Joe Schmoe, statistics and what's average.

[Gurkak]

Seen a little bit of confusion about what is actually average, and the like so I'm going to put it down for you. I'll be using strength to show the differences and why said scores are average. Keep in mind light loads you can sprint with like it isn't there, medium loads you can jog fair distances, and heavy loads you can walk with(without straining yourself).




Average: 9-11
9
Light Load: 30lb or less. Medium load:31-60lb Heavy Load: 61-90lb
^Mr.Wimp
10
Light Load: 33lb or less Medium Load: 34-66lb Heavy Load: 67-100
^Joe Schmoe
11
Light Load: 38lb or less Medium Load: 39-76lb Heavy Load: 77-115lb
^Typical High School wrestler.
Above Average
12
Light Load: 43lb or less Medium Load: 44-86lb Heavy Load: 86-130lb
13
Light Load: 50lb or less Medium Load: 51-100lb Heavy Load: 101-150lb




Exceptional
14
Light Load: 58lb or less Medium Load: 59-116lb Heavy Load:117-175lb
15
Light Load: 66lb or less Medium Load: 67-133lb Heavy Load: 134-200lb




Heroic(Most every great hero in myth.)
16
Light Load: 76lb or less Medium Load: 77-153lb Heavy Load: 154-230lb
17
Light Load: 86lb or less Medium Load: 87-123lb 87-173lb Heavy Load: 174-260lb




Legendary (Samson or similar)
18
Light Load: 100lb or less Medium Load:101-200 lb Heavy Load: 201-300 lb
19
Light Load:116lb or less Medium Load:117-233 lb Heavy Load: 234-350 lb
20
Light Load:133lb or less Medium Load:134-266 lb Heavy Load: 267-400 lb
21
Light Load:153lb or less Medium Load: 154-306 lb Heavy Load: 307-460 lb
22
Light Load: 173lb or less Medium Load: 174-346 lb Heavy Load: 347-520 lb




Godly
23
Light Load: 200lb or less Medium Load: 201-400lb Heavy Load: 401-600lb
24
Light Load:233 lb or less Medium Load: 234-466 lb Heavy Load: 467-700 lb

(This or above is so powerful it's entered the realm of the preternatural(especially if you're a 5'8" 200lb guy who can do the above or another popular choice in D&D the 5'4" 110lb woman who for some reason has can pick up and toss a full grown 4,000lb+ bull. hehe)

So what does this mean really, at least for average?

Joe Schmoe is as follows:

Strength: 10
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 10
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 10
Charisma: 10



Joe schmoe the strongest guy in school?
Strength: 13
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 10
Intelligence: 9
Wisdom: 9
Charisma: 9

What about racial differences?

Here's an average orc:

Strength: 14 <- As you can see, orcs are terrifyingly strong
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 10
Intelligence: 8 <-Human standards? eh heh...
Wisdom: 8 <-/
Charisma: 8



I'd use more examples and the like, but I'm suddenly feeling a little.. lazy.
Anyone wants to do the push and drag, lift over head, or lift off ground math and lay it out for folks feel free.. would appreciate it..

[undeadsteak]

Hmm, I'd like to follow that, but seeing as my clothes weigh 10 pounds.. maybe later >>.

[GodBeastX]

I think it's interesting how much people don't really consider STR when describing their characters.

So you're a super model with 18 Str? You want to describe yourself as slim and soft?





I rest my case.

[undeadsteak]

14 str, im just expectional, not that strong. And being a sunite mussst make a difference, otherwise every fighter in the ruby rose order is going to be buff like those above.

[GodBeastX]

Muscle after so much is very noticeable. If you can lift so much wait, it has to be visibly somewhere unless you're fat. I'd say most the heroines in movies are above average, like 12, since they work out before the movie, but they aren't benching 300.

The idea is, you get mass with muscle. People aren't dainty with 18 str and 14 constitution.

[Soulbadguy]

I know I played some character females with some high strength before.. I usually say they are athletic if they got high strength... yeah they have some muscle but I never picture them like those scary women above.

I still like to ummm to think its a fantasy here .. I try to be somewhat realistic but not over do it like those men.. er... women.

[GodBeastX]

That's Korah Flexin' on your ass ^_^

[Enclave one oh two]

I think it's interesting how much people don't really consider STR when describing their characters.

So you're a super model with 18 Str? You want to describe yourself as slim and soft?





I rest my case.

[reemixx]

Lovely thing to see first thing in the morning, thanks GBX :P

Question, though. Isn't this going a little too over-the-top realistic? Especially since this is a magical setting. I understand what you're all saying about being 'average', and that's fine. But how as you supposed to keep up with that, game mechanics wise? An average character, if they want to remain average, will have to remain on level 1, since every step towards 20 is nearing 'heroic' status. I suppose that's fine if you want to just roleplay all the time and do nothing else. But no doubt you'd be on the receiving end of the roleplay most of the time, with very little to offer.

