Optimize yourself

[Grim Reader]

I think we've all played with the idea: Build yourself a new you.

The rules are:

32 points buy. The results replace your own abilities. You retain already aquired skills and experiences, but aqquisition of new skills, learning, reading people and social situations etc. will depend on your new mental abilities.

Common sense crosses over with wisdom score a lot. You can define charisma as looks based if you want.

You can also pick race from the D&D WotC and Paizo player available ones. However, you do not get extraordinary or supernatural abilities. You will remain in our world, where magic, psionics etc are unavailable.

What would you build? What are your priorities?

[SolioFebalas]

We still speaks about dnd adventures, but in a world without magic, or we speak about how would you imagine yourself in modern society, described in stats ?

[Grim Reader]

Basically, which stat/race combination you'd choose for a functional and comfortable existence in our world. Bereft of supernatural advantages.

I imagine a lot of otherwise good race choices will be poor due to a visual apperance that would be freakish in our world.

[SolioFebalas]

Human, other races without Su and Ex would be just freaks in modern world.

by point buy system, something like this:

13
13
13
14
13
14

so at venerable age you wouldn't be too weak...

[Radar]

This isn't that hard to figure, that anything else then human would spell disaster in our world. As for the choice of stats:

8
8
14
18
14
12

I'd really want to put a few more points in WIS and maybe CHA, but maxed INT is crucial for me (my profession is INT-based :smalltongue:) and it eats up half of all the points. STR is largely irrelevant and an 8 in DEX is probably an improvement in my case, so I'll menage. High CON is mostly because I'd like to stay healthy for as long as possible.

[Grim Reader]

I tend to agree with Solio, though I'd put less in Strength and more in Con. Over time, I've come to the conclusion that I overrated the importance of strength in my youth, and underrated health.

As for races, the half-elf has an extended lifespan that is attractive, and could probably pass for human in a world thats never seen anything else. Maybe with a tiny bit of plastic surgery.

Other choices I considered are the Mul and the Elan. Not sure if the Elans lifespan is dependent on psionics, or how a level adjustment would work though.

I think I'd have gone with strength and dex 11, mainly for having something for old age. Both are useful, but neither is very important in our lives, as opposed to an adventurers life in the pseudo middle ages. Int and wis 14 and 13. Brains and common sense is important!

Cha 13, looks and charm makes life much easier and more enjoyable.

And Con 16, aging penalties have made me realize what a blessing a robust constitution is!

[Dr. Yes]

32 point buy is a lot to work with. I think I'd do Elf for the longevity and get some plastic surgery to take care of the ears. After racial bonuses and penalties, I'd go with:

12
9
12
18
12
18

Wisdom as represented in D&D is more "presence of mind" than "understanding of how the world works and the implications of those principles in your own life", which is what I think of when I think actual wisdom. That said, I still wouldn't want to dump it completely; a 300+ year lifespan doesn't do you much good if you can't remember to look both ways before crossing the street. Charisma is the closest thing to actual magic in this world; I'd pump that as high as possible and never look back. Intelligence is important for a lot of reasons, not the least of which being the ability to make well-considered life choices.

[ddude987]

Race: Cephalid (Currently polymorphed so I fit in with you humans)
str 10
dex 12
con 10
int 16
wis 16
cha 12
I am an immortal cephalid from before the first major extinction happened on Earth. I look like a human so I fit in with humans. Int describes all the knowledge I've gained over billions of years, wis is from all the experiences I've had and represents good decision making and foresight.

[Pathagaron]

Other choices I considered are the Mul and the Elan. Not sure if the Elans lifespan is dependent on psionics, or how a level adjustment would work though.


I don't think I'd pick elan even if the extended lifespan works. I just don't see myself as ever being willing to trade my identity for longevity.

As for my stats:

STR 10
DEX 10
CON 14
INT 16
WIS 14
CHA 14

Even though my field is INT-based (Math/Economics), I wouldn't spend the extra points just beefing up my INT to 18. To really get the most out of life being well rounded seems more important to me. As for how this would be an improvement over my current self I'd say that my OP self is stronger, hardier, more charming, and maybe slightly wiser than me.

