Standard deviation on Stat distribution?

[Victor Maxus]

Originally Posted by Langy

2.5% of humans having a stat of 17 or higher is ludicrous. Actually look at what that means, mechanically speaking. It pretty much makes you near-professionally competent at anything you try at default. That's really unbelievable for 2.5% of the population.

This is another way of looking at the whole putting GURPS in real life. Again, it is nearly impossible to do, given it is a game designed to to play and have fun with realism being a consideration, not a driving force. So, instead of trying to figure how many people out there have a 17 IQ, think what it means to slap a 17 IQ stat on some one.

Let's go with 1 CP being 200 hours of study. Now, let's say 17 IQ goes to college to be a doctor. He spends 4 hours a day in class and and 1 hour a day doing homework and extra study, or only 5 hours of his day (Can still work that job at the local convenience store to pay tuition.) That is 25 hours a week (taking week ends off). That means in 8 weeks time, he can earn 1 CP. That is about 2 CP a semester. After 1 year of college, he has 4 CP. Now, put those in his medical skills, one point in each of the big 4, he has 17 First Aid, 15 Diagnosis, 15 Physician and 14 surgeon... after 1 year. With 12 being the game mechanics default for professional level, Mr. 17 IQ just become a top notch doctor, better than most professionals, and in just 1 year of college. He has 3 years left. He could take physics, chemistry, literature, several histories, business courses, some mechanics and by the end of 4 years of college, be 14 to 17 skill level in 16 different areas. That is pretty good.

Now, what this means for how many 17 IQ people are there in the world, I don't know, probably nothing. But it does let you sit back and ask, "How many people out there did this with their life?" Extremely few, which tells me that 17 IQ is a rare trait indeed. So, before you slap that down on some one, just think, in GURPS terms, what you are saying about a 17 IQ character.

This method does not do a whole lot to explain stat distribution in the real world, but I think it does explain Doogie Howser.