PM
so... abolish free will and capitalism for a communist "utopia" with the government controlling everything, right down to what you eat and your breeding? (I would complain about the government banning smoking and "non green" technology but its nothing in comparison to the controls of food and breeding)

I somehow don't think it will be as "Utopian" as you think. In fact, I wouldn't want to live there.So, it would be horrible if I went on a worldwide television broadcast, asked everyone to start using condoms and to stop torturing and killing fellow humans, to send surplus food to starving areas, and to to try to conserve natural resources?

Because that's all I said I'd want to do.

Yeah, really horrific.

Crow
2010-02-14, 07:21 PM
Why does everyone assume that high dexterity makes you super fast? It's strength and power that make you fast. There is a reason that olympic sprinters and decathletes are strong as hell you know.

faceroll
2010-02-14, 07:25 PM
Why does everyone assume that high dexterity makes you super fast? It's strength and power that make you fast. There is a reason that olympic sprinters and decathletes are strong as hell you know.

Dex dictates initiative and adds to your AC. So yeah, you would move fast enough to get out of the way of bullets.

Crow
2010-02-14, 07:25 PM
send surplus food to starving areas

Well that one really is bad. Surplus food should be preserved for times when your area which normally produces well experiences famine or natural disaster. Look at a lot of the aid which has gone to Africa over the past couple decades as an example. UN supplies come in and camps get set up in famished areas. The birth rates skyrocket around the camps, and when the aid dries up the area has a greater population than even the re-established farming can maintain.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 07:32 PM
So, it would be horrible if I went on a worldwide television broadcast, asked everyone to start using condoms and to stop torturing and killing fellow humans, to send surplus food to starving areas, and to to try to conserve natural resources?

Because that's all I said I'd want to do.

Yeah, really horrific.

ah... you assume:
1. that we are overpopulating.
2. that such overpopulation is accidental (unless you mean "ask" people to no longer WANT children; the chinese government tells people to have 1 child; i am sure you heard how well that works).
3. that food isn't delivered to the starving due to malice or greed.

The problem with delivering food to starving people from surplus nations is that food doesn't magically teleport across country borders. You need people and machinery to process it, trucks and boats and fuel and people to transport it, and people and infrastructure to distribute it. all of that has to be done quickly before it perishes, and the people who do it must be compensated for their time and effort or THEY will end up starving.
Beyond all that, countries with starvation typically have political issues, so free food being delivered there is being capture and destroyed by local warlords.

You need people with free time, you need equipment and vehicles, and you need lots and lots of fossil fuels.

Lastly, due to food aid to africa, all african farmers have gone backrupt, because "free food" or "locally grown food for money", everyone chooses the free food. With the local farmers going bankrupt, starvation WORSENS and dependency grows, and they require even more food then ever.
If you want to help them then you send them farming equipment, not food, and money to subsidize local farming, again, not food.
problem is, farming equipment requires fossil fuels, maintainence, spare parts, etc... and they need better irrigation, etc..
the bottom line is, that sending food over makes starvation worse because it destroys the local economy and farming. Where you need to actually build up their economy and infrustructure so that they could produce their own food via modern farming. Oh, and as a cherry on the top of the cake of suck, lack of modern farming means more slash and burn... so more rainforests are destroyed and burned to further fuel subsistence farming.
and lack of modern chemical fertilizers also means that land deteriorates quickly, again calling for slash and burn.

Good intentions of "food for all by the government" isn't enough... check out the great leap forward:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Leap_Forward
china decided to do just that and the result was total destruction of the economy and 20-43 million people dead of starvation.

Fiery Diamond
2010-02-14, 07:49 PM
Well, if we're going with the +100 (which means score of 210), then I'd say I certainly would prefer to spread it out evenly among all six stats; I'd still have superhuman stats and would be much better balanced.

If we're going with the +50 (score 110) then I'd rather spread it out evenly among my mental stats.

Having just one score pumped would suck, in my opinion.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 07:58 PM
Well, if we're going with the +100 (which means score of 210), then I'd say I certainly would prefer to spread it out evenly among all six stats; I'd still have superhuman stats and would be much better balanced.

If we're going with the +50 (score 110) then I'd rather spread it out evenly among my mental stats.

Having just one score pumped would suck, in my opinion.

frankly, even with +a billion distributed as I SEE FIT! I would dump dex and str (as in, a score of 8). and put a minimal amount in cha.
STR is obsolete. A strength of one billion or a similar dex will not help you against a virus, a bomb, or a bullet. nor will they earn you much money.
A high con, wis, and int would be nice though. Immunity to all disease with perfect health and ability to soak damage (it takes 50 bullets to kill me! I heal from 49 bullet wounds in a week), and insane wisdom and intelligence (the wisdom could keep me sane and prevent me from making really bad choices with my high int)

TheLogman
2010-02-14, 08:07 PM
Wisdom, no question.

Superior memory, better perceptions so I don't have to look for lost stuff as hard, and a massive bonus to Profession means that I can be perfect at any job I try.

Plus I'd be a lie detector.

And I could survive happily and healthily in the Arctic Tundra. With a Wisdom of 100, I have enough bonuses to, if I take 20 on my Survival check, move at full speed, provide food and water for 10 people, and completely ignore the cold, wind, and anything else. Plus I would become a human compass to any place I've been a few times. Which is nice, because I'm lost a lot.

If I could somehow get training in Autohypnosis, that kind of bonus from Wisdom would let me memorize whole books with ease, ignore most diseases and poisons with my MIND, resist DEATH ITSELF, and even give myself NONMAGICAL DAMAGE REDUCTION. Plus, I can give myself 60 Temporary Hit Points a Day that have no time limit unless I get hurt. In which case I can restore once per day anyway. This is one of the biggest bonuses, since in this world where almost everyone is a commoner or expert or at best a warrior or fighter, the most Hit Points anyone has is like...30? For a level 5 Fighter? Maybe 45 if they have a good Constitution?