[Tvtyrant]

Changeling, and all of my stats into int and wisdom.

[Grayson01]

all into Int/WIS no CHA at all?


Changeling, and all of my stats into int and wisdom.

Also to the OP would we be battling monsters or would we be living our normal lives?

[Tvtyrant]

all into Int/WIS no CHA at all?



Also to the OP would we be battling monsters or would we be living our normal lives?

Yup, I can turn into anyone! Just pretend I am having a bad day as whoever I want :P

[Jeff the Green]

Changeling, and all of my stats into int and wisdom.

Changeling is definitely my choice ([blatant lies]for reasons that bear absolutely no resemblance to Nale and Sabine's relationship[/blatant lies]). However, I'm going with a different stat distribution:

Strength 8
Dexterity 8
Constitution 16
Intelligence 18
Wisdom 12
Charisma 10
In real life I probably have a Constitution score of ~6, and I'm (literally) sick of it. I'm pretty sure 8s in Strength and Dexterity are improvements too, so no loss. Charisma's orthogonal to attractiveness, but definitely not a dump stat. Wisdom's a bit more important. I'm a scientist, so Intelligence get's priority.

[Grim Reader]

32 point buy is a lot to work with. I think I'd do Elf for the longevity and get some plastic surgery to take care of the ears.

You may be able to get away with that. Elves have somewhat different facial features and a more gracile build than humans, but our go-to explanation for someone looking different isn't "He is not human" any more.

I suspect a doctor would not be fooled, and at the very least think you a genetic atavism of some sort. They may be drug incompatibiities.


Race: Cephalid (Currently polymorphed so I fit in with you humans

I don't think polymorphs work in our world.


Changeling, and all of my stats into int and wisdom.

I don't think the minor change shape ability would work in our world. It seems to work far too fast to be plausibly biological.



Also to the OP would we be battling monsters or would we be living our normal lives?

Just living normal lives.

[Sith_Happens]

When you say "player available race," do you mean only those races typically listed as "player races," or anything with a level adjustment/whatever the PF equivalent is? Because there's a pretty big difference even with special attacks and qualities off-limits.

[Jeff the Green]

I don't think the minor change shape ability would work in our world. It seems to work far too fast to be plausibly biological.

Not really. Certain aspects of anatomy would have to be vastly different (way more muscles in the face, chromatophores, odd genitalia), but it's plausible (c.f. the mimic octopus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8oQBYw6xxc)). Nanotech would be even more plausible.

[Grim Reader]

When you say "player available race," do you mean only those races typically listed as "player races," or anything with a level adjustment/whatever the PF equivalent is? Because there's a pretty big difference even with special attacks and qualities off-limits.

Well, my aim is to let us build better bodies and minds, that would work in our world. And latly I've found myself musing on how very different my stat requirements are for a life in our world to what it'd be in a D&D or medieval world. As well as how my stat requirements turned out to be a bit different from what I thought I'd be when I was a teen.

Which is why I am trying to avoid all the special and magic qualities available to D&D characters, and keep it plausible within our worlds rules.

And to be honest, I don't know how a "level adjustment " would translate to our world. If we were to translate the other way -our world to D&D- I don't think many people would have a lot of levels. It may be best to just keep that off the table.


Not really. Certain aspects of anatomy would have to be vastly different (way more muscles in the face, chromatophores, odd genitalia), but it's plausible (c.f. the mimic octopus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8oQBYw6xxc)). Nanotech would be even more plausible.

It may be possible, but you'd need something completly different from the Changeling ability for it to work. You'd need to be a hemaphrodite, odd bones ec.

[Grayson01]

This is tough STR and DEX are very important in my line of work. So is CHA, IPC skills and all. INT and WIS as well. Class I would have to go with Rouge. Race Human or Half-elf.

