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SquareKnot · 09-22-05, 01:14 PM

Charisma in NWN really means two somewhat different things. First, it is your physical attractiveness -- how good looking you are. This is hard to role play, as you don't know the Charisma score of those around you. I just try to go by the appearance of the avatar and trust that people with high or low charisma will do something to look the part.

The other, more game-mechanics part of charisma is stage presence or leadership. A person with high charisma radiates decisiveness and confidence. He or she is a natural leader, the person with the plan, the one you would follow into battle. High charisma people just seem powerful and leave others in awe of them. That is why this stat is used for undead turning. An impressive, confident cleric has more impact on the undead -- and the living, for that matter. Bards need high charisma to catch and hold the attention of a group, and inspire the troops via the bardsong. Sorcerers draw their magic from that inner well of power and strength that exhibits itself externally as charisma, and charisma allows them to command that power with authority.

So in your example, the party would have decided to set up the ambush because the high charisma guy said, "Listen, we're going to set an ambush -- and who's with me!" A character with less charisma would follow the leader unless he or she had a good reason not too, maybe even if they thought that it was a mildly bad plan, all because they had been talked into it by Capt. Charisma.

Just my thoughts as a guy with 15 charisma. Strength and Dex were my dump stats. Yep, I'm worthless in battle, but people should listen to me, darn it.

09-22-05, 01:14 PM	#3
SquareKnot Adamantium Golem Characters Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Colorado (GMT-6) Posts: 269 Thanks: 13 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	RE: Roleplaying Charisma Charisma in NWN really means two somewhat different things. First, it is your physical attractiveness -- how good looking you are. This is hard to role play, as you don't know the Charisma score of those around you. I just try to go by the appearance of the avatar and trust that people with high or low charisma will do something to look the part. The other, more game-mechanics part of charisma is stage presence or leadership. A person with high charisma radiates decisiveness and confidence. He or she is a natural leader, the person with the plan, the one you would follow into battle. High charisma people just seem powerful and leave others in awe of them. That is why this stat is used for undead turning. An impressive, confident cleric has more impact on the undead -- and the living, for that matter. Bards need high charisma to catch and hold the attention of a group, and inspire the troops via the bardsong. Sorcerers draw their magic from that inner well of power and strength that exhibits itself externally as charisma, and charisma allows them to command that power with authority. So in your example, the party would have decided to set up the ambush because the high charisma guy said, "Listen, we're going to set an ambush -- and who's with me!" A character with less charisma would follow the leader unless he or she had a good reason not too, maybe even if they thought that it was a mildly bad plan, all because they had been talked into it by Capt. Charisma. Just my thoughts as a guy with 15 charisma. Strength and Dex were my dump stats. Yep, I'm worthless in battle, but people should listen to me, darn it.