Oh, plus, with a Survival Check that high, forget the 5-day weather forecast, I can make an 8-day weather forecast with no errors every single day.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 08:41 PM
memory is based off of intelligence, not wisdom. It is explicitly stated in the description of the stats, and also the knowledge skills are all intelligence based.

wisdom does grant a bunch of the other bonuses you described though... which are admittedly COOL bonuses, but whats the point? inuits can provide for themselves in the arctic without a +100 bonus. and being a living compass or weather station is just duplicating already existing things... forgot 8 day perfect prediction, I have a desktop gaget that gives me 4 day "fairly accurate" predictions. I will gain NOTHING upgrading it to 8 days, perfect, and "intuition based vs internet based"

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=compass&x=0&y=0
A compass, under 10$. what a waste of +100 bonus. that is even WORSE then the STR bonus... because at least a +100 str person is the world formost athelete and is a billionere. (and can certainly afford a 10$ compass)

Crow
2010-02-14, 08:51 PM
This thread got me thinking about how all the people I know in real life who say they "don't value strength", don't have it.

I wonder how many people who say things like "strength is obsolete" don't have it either. Really if humans really do have qualities which we can define in 6 different characteristics, it would be a real fool who thinks that they can "dump" one at the expense of another, because that part is "obsolete". Imbalance in yourself invariably leads to imbalance in life. Why live your entire life having disdained a 6th of what it means to be a human being?

I see so many people out there who say that they are so much smarter and more skilled than everyone around them. Are you really? How would you know? Has highly valuing one aspect of your life over another really made you so superior to other men? How many "strength is obsolete" guys out there would really love something like power-lifting or parkour if they just got over themselves and opened their minds a little?

I can't help but remember that old maxim, that those who like to brag about how intelligent they are, usually aren't.

TheLogman
2010-02-14, 09:20 PM
memory is based off of intelligence, not wisdom. It is explicitly stated in the description of the stats, and also the knowledge skills are all intelligence based.

wisdom does grant a bunch of the other bonuses you described though... which are admittedly COOL bonuses, but whats the point? inuits can provide for themselves in the arctic without a +100 bonus. and being a living compass or weather station is just duplicating already existing things... forgot 8 day perfect prediction, I have a desktop gaget that gives me 4 day "fairly accurate" predictions. I will gain NOTHING upgrading it to 8 days, perfect, and "intuition based vs internet based"

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=compass&x=0&y=0
A compass, under 10$. what a waste of +100 bonus. that is even WORSE then the STR bonus... because at least a +100 str person is the world formost athelete and is a billionere. (and can certainly afford a 10$ compass)

The Autohypnosis skill is the only documentation I've seen of a skill actually having any numerical effect on memory (a d20 check allows memorization of 800 words), and it's based on Wisdom. Plus, at the point I'm at right now in my life, it would be nice to have a handful of ranks in Knowledge, but having Infinity bonus to all knowledge skills isn't going to help me a ton in the real world. Right now, I'd rather know HOW to do something rather than knowing ABOUT it.

Example: I'd rather have Infinity bonus in "Profession: Doctor or Profession: Lawyer" since that's what determines effectiveness in the workplace than infinity bonus in "Knowledge: Chemistry" or "Knowledge: Law", which although nice provide no actual bonus to a given job, and would probably lead you into sounding like a know-it-all, especially since you would be.

Plus, the best effect from +100 Wisdom is the bonuses to perception. Massive Bonuses to Listen and Spot would probably make living a lot easier and perhaps more enjoyable.

The side bonuses of having more durability than any given normal person, memorization, resistance/immunity to disease and poison, a near perfect sense of internal direction, the ability to feed myself for a day with 2-3 minutes worth of work scavenging on a brisk commute, unerring weather prediction, and the ability to be a human lie detector and discern alignment without anyone noticing I was doing it are all just great bonuses.

Honestly, I just think that Wisdom is the most practical choice. Makes living a normal live a thousand times easier, draws little attention to myself, and gives me a handful of nice tricks thanks to Autohypnosis letting my Wisdom score very nearly act as my Constitution. Plus, if I get bored, I can just get my own show on the Discovery Channel where I go to crazy places with no food, water, or supplies and last for years with no adverse effects.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 09:45 PM
This thread got me thinking about how all the people I know in real life who say they "don't value strength", don't have it.

I am actually very strong, very fast, and also tall (6 foot 3 inches = 190.5 centimeters).
none of it is of any value in the modern world. our natural abilities are completely obsolete, I rarely if ever need to use my strength, and when I do, my knowledge of physics gets better results (leverage, etc).
Its not that I wish I didn't have strength, its just that I realize its note of practical use anymore.

Strength is obsolete because being big and strong is BAD when combat is waged via guns and tanks and airplanes. You want to be small, light, fast, and accurate. Me being strong doesn't allow me "shake off" a bullet or a taser. The assumption that I say it is obsolete because I DO NOT have it and am somehow "jealous" is ludicrous.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 09:53 PM
The Autohypnosis skill is the only documentation I've seen of a skill actually having any numerical effect on memory (a d20 check allows memorization of 800 words), and it's based on Wisdom.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/knowledge.htm
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/thebasics.htm


Intelligence (Int)
Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons. This ability is important for wizards because it affects how many spells they can cast, how hard their spells are to resist, and how powerful their spells can be. It’s also important for any character who wants to have a wide assortment of skills.


Wisdom (Wis)
Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, perception, and intuition. While Intelligence represents one’s ability to analyze information, Wisdom represents being in tune with and aware of one’s surroundings. Wisdom is the most important ability for clerics and druids, and it is also important for paladins and rangers. If you want your character to have acute senses, put a high score in Wisdom. Every creature has a Wisdom score.

so technically, neither attribute explicitly contributes to memory. the question is: are "knowledge and skill points" an indication of being based on memory. Or are "professions" based on memory? I would say it can go either way.


Plus, the best effect from +100 Wisdom is the bonuses to perception. Massive Bonuses to Listen and Spot would probably make living a lot easier and perhaps more enjoyable.
Or drive you to claw out your own eyes and rend your eardrums so that you no longer hear and see EVERYTHING within several square miles.