[Yogibear41]

1st level human warrior (I might be awesome enough to have a pc class instead but Ill just go with this to be safe) with an afflicted werewolf template

32 point buy

Str: 16 (18 when transformed)
Dex: 10 (14 when transformed)
Con: 14 (18 when transformed)
Int: 16
Wis: 14 (12 base+2 from template)
Cha: 8

Feats:
1st: Great Fortitude, Improved Toughness
3rd: Thick-Skinned (yay for 2 free hit die without having to actually earn XP!)

Bonus: Iron Will, Track, Weapon Focus(bite)


Sure I might seem like your ordinary slightly above average guy when it comes to strength and Intelligence, but what people don't know is I'm Rocking 3 hit die triple that of most of the known world, and if you hit me and piss me off good chance I will wolf out and rip you to pieces. DR 7/Silver makes me dang near unstoppable for most and add on some free natural armor too :smallsmile:

I think d20 modern stats out a shotgun as like 2d6? I'm almost impervious to a shotgun blast!


Disadvantages: Full-Moon Social events are a no-go. :smallfrown:

[molten_dragon]

I think we've all played with the idea: Build yourself a new you.

The rules are:

32 points buy. The results replace your own abilities. You retain already aquired skills and experiences, but aqquisition of new skills, learning, reading people and social situations etc. will depend on your new mental abilities.

Common sense crosses over with wisdom score a lot. You can define charisma as looks based if you want.

You can also pick race from the D&D WotC and Paizo player available ones. However, you do not get extraordinary or supernatural abilities. You will remain in our world, where magic, psionics etc are unavailable.

What would you build? What are your priorities?

Let's see, I'd be a human certainly, anything else would make me a freak.

Ability scores:

STR 10
DEX 12
CON 12
INT 16
WIS 14
CHA 14

I'd keep a fairly high INT score, since I'm fairly intelligent as-is and don't want to get dumber, and it matters for my job. WIS and CHA because common sense and people skills are important. Average STR because I don't use it much, slightly higher than average DEX and CON since I need some DEX at my job and it's always good to be healthy.

I'd probably be a level 1 or 2 expert with max ranks in knowledge (architecture and engineering), Profession (automotive engineer), and Drive (if we can take D20 modern skills). My other skill points would probably be spread out over a number of things, including ranks in profession (cook), perform (violin and saxophone), and knowledge (useless trivia)

[Grayson01]

I keep wanting to do this for this post but never rememeber when I am home with my books, but our STR score we could pretty easily figure out. The PHB has MAX Carry, push, pull, lift overhead and such. That can easily be figured out with NASMs One rep Max test. I have done it with clients when I was working as a Persoanl Trainer (The tests not comparing them to the chart in the PHB).

[limejuicepowder]

hmm everyone`s going for the mind....boring!

str 14
dex 14
con 14
int 14
wis 12
cha 12

whirlwind barb 2 monk 1 with extend rage, wf unarmed strike, and dreadful wrath. Get dodge as a bonus feat with monk. I'd keep my current 155 lbs frame and take my amuteur fight career to the professional level. For a full minute of the fight I'd be rocking 17 AC and swinging 3 attacks at +3 each for d6+4 each. Plus my opponent would be soiling his jockstrap. I'd be the terror of the lightweight division.

my math might be off. but close enough.

[Blas_de_Lezo]

Ok, I'm assuming 1st level in today's real world:

Blas de Lezo

Alignment: LG

Str 10
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 14
Cha 16

Psionic. Telepath.

Psycristal: Friendly (+3 Diplomacy).

Max: Diplomacy, Bluff, Sense Motive, Autohypnosis, Concentration.

Feats:
(1) Skill Focus: Diplomacy.
(H) Ancestral Item (Circlet of Persuassion)
(Bonus Feat) Inquisitor.

Strategy: form a voluntary vast community of good people for living together safe and happy and changing the system to bring capitalism off the table.

Powers Known: Psyonic Charm, Mindlink, Mind Thrust.