Maximum Attributes for Real World People

[Celjabba]

Short answer : 20 for human - above is surhuman.

Long answer : it is hugely debated, but a realistic limit is likely around 15-16. Some say higher, some lower.

"Playable" is something else, it depends on the game.

For realistic modern humans,
IQ and DX above 16-18, you get unrealistic skill default.
ST above 15, you beat lifting world record without trying.

[Kesendeja]

Okay, I originally sat the caps at 15, with 16 being available with unusual background.

Now several PDFs have come out with advantages that work well in concept with the world and characters, only problem is they have prerequisites higher than I originally allowed attributes to get to.

Without changing the caps, any idea how I would go about adjusting things?

[Aldric]

You could allow for special training allowing you to increase the cap. Expand on the unusual background you already have, set a price you're comfortable with (and you expect your players to pay) and let them increase the stats further.
It probably won't be strictly realistic, but characters with high point totals stretch that anyway.

Or you could lower the prerequisites on those abilities you're intrrested in

[Kesendeja]

I was thinking about using this, and any opinions would be helpful. (Game Balance isn't my strong suit).

Attributes
Old = New
1-3 = 1
4 = 2
5 = 4
6 = 6
7 = 7
8 = 8
9 = 9
10 = 10
11 = 11
12 = 12
13 = 13
14 = 13
15 = 14
16 = 15
17 = 15
18 = 16
19 = 16
20 = 16

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Attributes
Old = New
1-3 = 1
4 = 2
5 = 4
6 = 6

Why are you adjusting already low stats downward? It won't have much effect on humans; humans can't normally go below 6. But it creates problems for nonhumans.

* GURPS typically equates ST to HP. But there's an implicit correspondence between HP and weight (explicit for machines and masses of matter): HP = 2x (cube root of weight in pounds) (4x for machines; 8x for masses of matter). This gives 2 ounces for ST 1, 1 lb. for ST 2, 4 lbs. for ST 3, 8 lbs. for ST 4, 16 lbs. for ST 5, and 27 lbs. for ST 6. Are you going to make small animals a lot smaller? Or are you going to have no relation between weight and HP?

* GURPS treats IQ for nonhuman animals as a measure of species capability: 1 for (a lot of) invertebrates, 2 for reptiles, 3 for less smart mammals, 4 for smarter mammals such as wolves, 5 for monkeys and parrots, 6 for apes. You seem to be treating everything from a roach to a horse as equally lacking in intelligence, That seems too collapsed a scale.

[Kesendeja]

Originally Posted by whswhs

Why are you adjusting already low stats downward? It won't have much effect on humans; humans can't normally go below 6. But it creates problems for nonhumans.

* GURPS typically equates ST to HP. But there's an implicit correspondence between HP and weight (explicit for machines and masses of matter): HP = 2x (cube root of weight in pounds) (4x for machines; 8x for masses of matter). This gives 2 ounces for ST 1, 1 lb. for ST 2, 4 lbs. for ST 3, 8 lbs. for ST 4, 16 lbs. for ST 5, and 27 lbs. for ST 6. Are you going to make small animals a lot smaller? Or are you going to have no relation between weight and HP?

* GURPS treats IQ for nonhuman animals as a measure of species capability: 1 for (a lot of) invertebrates, 2 for reptiles, 3 for less smart mammals, 4 for smarter mammals such as wolves, 5 for monkeys and parrots, 6 for apes. You seem to be treating everything from a roach to a horse as equally lacking in intelligence, That seems too collapsed a scale.

Those were the prerequisite conversions.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Those were the prerequisite conversions.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand.

[Celjabba]

I guess you want to use some powerups for DF or MH ?

Those are cinematic, not for mundane realistic humans.

I think you can lower the prerequisites, adjusting for your campaign cap.

Exemple :
A MH-techie powerup require IQ 18, the human techie have IQ between 16 and 20. > 16-20 become 12-15, requirement = IQ 13 or 14.
A DF-barbarian require ST 18, the human barbarian have ST between 18 and 25. > 17-20(25) become 14-15(16), requirement = ST 14.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Celjabba

I guess you want to use some powerups for DF or MH ?

Those are cinematic, not for mundane realistic humans.

I think you can lower the prerequisites, adjusting for your campaign cap.

expanding on the above comment, genre and play style matter. There are some games where the human maximum is higher or lower than others. Sometimes this is about cinematic humans, sometimes its just that the GM is a "stat-normalizer".

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

Okay, I originally sat the caps at 15, with 16 being available with unusual background.

Now several PDFs have come out with advantages that work well in concept with the world and characters, only problem is they have prerequisites higher than I originally allowed attributes to get to.

Without changing the caps, any idea how I would go about adjusting things?

Advantages like...what?