Yzzyx
2010-02-14, 09:55 PM
1. Intelligence

2. Wisdom

3. Charisma

4. Dexterity

5. Constitution

6. Strength

Intelligence is in the lead by far, though, and even allowed to split the points among stats I would probably put every single point into it. As my reasons are mostly similar to those already mentioned (and I'm lazy) I'm not going to list them.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 09:58 PM
btw, has anyone else noticed how ugly people get when you can see very very well? I hate wearing my glasses because without them everyone is 2 points hotter (on a 10 point scale).

Crow
2010-02-14, 10:03 PM
Strength is obsolete because being big and strong is BAD when combat is waged via guns and tanks and airplanes. You want to be small, light, fast, and accurate. Me being strong doesn't allow me "shake off" a bullet or a taser. The assumption that I say it is obsolete because I DO NOT have it and am somehow "jealous" is ludicrous.

Well first of all, you need to relax and realize that not every comment is directed personally to you. Trust me, it isn't.

Secondly, if you think strength has no value in modern warfare, you know less about it than you think. The difference in size between someone that is 5' foot 5", 150lbs, and someone that is 6' foot 6", 245lbs, is negligable to a marksman at the ranges that engagements commonly occur (greater than 100 yards). More likely, your use of proper cover and concealment will be of more use to you. Being light is going to be difficult when you have a 70lb ruck that you are hiking through the mountains with. In fact, you're really going to with you had more strength than you do, even if you're already pretty strong. Once you dump that pack and start fighting, you're still wearing nearly 50 lbs of kit, maybe more. Being fast is all about strength. There is no magical "flexibility = fast". In fact, it is "Power = Fast". Being powerful is being able to apply the greatest amount of strength in the shortest amount of time. Without strength, you're not going to be fast. Especially when you get all that kit on you. If this wasn't enough, it's pretty difficult to be accurate with your M240b or even your M16 when you're so weak that you've become winded and are sucking air from that 100m sprint in your 50lbs of kit.

Good luck soldier.


btw, has anyone else noticed how ugly people get when you can see very very well? I hate wearing my glasses because without them everyone is 2 points hotter (on a 10 point scale).

Or when you go from a darkened room to a well-lit one!

Innis Cabal
2010-02-14, 10:07 PM
I wonder how many people who say things like "strength is obsolete" don't have it either. Really if humans really do have qualities which we can define in 6 different characteristics, it would be a real fool who thinks that they can "dump" one at the expense of another, because that part is "obsolete". Imbalance in yourself invariably leads to imbalance in life. Why live your entire life having disdained a 6th of what it means to be a human being?


Steven Hawking would like a word with you. I think its a little...narrow minded to take such a view on humanity. Are you saying a man with no legs is doomed to be imbalanced in life because he can't run or do physical activities? So what if people want to be better at one thing more then others. Thats good for them.

Physical strength is indeed obsolete outside of sports and the like. You don't need to know how to benchpress. You don't need to be able to run 5 miles. Strength=/=exercise. Society has little value in things like physical strength, now that robots and machines take the place of what would actually require a good deal of strength to do in a practical application. Strength has almost been fully allocated as a means of attraction. Which is all well and good for some. But its a dodgey thing to bet on for most.

Crow
2010-02-14, 10:10 PM
Steven Hawking didn't choose his situation. Your example does not address my statement.

Everybody is going to be better at some things than others, and that is good for them. But somebody who chooses to completely de-value one aspect of themselves is short-sighted in my opinion.

Innis Cabal
2010-02-14, 10:14 PM
Imbalance in yourself invariably leads to imbalance in life. Why live your entire life having disdained a 6th of what it means to be a human being?

This statement was what I was addressing. Sure, you specified "picking" to drop one before. But this above statement really seems to implicate -more- then that. You can't just say its only for people who pick and choose what to forsake in their lives. Thats totally wishy washy, and makes the over all statement that you profess above obsolete. Which is honestly -why- its a fairly silly thing to think to begin with.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 10:23 PM
it is true that strength is the source of speed, but its more of a "str vs mass" issue. a = F/M. But if you double your mass, you do not double your strength.
I was mixing several issues there so it is easy to misinterpret what I meant, so let me try to be clearer.

Being smaller and at peak strength gives you more relative speed then being larger and at peak strength, because they scale differently.

Yes, as a grunt you need strength to carry equipment. Your gun, your gear, your injured fellows... But even "relatively weak" individuals can be trained fairly quickly to be able to carry themselves around combat. Being gifted in that regards is not significant.

And when I said modern warfare I meant even more modern than that... aka, driving a tank, piloting an airplane, etc.
and while you could say the 50 ton tank doesn't care if you are 130 or 230 pounds, you care about how cramped it is and how much personal gear you can fit inside. Also, obsolete doesn't mean "strength is BAD" it just means strength is not RELEVANT. a 130 lbs and a 230lbs tank driver get the same results. if strength was not obsolete, then doubling your bench press would have actually improved your piloting skill.

In civilian combat situation (aka, self defense against a mugger), it is about your weapons and training formost. Strength CAN help, but if a 60 year old woman pointed a gun at me i'd be done for. You can certainly end up in a situation where strength is a determinant... but those require that you eschew any modern equipment.

Sure I could spend 20 years mastering swordsmanship or pugalism and it would not be useless; it certainly beats NOT have said training at all.
but it is obsolete because a month of marksmanship training and a gun would be more effective.

I would take 100 strength over 10 strength. but if given the CHOICE between +100 to strength or +1 to con, int, wis, or cha. I will dump str in a heartbeat.
Well, ok, actually... to be honest +100 str would be better than +1 con because I could become very very rich from being a world class athlete and use that money to improve my life in a plethora of ways. but i value it least of the stats for a modern human living in the real world in 2010.


Imbalance in yourself invariably leads to imbalance in life. Why live your entire life having disdained a 6th of what it means to be a human being?
um, the 6 DnD attributes do not perfectly mirror IRL, nor do they each equal 1/6th of what it means to be a human. In fact, most of the things about being a human are completely unrelated to all 6 attributes.

elliott20
2010-02-14, 10:39 PM
Personally, I'd rather take those 110 points, break it back down into raw point buy amounts, and then spread it around all six stats.

I mean, having any one stat THAT far up is probably just a one way ticket to becoming a social outcast. Heck, even if I were to take those extra 100 points, and throw maybe 15-20 points on each six stats, I'm probably still looking at an Adrien Veidt level guy here.

