pdzoch
Explorer
I think charisma is a horribly misunderstood ability score in the game. And I think that misunderstanding leads to flawed roll playing.
I understand how the game mechanics compels many players to use Charisma as the dump stat. And I understand how the combat nature of D&D may encourage the favoring of constitution (which influences no skills) to be favored over charisma (which influences four skills – which also makes it the third most influential ability score).
Unfortunately, it is too common a misunderstanding that Charisma equates to beauty, and that is simply not the case. Certainly, attractiveness is a factor, but seldom the entire story. And a character can be described as beautiful but with low charisma.
The mechanics of the game does assert some penalties for having low charisma, affecting charisma saving throws as well as four skill checks: deception, intimidation, performance, and persuasion. Unfortunately, most players dodge those penalties by simply not investing in those skills.
But what of the other consequences not considered?
Is it really plausible that a leader of an adventuring group would have a low charisma? The highest doesn’t seem necessary (Hannibal Smith did have his Faceman – a little 80’s A-team reference there), but it does not seem likely that the leader would have one of the lowest charisma scores in the group.
At what low score is a character’s charisma off-putting enough to counter the social encounter of the group? – you know, that really awkward friend who just says the wrong thing at the wrong time or doing the inappropriate habit in public that betrays the credibility of the group.
Which leads to a question about roleplaying uncharismatic characters. There is more to the trait than beauty, but seems to be the default consideration. I love it when the players role play the gregarious high charisma characters (shouts from the tavern patrons as their favorite person walks into the bar. “Norm!”). I hesitate to encourage any player to role play the low charisma aspects – I mean, we all still want to have fun and enjoy each other’s company during the game. None of us want to be gross out or repulsed by our fellow players. So how is everyone actually roleplaying a low charisma character? Hopefully it is not all beauty based. Even an ugly bard can have a high charisma (because, you know, he is in a band). Which leads to the flip side of the discussion. How many players are roleplaying an ugly character with a high charisma?
It seems natural that bards rely on charisma as a primary ability, which readily reinforces the emphasis of attractiveness (and perhaps charm) for charisma. But Sorcerers and Warlocks rely on charisma also. This highlights and entirely different aspect charisma than attractiveness. The second definition of charisma accounts for why the magic of sorcerers and warlocks are bound to the charisma score: a divinely conferred power or talent. Unfortunately, that talent for magic is divorced from the 1st definition of charisma aligned to attractiveness and presence that influences the four related skills. Perhaps they are still related, just in a different way. Which may be good enough to avoid overcomplicating the rules.
This is not an argument championing the value of Charisma as an ability score. Nor is this a full discussion on charisma. At best, it is a beginning. Instead, it is an argument for better consideration of what the Charisma score means, how it can be roleplayed, and how it affects the game above the superficial understanding of the ability (note the use of the word ability, not trait. Ability suggest something more actively employed than the latent nature of trait).
I understand how the game mechanics compels many players to use Charisma as the dump stat. And I understand how the combat nature of D&D may encourage the favoring of constitution (which influences no skills) to be favored over charisma (which influences four skills – which also makes it the third most influential ability score).
Unfortunately, it is too common a misunderstanding that Charisma equates to beauty, and that is simply not the case. Certainly, attractiveness is a factor, but seldom the entire story. And a character can be described as beautiful but with low charisma.
The mechanics of the game does assert some penalties for having low charisma, affecting charisma saving throws as well as four skill checks: deception, intimidation, performance, and persuasion. Unfortunately, most players dodge those penalties by simply not investing in those skills.
But what of the other consequences not considered?
Is it really plausible that a leader of an adventuring group would have a low charisma? The highest doesn’t seem necessary (Hannibal Smith did have his Faceman – a little 80’s A-team reference there), but it does not seem likely that the leader would have one of the lowest charisma scores in the group.
At what low score is a character’s charisma off-putting enough to counter the social encounter of the group? – you know, that really awkward friend who just says the wrong thing at the wrong time or doing the inappropriate habit in public that betrays the credibility of the group.
Which leads to a question about roleplaying uncharismatic characters. There is more to the trait than beauty, but seems to be the default consideration. I love it when the players role play the gregarious high charisma characters (shouts from the tavern patrons as their favorite person walks into the bar. “Norm!”). I hesitate to encourage any player to role play the low charisma aspects – I mean, we all still want to have fun and enjoy each other’s company during the game. None of us want to be gross out or repulsed by our fellow players. So how is everyone actually roleplaying a low charisma character? Hopefully it is not all beauty based. Even an ugly bard can have a high charisma (because, you know, he is in a band). Which leads to the flip side of the discussion. How many players are roleplaying an ugly character with a high charisma?
It seems natural that bards rely on charisma as a primary ability, which readily reinforces the emphasis of attractiveness (and perhaps charm) for charisma. But Sorcerers and Warlocks rely on charisma also. This highlights and entirely different aspect charisma than attractiveness. The second definition of charisma accounts for why the magic of sorcerers and warlocks are bound to the charisma score: a divinely conferred power or talent. Unfortunately, that talent for magic is divorced from the 1st definition of charisma aligned to attractiveness and presence that influences the four related skills. Perhaps they are still related, just in a different way. Which may be good enough to avoid overcomplicating the rules.
This is not an argument championing the value of Charisma as an ability score. Nor is this a full discussion on charisma. At best, it is a beginning. Instead, it is an argument for better consideration of what the Charisma score means, how it can be roleplayed, and how it affects the game above the superficial understanding of the ability (note the use of the word ability, not trait. Ability suggest something more actively employed than the latent nature of trait).