Example, a simple commoner would likely not hang around with adventurer types. He'd stay in the city or wherever, do his thing, interact with a few travellers that come through. But if he, for some reason, starts to hang around with the adventurers, he'd end up picking up a few things, surely? And if he keeps up this way, he's well on the path to becoming an adventurer just like them.

So, I understand you can start out as an average joe and progress depending on your character's experiences. But remaining an average joe... I'm just not seeing that at all.

I respect anyone who wants to play an 'average' character. Good on ya. But personally, I would never play one. What makes roleplaying so much fun for me is being able to do things I can't in real life, and interact with people I would never meet in real life. That doesn't mean these characters have to be super strong or all-powerful or whatever. They just need to be larger than life in one way or another, and that includes their personality.

My characters may have unique abilities or skills that they've learned, but they're still just people. And I usually RP them as such. That's 'average' enough for me :P

[undeadsteak]

yup, and im going to pretend sune doesnt make her followers look like the above. O_o.

[valenator]

When I'm thinking of an "Average Joe," I'm not thinking of average stats, destined for mediocrity. An "Average Joe," to me, is a character with a background that doesn't include "Spawned from a demon," "born to fulfill a prophecy," "insert traumatic, horrendous childhood," etc. I think of Average Joe as a person with a basic, mundane first however many years of his life, who, for whatever reason, decided to take to adventuring. "Average Joe" isn't so average, I think, as he is balanced.

-V

[Ethereal Edge]

I think one party describes the 'Average Joe' adventurer whereas another party describes the 'Average Joe' commoner. One has to remember that adventurers aren't intended to be 'normal' in statistics nor are those variations intended to be considered simply human. For an example, an elf with 18 strength might also have draconic lineage way back along his bloodline. Things like that rationalize the illogical nature of Dungeons and Dragons.

[Clutch]

Muscle after so much is very noticeable. If you can lift so much wait, it has to be visibly somewhere unless you're fat. I'd say most the heroines in movies are above average, like 12, since they work out before the movie, but they aren't benching 300.

The idea is, you get mass with muscle. People aren't dainty with 18 str and 14 constitution.

Divine strength ? Please ? I beg you ! Anything better than those images

[Gurkak]

Heh.. Godbeast X has got it there. 16+ Strength and you're just a freaking beast for good or ill. Muscle weighs more than all other tissues save bone folks so.. Keep that in mind too. If your character is going to be high strength you may want to add two to ten pounds to every point above thirteen. Which is good to know for those nasty rotted planks or similar. >

Undeadsteak, 14-15 strength is gonna show. To what extent? Very defined borderline bulging biceps - washboard abs etc. If your thin? Your ripped and bulging being thin defines muscles and makes them obvious. A little on the chubby side hides muscles though.. hehe Shouldn't really be a problem for your concept, especially if she stays clothed most of the time.

Something to keep in mind is that alot of monsters you face have such insane strength scores for a reason and they are not supernatural.
Dragons weigh several tons or more once out of the wyrmling phase.

They're that strong because.. they're huge!

Same for ogres, trolls, and other giantkin; heck even giants themselves.
Wait now you're thinking probally right, what about orcs? The models I'd seen in single player weren't that big.

A smaller average orc(For 1st world countries like the USA height/weight in men as your comparison - 5'10" is average, this is 5'6") is 6'1" and weighs 210lb - that's not even chubby, that's the skinny runt who can barely get food. But they can top 7'6" and weigh up to around 495lb.(Oh right and before I forget this is Mountain Orcs the common ones not Grey Orcs, Orog, or the plane touched subrace Tanaraukk.) Now, for all that they get +4 strength. The average human male for example weighs if healthy and fit around 150lb and is around 5'8". Compare, 60 pounds heavier 3 inches taller. That's alot of muscle and a bit of bone. That's the difference between 10 strength and 14 strength in Joe Schmoe and Klug Doe.

But I want to play a Joe Schmoe character! Awesome, but think about this ok? This is thirty-two point buy that means your character will have 'exceptional' in every statistic but on or 'heroic' or even 'legendary' in several statistics from start.

What does that mean your character ask yourself?
They're the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the hope for their village(or terror eh heh). So why did you choose to become an adventurer?

Joe Schmoe has commoner class, player character classes are by definition the best the nutso good. The Rangers, the Navy Seals. Just by being the class.

NPC guards have warrior class(at least in PnP) and don't even get the fighter bonus feats. That's Joe Schmoe's best.

Being an average joe in outlook is awesome, but you'd never really be. So would this breed a touch of arrogance for some people? It sparks alot of questions, and although you may still have that farm boy's outlook... you're quickly becoming a 'hero' or 'villain'. That doesn't mean your character isn't human(feelings, outlooks, taught bigotry etc.) but they're not average.

Oh and before I forget - Bull's Strength and similar spells never show! That's supernatural!

[GodBeastX]

Heheh, I think I scurred you all ^_^