Tyndmyr
2010-02-14, 10:47 PM
Not when you're suffering from a fatal case of death.

With an int of 110, you can probably fix that.


Sure. You'd pretty much be immune to disease and could consume an ocean of alcohol. (not to mention all that HP)

Ah, but the guy with an int of 110 would be a cheap drunk. 110 con? Beer would be as water to you. Getting drunk off everclear might be challenging.

The guy with an int of 110 wouldn't necessarily be wise...so he'd get drunk, and happily be social...but still brilliant. He'd probably cure cancer before he sobered up.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 10:48 PM
With an int of 110, you can probably fix that.

Ah, but the guy with an int of 110 would be a cheap drunk. 110 con? Beer would be as water to you. Getting drunk off everclear might be challenging.

The guy with an int of 110 wouldn't necessarily be wise...so he'd get drunk, and happily be social...but still brilliant. He'd probably cure cancer before he sobered up.

also cure hangovers, and make a mechanical replacement liver :P

Lysander
2010-02-14, 10:54 PM
The reason I like Wis is that it lets you accomplish anything INT could let you do. With INT you'd build your own robots. With Profession (Robot Company Owner), you could build a successful multinational battle armor design firm. Not that my goal is to have my own Iron Man armor, which seems to be the goal of a lot of people here. Maybe I'm just crazy.

In a real sense Wisdom = Leadership (not the leadership feat) more so than Charisma does. Charisma is just persuading people to follow you. Wisdom is actually having a good destination to lead people to. I'd rather have human levels of charisma and super-high wisdom than the other way around.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 11:01 PM
In a real sense Wisdom = Leadership (not the leadership feat) more so than Charisma does. Charisma is just persuading people to follow you. Wisdom is actually having a good destination to lead people to. I'd rather have human levels of charisma and super-high wisdom than the other way around.

heh... actually god level cha with no wisdom means everyone must obey you, but you have no clue at all what you are doing! you will destroy the world...

So you make a very very good point there.
And the profession vs knowedlge is a big one...
although, craft is ALSO int based.

Craft (robot)
Knowledge (robotics)
Profession (roboticist)
(feel free to replace robot with AI)
which one of those is better?

elliott20
2010-02-14, 11:02 PM
The reason I like Wis is that it lets you accomplish anything INT could let you do. With INT you'd build your own robots. With Profession (Robot Company Owner), you could build a successful multinational battle armor design firm. Not that my goal is to have my own Iron Man armor, which seems to be the goal of a lot of people here. Maybe I'm just crazy.

In a real sense Wisdom = Leadership (not the leadership feat) more so than Charisma does. Charisma is just persuading people to follow you. Wisdom is actually having a good destination to lead people to. I'd rather have human levels of charisma and super-high wisdom than the other way around.
In a project management sense, that is very much true.

Leadership, as the way most professionals see it, is less about your ability to get someone to do what you want (though there is that) and more about how well you can leverage organization structure efficiently as well as how well you can manage that stuff.

though, with a WIS 110, I think starting a world class robotics company is probably STILL be over kill. It's probably more likely that you'd be more interested in some kind of universal unification philosophy or something. Basically, you'd probably have more in common with great philosophers of the old than say, a fortune 500 CEO.

elliott20
2010-02-14, 11:04 PM
heh... actually god level cha with no wisdom means everyone must obey you, but you have no clue at all what you are doing! you will destroy the world...

So you make a very very good point there.
And the profession vs knowedlge is a big one...
although, craft is ALSO int based.

Craft (robot)
Knowledge (robotics)
Profession (roboticist)
(feel free to replace robot with AI)
which one of those is better?
I'd say profession (Project Management) and profession (organization management) might also be major components there.

With 110 of WIS? that's 50 additional points of skill points.

Fendalus
2010-02-14, 11:21 PM
With 110 of WIS? that's 50 additional points of skill points.

Skill points are based off of INT, not WIS.

And as to the Craft/Knowledge/Profession split, here's how I see it:

Knowledge: You know how to design it.
Craft: You can build it.
Profession: You can get paid for it.

As such, I would go for the INT bonus. More applicable to my job, and I bet a Knowledge(Rules of the Universe) check or 5 would enable me to break the 4th wall (Hey, we're getting a bonus to an out of character stat, so logicaly there is a system behind that.) From there, more checks would enable me to learn the loopholes in the system and, if such a loop exists, go and re-create the Pun-Pun loop, and then rule the universe. If such a thing does not exist, I could still get a Grand Unified Theory of Everything done by the time I finish breakfast, and then I can just ride the fame from that to other long-term goals. And using Forgery without any need to see the relevant documents would easily get me the supplies I need to do some of the more fun things.

grautry
2010-02-14, 11:39 PM
Duh, intelligence.

Think about what having a +100 modifier to every int check would actually mean. It means that you're intelligent enough to figure out everything about a subject with your thoughts and mind alone if you just have some basic knowledge about it(one rank in a skill; or even zero if untrained checks can be made).

For example, your mind is so powerful, so ingenious that by familiarizing yourself with some basic math you can figure out all that there is to modern math and far far more instantaneously. Just like that.

It's the same with every other subject. Read a book on biology and chemistry and you're instantaneously aware of everything from the field of medicine. You can diagnose every illness, figure out every single cure that exists or that could potentially exist. You're able to figure what every bit of DNA codes in any bacteria or animal just by thinking.

Same with physics. You don't need to perform experiments. No need for LHC, money or equipment. You take a look at some basics and bam! You invent the Grand Unified Theory of Physics, instantaneously.

Skim through an economics textbook and you're better than fifty Warren Buffets combined would be.

Seriously, an intelligence modifier of +100 means that you're basically borderline omniscient.

Since someone mentioned in this thread that novel-writing is covered by Intelligence, it also means that you can pretty easily gain billions by publishing books that would eventually make the freaking Bible look unpopular in comparison.

If you feel like it, you might want to combine this with your new coding abilities to create the best games that ever existed.

After that, you might want to start a pharmaceutical company with your new super-cures for every illness that is actually curable.

When you're done with that, you might want to use your biology knowledge to figure out a DNA sequence for the perfect food-bearing plants. Apply this knowledge to figure out a practical way to create such crops and you've solved world hunger.

