Zenbitz: Thoughts on innate abilites (stats)

= Inate Properties. =

NOTE: I am going to point out now that this list below appears COMPLETELY INSANE. It is not (repeat: NOT) meant to be a list of things I think should be important in PARPG. It is simply a list of things I think *might* be possible to include. Some are obviously more likely to be included than others. Some are obviously going to be abstracted and grouped into other ones of the class. It is expect that some of these will become gauges which will influence a characters' score in some secondary gauge(s) or skills (learned or acquired abilities). Please add anything to the list you think I might have forgotten!

PCs effect with the world in one of two ways - though a learned ability ("skill") or innate ability ("stat"). Innate properties are those that all humans share regardless of background (although certain of them may be defective to the point of non-existence in some examples). Some can be improved with training and study, but with much tighter restrictions than a typical learned ability. Example - through weight training it's possible to increase your "lifting ability" - but it will be capped by your overall body type. Extreme increases may require life-long devotion and/or chemical enhancers (steroids).

= All Inclusive lists of Innate Abilities = Please note that this is meant to be exhaustive - certainly not all of these would be implemented in PARPG - or even any game. These may be grouped in to governing stats, or become secondary stats (derived from a combination of primary stats), or serve as modifiers to primary or secondary stats. A bunch of them may just assumed to be "human average" for all characters, or set to arbitrary (but fixed) values at character creation. It probably makes sense for at least some of these "abilities" and characteristics to be considered human normal in all cases unless a specific "gift" (trait/perk whatever you want to call it) is bought. Note that this includes "negatraits" aka Disadvantages.

Pure Cosmetic Factors

 * Hair color
 * Hair "straightness"
 * Eye color
 * Skin tone
 * Response of skin to UV ("tanning")
 * Hirsute-itude (hairyness)

Physical properties (dimensions)

 * Mass
 * Height
 * Reach (wingspan)
 * Joint and muscle flexibility
 * Bone Density (Resistance to breakage)
 * Muscle tone
 * Ratio of fat to muscle %
 * Shoulder to hip ratio
 * Waste to hip ratio
 * hat size
 * "dress" size (here means all clothing)
 * shoe size

Senses and perception

 * Visual acuity
 * Hearing acuity
 * Smell acuity
 * Taste acuity
 * Touch acuity

"Strength"
Could equal Mass X (0.67- (Body Fat + Bone Density)) X Muscle tone with muscle tone varying from 0-1 (realistically .7 to 1.0) and Body Fat & Bone Density = fraction of body mass for each. (Bond Density avg. about 0.13, Body fat from 0.05-0.25 or higher). With +0.10 body fat for women.


 * Lifting and Carrying capacity
 * Upper body strength
 * Maximum wrist torque ("jar opening")
 * Bending and breaking stuff
 * Crushing stuff
 * Melee and "arm strike" damage (punch)
 * Lower body strength
 * Kick damage
 * Jump height
 * Jump distance

Mobility (Combination of "Strength" and "Dexterity"

 * Sprint speed
 * Long distance running speed

"Dexterity"

 * Reflexes
 * Hand-eye coordination
 * Aim (mixed with vision)
 * Decisiveness
 * Kinesthesis (body sense)
 * Balance
 * Ambidexterity (presumably modeled as a non-zero penalty to off-hand use - full ambi would be zero penalty)

"Health and Endurance"

 * Wind (ability to continuously physically exert yourself)
 * Exhaustion recovery rate
 * Resistance to pain
 * Wound healing rate
 * Resistance to concussion
 * Resistance to strains, sprains and muscle pulls
 * Resistance to infection (with subtypes bacterial and viral)
 * Resistance to toxins (with subtypes neuro- blood- irritants, etc. -- even specific drugs)
 * Resistance to radiation
 * Resistance to cancer
 * Resistance to hunger
 * Resistance to thirst
 * Resistance to heat
 * Resistance to cold
 * Resistance to mental shock
 * Resistance to mental illness (you laugh, ever heard of Call of Cthulhu?)
 * Resistance to lack of sleep/rest
 * Resistance to addiction (could have subtypes as well)
 * Fertility
 * General food tolerance (allergies)
 * Nocturnal/Diurnal cycle

"Intelligence"

 * Memory
 * Logic and Reasoning
 * Spatial relationships
 * Mental focus ("distractibility")
 * Creative problem solving
 * Physical learning rate
 * "Mental" learning rate
 * Sense of direction
 * Sense of timing

Talents and predispositions (could be considered a subset of Intelligence)

 * Scientific aptitude (including mathematics?)
 * Mechanical aptitude
 * Language aptitude (Communication in Aftermath!)
 * Esthetic (Artistic) aptitude
 * Natural aptitude (affinity for plants, animals, the environment)
 * Charisma (inc. leadership)
 * Presence

A few others I am on the fence about including, with comments

 * Attractiveness - this is so often in the eye of the beholder, but we may need a "hotness" value as distinct from raw charisma
 * Combative aptitude - this (along with Scientific/Esthetic/Comunication/Charismatic/Mechanical/Natural) was one of the core "talents" of Aftermath! It represented "Agressiveness, will-to-win, and raw fighting ability".    It seems to fit in - non combat skills typically had a "governing talent" BUT I would be worried it would be over-emphasized by players in a cRPG.   Possible replacement could be "Athleticism" which would cover most of the melee combat skills.
 * Initiative or "Self motivation" - I am struggling to see a reason for this in a game... but possibly useful for NPCs
 * Shyness / Openness - to new people and ideas.
 * Stubborness / ADD - does character stick out a problem to the end, or do they flip from task to task. Is this distinct from "patience"?
 * "Energy" level - i.e, dynamic vs. couch potato type.
 * Competitiveness (see "Combat aptitude and "Athleticism" above)
 * Financial acuity/business sense (not sure this isn't just "barter skill")
 * Teaching aptitude (probably just a skill? - add to "Language" = communication)
 * Compassion
 * Empathy
 * Capacity to Love
 * Impulsiveness
 * Faith in higher power
 * Faith in fellow man
 * Gullibility
 * Child like sense of wonder
 * Trustworthyness