> And I can see how my players would never come back to play another game
> with me if I ran thing that way. I play my NPC's as smart as I think they
> SHOULD be, not how smart I am. If I ran the NPC's in my game to MY full
> potential, the players wouldn't have a chance as I have so much more
> knowledge of the situations as I'm the one who created them.

Hah - I wish it were that way IMC. But I just lack the tactical, as well
as the strategical insight, I guess. Has anyone got any ideas for me on
how to make my NPCs/monsters more effective combatants, without actually
messin with their make-up in any way?

> Some have been saying that playing a low stat player that uses his wits is
> more true roleplaying than playing a high stat character. I agree that it
> more challenging, but I disagree that it is a more "pure" form of
> roleplaying. In fact, if I had a player that was running a character that had
> a 9 INT and a 7 Wis that constantly outsmarted the npc's I would say he is
> NOT roleplaying as the character in question, if played be his stats, should
> NOT BE CAPABLE of outsmarting an intelligent NPC. I once played a half ogre
> fighter with an Int of 6 that the party HATED. He was great in a fight but
> was constantly doing stupid things and getting duped by NPCs cause I played
> him as having a 6 int. It would seem odd to me for him to try and out think
> anyone.

We once had a PC like that IMC (at one time even two of them). To the
player who played that PC it was fun, but to the others it was hell. In
the end I just had to have him killed. And everyone lived happily ever
after... :)

> Anyway, I guess my point is that the style of play, be it deadly, low stat
> and "common man overcomes the odds", or not so deadly, high stat and " I was
> born to be a hero 'cause I have an 18 Str" is purely a personal choice. No
> one is right or wrong on this. Each game should be run in the style that the
> players and GM enjoy, no matter what that style is.

But all the PCs should be of comparable power, though. You don't want one
PC stealin the spotlight from the other just because he's got better
stats. When PCs have comparable stats, no one is relatively weak, so the
only way you can get prominently into the picture is by good roleplayin.
And that, your honour, is why I use a point system to determine ability
scores... :)

- the Falcon