Still, there is quite a real possibility of a super-genius like that being simply lonely. It really wouldn't be fun to live in a world where everyone is mentally retarded in comparison to you.

But it's a small price to pay for being able to figure out how to solve just about every problem that plagues the world today.

And anyway assuming that the process which made you super-intelligent is non-magical in nature(or maybe even then), your intelligence should make you capable of figuring out how it works and therefore imbuing other people with intelligence comparable to yours if you really want some meaningful conversations.

taltamir
2010-02-14, 11:45 PM
Still, there is quite a real possibility of a super-genius like that being simply lonely. It really wouldn't be fun to live in a world where everyone is mentally retarded in comparison to you.

if you can instantly figure out the perfect DNA sequence for the perfect food and create it, then why not figure out the DNA Sequence for someone with an intelligence equal to your own...
you can then create yourself a family of same intelligence.


And anyway assuming that the process which made you super-intelligent is non-magical in nature(or maybe even then), your intelligence should make you capable of figuring out how it works and therefore imbuing other people with intelligence comparable to yours if you really want some meaningful conversations.
Magic is based off of int :P so even if the process IS magical you could still replicate it :P

elliott20
2010-02-15, 12:00 AM
Magic is based off of int :P so even if the process IS magical you could still replicate it :P
Only if you're an arcane caster.

Also, you don't get a +100 to all checks, you get a +50 to int related checks. (mostly knowledge, probably) Not saying it's not significant, just a minor nitpick.

It means that you will be one of the forefront inventors of the century, if you can be bothered to put the time into writing it all down and at least learning the basics of whatever it is you're about revolutionize.

it also means you get 50 additional skill points to throw around to do just that. At 1 point in every field, you're still looking at a +51 check. That means you can have 50 different trained-only knowledge skills instantly mastered after what amounts to a basic introductory course.

OR you can pool it all into "genre savviness" I suppose and break the forth wall with bulldozer. But to be honest, that sounds more like a theological/philosophical debate to me.

Fendalus
2010-02-15, 12:03 AM
Yeah. My mistake. Change that to 210 ability score but the same thing goes: +100 to any check.

People seem to forget this post... It's a 210 in the ability score, for a total of a +100 to all related skill checks. That quite easily makes you the best human ever at whatever you want to be good at.

absolmorph
2010-02-15, 12:26 AM
Only if you're an arcane caster.

Also, you don't get a +100 to all checks, you get a +50 to int related checks. (mostly knowledge, probably) Not saying it's not significant, just a minor nitpick.

It means that you will be one of the forefront inventors of the century, if you can be bothered to put the time into writing it all down and at least learning the basics of whatever it is you're about revolutionize.

it also means you get 50 additional skill points to throw around to do just that. At 1 point in every field, you're still looking at a +51 check. That means you can have 50 different trained-only knowledge skills instantly mastered after what amounts to a basic introductory course.

OR you can pool it all into "genre savviness" I suppose and break the forth wall with bulldozer. But to be honest, that sounds more like a theological/philosophical debate to me.

Yeah. My mistake. Change that to 210 ability score but the same thing goes: +100 to any check.
It's +100.
I also covered the possibilities in a post on page 7.
With ranks in Craft and Knowledge, you'd be able to do whatever you want in... Oh, I'd say about 2 years.


1) To start, figure out a room-temperature super-conductor. Bonus points if you can make this without much in terms of resources. If you need the resources, delay creation until you can access them or figure out how to replicate them.
2) Once you've done that, determine a way to create 101% or higher efficiency electricity generation. Given your total understanding of general physics and quantum physics, this should be achievable. This is best if achieved with easily accessible materials.
3) Now, work out a way to cause fusion or fission in the right way to create whatever elements you want. Use the infinite electricity from the second step to contain the reaction.
4) Create a full-body suit of some sort that enhances your body's capabilities. Use the super conductor and the infinite power source (or a smaller, still very powerful, source) to power it. You are now able to recreate the functions of 210 Str or 210 Dex.
5) Work out a way to repel matter without having any physical interaction with it (as in, an energy shield).
6) Create faster-than-light travel, fueled by the infinite power source.
7) Create a method to recycle air, water and food quickly and without external resources.
8) Mount the shield, FTL, recycler and infinite power source in an air-tight vehicle that can also carry multiple humans, enough sustenance for a couple months of travel and a lot of instruments and protective gear.
9) Launch the vehicle.
Achievements:
* FTL travel.
* Infinite energy
* Room-temperature super-conductor
* Power armor
* Force fields
* The ability to change matter into another form
* Interstellar travel

I'd say this wouldn't take more than a decade, assuming you hit all the speedbumps.

Oh, and also: Archivist.

taltamir
2010-02-15, 01:28 AM
unlimited knowledge and massive int doesn't mean you get to rewrite the laws of reality. Merely that you can figure them all out.

It means that if perpetual energy is possible but only via a very obscure exploit in the laws of reality that nobody has noticed or thought about yet, you will find it. But if it is truely impossible then there is nothing you can do about it.

Fortuna
2010-02-15, 02:06 AM
Intelligence, no question about it.

The ability to use it to more or less supplant the physical stats, given time, is pretty nice. The fact that my Wisdom isn't too abysmal (7-8 IMHO) means that I wouldn't do anything too stupid before I got the Einstein-Rosen bridge thing going and created my own private universe (not joking: that's possible).

faceroll
2010-02-15, 02:10 AM
So, it would be horrible if I went on a worldwide television broadcast, asked everyone to start using condoms and to stop torturing and killing fellow humans, to send surplus food to starving areas, and to to try to conserve natural resources?

Because that's all I said I'd want to do.

Yeah, really horrific.

The problem with a hyper charismatic leader without the int or wisdom to back up his leadership is that, after you die, everything goes back to the way it was. You message gets subverted by anyone who wants to hop on the bandwagon. And you're also assuming that doing that sort of thing would be all good. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Who knows what sort of horrible repercussions there would be after you whip up a global frenzy of supreme leader worship.


The Autohypnosis skill is the only documentation I've seen of a skill actually having any numerical effect on memory (a d20 check allows memorization of 800 words), and it's based on Wisdom. Plus, at the point I'm at right now in my life, it would be nice to have a handful of ranks in Knowledge, but having Infinity bonus to all knowledge skills isn't going to help me a ton in the real world. Right now, I'd rather know HOW to do something rather than knowing ABOUT it.

Example: I'd rather have Infinity bonus in "Profession: Doctor or Profession: Lawyer" since that's what determines effectiveness in the workplace than infinity bonus in "Knowledge: Chemistry" or "Knowledge: Law", which although nice provide no actual bonus to a given job, and would probably lead you into sounding like a know-it-all, especially since you would be.

Plus, the best effect from +100 Wisdom is the bonuses to perception. Massive Bonuses to Listen and Spot would probably make living a lot easier and perhaps more enjoyable.

The side bonuses of having more durability than any given normal person, memorization, resistance/immunity to disease and poison, a near perfect sense of internal direction, the ability to feed myself for a day with 2-3 minutes worth of work scavenging on a brisk commute, unerring weather prediction, and the ability to be a human lie detector and discern alignment without anyone noticing I was doing it are all just great bonuses.

Honestly, I just think that Wisdom is the most practical choice. Makes living a normal live a thousand times easier, draws little attention to myself, and gives me a handful of nice tricks thanks to Autohypnosis letting my Wisdom score very nearly act as my Constitution. Plus, if I get bored, I can just get my own show on the Discovery Channel where I go to crazy places with no food, water, or supplies and last for years with no adverse effects.

You make a very convincing argument for a high wisdom. I feel like I wouldn't be myself anymore with all that wisdom, though. All the stuff I struggle for and want I would recognize as futile and useless, and I'd probably start caring about strangers and foreigners.

Wisdom of that level would make you an incredibly driven individual with exceptional leadership skills. You could probably accomplish 10 lifetimes of feats in a week.


btw, has anyone else noticed how ugly people get when you can see very very well? I hate wearing my glasses because without them everyone is 2 points hotter (on a 10 point scale).

Buahahahaha!
It's true, and hilarious.


Or when you go from a darkened room to a well-lit one!

Or from intoxication to sobriety!


Steven Hawking would like a word with you. I think its a little...narrow minded to take such a view on humanity. Are you saying a man with no legs is doomed to be imbalanced in life because he can't run or do physical activities? So what if people want to be better at one thing more then others. Thats good for them.

Stephen Hawking doesn't have a choice about the wheelchair. I bet he'd like to be able to play soccer or have sex again.

Twilightwyrm
2010-02-15, 02:46 AM
I'd have to see about splitting the +100 amongst Int, Wis, and Cha. +33 to each would be far more than any person would really NEED to really get anywhere.

Heck, Hawking and Einstein are/were likely no more than 20 or 22 Int (with a build focus on Knowledge skills, of course).

I'm imagining the hypothetical D&D player that created Einstein thinking up ways to maximize that character build XP. His character made the ultimate non-magical weapon! Take that anti-magic field!

Twilightwyrm
2010-02-15, 02:51 AM
Strength. 'Cos it'd be fun. :smalltongue:

Nah, I'd probably pick Wisdom. The world could use some boddhisattvas (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/boddhisatva). Seriously.

I agree. I can only imagine what Shakyamuni Buddha's Wis score was...

taltamir
2010-02-15, 02:52 AM
The problem with a hyper charismatic leader without the int or wisdom to back up his leadership is that, after you die, everything goes back to the way it was. You message gets subverted by anyone who wants to hop on the bandwagon. And you're also assuming that doing that sort of thing would be all good. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Who knows what sort of horrible repercussions there would be after you whip up a global frenzy of supreme leader worship.
For example, after you die of old age in a world of pure utopia, a man like hitler, stalin, mao, etc takes over the reins of the unified human government that controls the entire earth. due to the nature of modern weaponry, rebellion is impossible, and the world is plunged into darkness which could have been avoided with proper checks and balances (which includes seperate countries which check each other's powers)

faceroll
2010-02-15, 02:59 AM
I'm imagining the hypothetical D&D player that created Einstein thinking up ways to maximize that character build XP. His character made the ultimate non-magical weapon! Take that anti-magic field!

He really didn't. Einstein thought it up, in theory. It still required months of extensive research employing the smartest people of the time and thousands of technicians, specialists, and researchers to actually make it happen.


For example, after you die of old age in a world of pure utopia, a man like hitler, stalin, mao, etc takes over the reins of the unified human government that controls the entire earth. due to the nature of modern weaponry, rebellion is impossible, and the world is plunged into darkness which could have been avoided with proper checks and balances (which includes seperate countries which check each other's powers)

Nah, it'd be more like some taking a universal message of peace and using some pieces to twist it to suit their own agenda. I'm willing to bet that Lycan, with 210 charisma, could get people to follow, but his ethical agenda would be less than perfect in both conception and execution. The problem is being worshiped as a god, but your ideas are that of a mortal.

Lycanthromancer
2010-02-15, 03:10 AM
Nah, it'd be more like some taking a universal message of peace and using some pieces to twist it to suit their own agenda. I'm willing to bet that Lycan, with 210 charisma, could get people to follow, but his ethical agenda would be less than perfect in both conception and execution. The problem is being worshiped as a god, but your ideas are that of a mortal.Funny thing about having a Charisma score higher than God: you can ask everyone on earth to be good after you're gone, and they'll actually do it.

And you can leave lots of copies of your message (with the request that they not be altered), so that everyone will always have unadulterated memories of who you were and what you stood for, so there'll never be misunderstandings about what you were like.

Also, advisors. Make sure you have advisors (that you can trust; and get this, your Charisma is so high that you can ask them to be trustworthy, and they will be), and have them help you make the right decisions.

After all, your Int and Wis won't plummet simply because you can get others to do as you want them to by asking nicely, and one person really is capable of being genuinely good and fully able to do what is right. It just needs to be the right person.

grautry
2010-02-15, 03:10 AM
unlimited knowledge and massive int doesn't mean you get to rewrite the laws of reality. Merely that you can figure them all out.

It means that if perpetual energy is possible but only via a very obscure exploit in the laws of reality that nobody has noticed or thought about yet, you will find it. But if it is truely impossible then there is nothing you can do about it.

It doesn't really need to be possible.

For example, if you found a way to cheaply and efficiently produce anti-matter then you wouldn't have "limitless" or "free" energy.

But you'd have a source of energy that would be effectively limitless and free(at least until untold trillions of years from now).

You'd have a similar situation with nuclear fusion.

But yes, there's a lot of limits in place that you can't circumvent.


Funny thing about having a Charisma score higher than God: you can ask everyone on earth to be good after you're gone, and they'll actually do it.

Not necessarily.

Fanatic diplomacy rules have a built-in time limit equal to your Charisma modifier. So, if you're going about this by exploiting the Fanatic state then your control ends 100 days after your death.

Since it's a mind-affecting enchantment(effectively) there's no guarantee that any sort of a recording or video will appropriately convey your charisma afterwards.

And even if you're ignoring both, then there's still no guarantee that any recording will be able to appropriately convey your godlike charisma - so it's quite possible that the next generation(or a couple after that) will start rebelling.

PhoenixRivers
2010-02-15, 03:20 AM
It doesn't really need to be possible.

For example, if you found a way to cheaply and efficiently produce anti-matter then you wouldn't have "limitless" or "free" energy.

But you'd have a source of energy that would be effectively limitless and free(at least until untold trillions of years from now).

You'd have a similar situation with nuclear fusion.

But yes, there's a lot of limits in place that you can't circumvent.


You only say that because you don't have a +100 int mod.:smallbiggrin:

grautry
2010-02-15, 03:41 AM
You only say that because you don't have a +100 int mod.:smallbiggrin:

Okay, let me put it in another way.

Assuming that the world at least roughly operates as current understanding of science indicates, there's a lot of limits in place you can't circumvent.

Which seems like a fairly good guess.

Frozen_Feet
2010-02-15, 08:09 AM
Or drive you to claw out your own eyes and rend your eardrums so that you no longer hear and see EVERYTHING within several square miles.
Again, the best part of wisdom is that it gives you enough willpower not to give a damn. Both absurd CON and WIS actually give implacable mind and body under d20 rules - former via Concentration and nigh-invulnerability fortitude and hitpoints, and the second trough Autohypnosis and Will save.


I am actually very strong, very fast, and also tall (6 foot 3 inches = 190.5 centimeters).
none of it is of any value in the modern world. our natural abilities are completely obsolete, I rarely if ever need to use my strength, and when I do, my knowledge of physics gets better results (leverage, etc).
Its not that I wish I didn't have strength, its just that I realize its note of practical use anymore.

Strength is obsolete because being big and strong is BAD when combat is waged via guns and tanks and airplanes. You want to be small, light, fast, and accurate. Me being strong doesn't allow me "shake off" a bullet or a taser. The assumption that I say it is obsolete because I DO NOT have it and am somehow "jealous" is ludicrous.
There are other, more fruitful uses for strenght beyond combat. Also, physical strenght is far from obsolote - power armors that do everything physical for you aren't exactly commonplace. Yes, with enough INT you could probably invent one, but that just proves that physical capability is necessary. You can also look at it this way: with high enough STR, you don't need technology, as you are a living construction machine yourself, and that sure as hell has applications.



wisdom does grant a bunch of the other bonuses you described though... which are admittedly COOL bonuses, but whats the point? inuits can provide for themselves in the arctic without a +100 bonus. and being a living compass or weather station is just duplicating already existing things... forgot 8 day perfect prediction, I have a desktop gaget that gives me 4 day "fairly accurate" predictions. I will gain NOTHING upgrading it to 8 days, perfect, and "intuition based vs internet based"

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=compass&x=0&y=0
A compass, under 10$. what a waste of +100 bonus. that is even WORSE then the STR bonus... because at least a +100 str person is the world formost athelete and is a billionere. (and can certainly afford a 10$ compass)
You have this odd attitude that replicating existing effects is useless. With +100 modifier, one can replicate the effects to such extent it defies description. Yes, you can get a remotely accurate weather forecast from the net... it's a bit different if you know perfectly what the weather's gonna be, always. +100 wisdom effectively gives Clairsentience, and if you can't think of ways to make money with that, you aren't thinking.

I hold the opinion that any score this absurd will give invidual world-warping qualities, the question is more about how you'd like to do it. Because of this, I find it funny that people go such ways to tell why other scores than their favorite would suck.

Doc Roc
2010-02-15, 01:01 PM
I dare say he would qualify for Brosiden god of the Brocean of Alcoholic beverages.

Awesome. Awesome awesome awesome.

grautry
2010-02-15, 01:47 PM
Yes, with enough INT you could probably invent one, but that just proves that physical capability is necessary.

Let me comment on a few of those inventions. All of those operate on the assumption that what we know now about physics is pretty accurate.

Power armor would be possible but it would probably be nowhere near the capacity of, say, Iron Man. I simply don't think that you'd find any sort of material that would be able to withstand forces such as these.

Even if you could, you run into a problem with the power source. It's really gosh-dang hard to miniaturize batteries. Maybe, just maybe, you'd be able to find a way to miniaturize an anti-matter reactor enough to make it useful(but I seriously doubt it) but then again, you'd be walking around in a suit full of anti-matter. That seems like a recipe for disaster.

FTL travel, as far as we know, is not really possible. All of the clever loopholes(Alcubierre drive, wormholes, tachyonic matter etc.) either require absurd conditions, amount of energies exceeding those available in the universe for short trips, cosmic strings, exotic matter or negative energy. The last three of which we don't know if they exist. Generally, they're purely hypothetical ideas.

Next, teleportation. If we go about it by the method of "Take the information, destroy the object, reconstruct at another place"(aka die then teleport your clone) then we're using slower than light speeds(since quantum teleportation can't be used to transmit information without a classical communication channel). We run into Heisenberg uncertainty principle and quantum limits of computational power - which means that you can't be accurately reconstructed.

If we go about teleportation using the wormhole route then you run into the same problems as you'd run into FTL travel(since it would effectively be the same).

Time travel. Hoo boy, there's a lot of theories on that so who knows. It might just be possible.

So, what would be possible? It's quite likely that you'd be able to invent nanomachines which would enhance the functionality of your body to a great degree(like respirocytes). It's fairly likely that you'd be able to create robotic body parts that would be more efficient than the real ones. Similarly, genetic modification is certainly possible. But while those would allow for you to be somewhat superhuman, you'd still be much closer to Batman than Superman.

Revolutions in medicine would be quite possible. There's a million undiscovered cures and treatments out there. Biological immortality isn't out of the realm of possibility. AI is almost certainly possible and with your god-like intelligence you could program them to be benevolent.

So while yeah, you could do a whole lot with intelligence, if you're thinking that you'd become a time-travelling, teleporting, FTL travelling, nigh-invincible reality warping Iron Man then you'd likely be disappointed.

absolmorph
2010-02-16, 03:32 AM
Well, my suggestion for the 101%+ efficiency generator IS to exploit loopholes in physics and abuse quantum mechanics like you're a munchkin playing DnD...
And I was FAR from suggesting that you leap ahead to the efficiency shown in the far-future sci-fi stories. Take smaller steps, they're safer.

Wings of Peace
2010-02-16, 04:42 AM
I would become a genius, realize how lonely it is without intellectual equals, and create an invention to bring myself down to a comfortable int score of 16 which would grow only marginally as I advance age categories in addition to my improved hearing.

Finally as I neared the end of my life cycle I would gain the Lunatic Insight feat and spend my time on the porch shouting incomprehensible truths at youngsters who come too close to my lawn.

grautry
2010-02-16, 04:45 AM
I would become a genius, realize how lonely it is without intellectual equals, and create an invention to bring myself down to a comfortable int score of 16 which would grow only marginally as I advance age categories in addition to my improved hearing.

Finally as I neared the end of my life cycle I would gain the Lunatic Insight feat and spend my time on the porch shouting incomprehensible truths at youngsters who come too close to my lawn.

Why bring yourself down when you could bring others up?

Wings of Peace
2010-02-16, 04:50 AM
Why bring yourself down when you could bring others up?

Because the world hasn't earned a shortcut to success.

Edit: Also because it's just not the sort of person I am. Do I really want to take on the responsibility of enlightening a world in which people trying to prove that the sun was not the center of the universe faced persecution for centuries? Not really, I don't have the endurance for it.

grautry
2010-02-16, 05:47 AM
Because the world hasn't earned a shortcut to success.

I don't necessarily mean the world.

You could just as give the 'gift' to a select few people.

Wings of Peace
2010-02-16, 05:58 AM
I don't necessarily mean the world.

You could just as give the 'gift' to a select few people.


I could. But then I'm responsible for what those select few do with their gift and this quickly becomes a pyramid should they too decide to teach more people. Being a pessimist I would not have faith in that every person given the gift would be a good person, or more dangerously I would have faith that they would be a good person with 'good' intentions.

Tyndmyr
2010-02-16, 08:58 AM
Why bring yourself down when you could bring others up?

Because destruction is better drama than creation.

Sliver
2010-02-16, 12:13 PM
I would choose Cha. So all those crazy awesome snipers, assassins and street throwers that took massive Str or Dex won't want to kill me..

Draz74
2010-02-16, 12:21 PM
I'd do Wisdom. Not so much for the Spot/Listen/Autohypnosis/Sense Motive/Profession/Survival bonuses (although those are all great too), but more just because then I'd never make a stupid decision based on being weak-willed again.

No more procrastination ... now that's what I call a life-changing boost.

Having uncanny levels of intuition (e.g. when to get my car looked at, when to tell a friend to go to the doctor instead of just waiting for a sickness to pass) doesn't hurt either. Not to mention religious/philosophical advantages.

Yeah. Being Wise sounds even better -- by a small margin -- than all those skill points that 110 Intelligence would grant (if you managed to level up after you got the INT boost). Oh, and it's also got the advantage of being easier to conceal from media attention than most of the other options. (CON and DEX might be more subtle.)

TheLogman
2010-02-16, 08:28 PM
Oh, and revisiting this thread out of interest.

If it's 210 in a stat, +100 to skills?

Then you can do a Sense Motive so good you can read minds.

But, just like the Survival Weather Forecast (Which, if you have +100 in, actually lets you forecast 17 days in advance. Perfectly, every time), Listen, and Spot, you don't get the effects of your massive bonus unless you make an active effort, because that's how skill checks work.

I think.

Plus, +100 to Survival lets you feed 30 people on a walk through the woods, keep 20 people warm and safe even in the middle of an icestorm in the Arctic Tundra, or in a Hurricane, or a Tornado, or an Earthquake, and also lets you get to where you want to go in the world unerringly, as long as you've seen it at least once. And since it allows seeing the place magically, I can only assume that photographs or online satellite pictures work as well.

And with +100 to Autohypnosis, you get immunity to Fear and Death even MORE, and 110 Hit Points once per day.

110 Hit Points is enough to let you 2-3 Fragmentation Grenades to the face and walk away fine.

Yeah, Constitution lets you tons of Hit Points, but Autohypnosis lets you have 110 hit points, which is plenty for even a hardened soldier in the middle of conflict, and you can restore those points at a rate of all of them/day, much faster than even "Intense Bed Rest" with a high Con.

Plus the massive Profession bonuses mean an internship is good enough to let you be perfect at any job ever. And earn 50 GP a week.

But I have no clue how much that is in real dollars.

Plus, many of the Intelligence tricks presented here (FTL travel, infinite power, cures for cancer), all would be extremely resource intensive to do and maintain, and may not even be possible.

But all of the Wisdom tricks are doable right out of the box. Plus they let you live a life of relative ease and obscurity if you wanted. As long as you don't let on that you can read minds, and you can explain away surviving in the Desert or Arctic or wherever with 20 other people as just being really good at survival, you can do a lot of good without becoming famous.

Unless Fame is your goal. Because pretty much every other stat is going to draw massive attention to you. At least exercising your powers does.

EDIT: Wow Draz, I guess we think a lot alike there. I agree that the non-numerical bonuses of Wisdom would be great too. Knowing what to do in situations, a raw intuition, an insight into life would be great.