Stats (Part 2): Combining Body & Mind

In creating a new RPG, I wanted to make sure that the character stats I chose were a solid foundation for the rest of the game.  This post follows my first post about stats: narrowing the scope.  

It's all about the feel.  Choosing game mechanics isn't just about how well the mechanics flow together, or how well they enable characters to interact with your world; it's about how each mechanic contributes to the overall emotional pull it has on your players.  In Hostargo, I want the players to feel directly connected to the world, where each choice matters, and all people, places, and events are tied together.

Everything about us is connected; our mind, body, and soul.  And that's why single-use stats just don't cut it for me.  You're strong, but do you have the will to back it up? You're funny, but I will laugh if you try to intimidate me.  You're sick, so your muscles are weak, your vision is blurred, and you're having trouble remembering your own name. 

I want my stats to represent this connection between mind and body.  I also want to use stats as a representation of health, both mental and physical.  When you get shot, I want the pain to cripple you.  You can't walk, you can't think, and you certainly have trouble socializing.  So instead of using the standard body and mind, what type of aspects can I use?

Stats describe characters, so let's describe them.  He's not just physically strong, he's hardy.  She has keen eyes and cracks a mean joke, so she's witty.  That kid has incredible self-control; he's a star athlete and also top of his class.  He's certainly got a magnetic spirit.  Long story short, these are the general categories I've landed on (after a good long time of debating this stuff, of course).  Interestingly, but I suppose not surprisingly, these descriptive categories are not all that far off from the standard body and mind.

But the trick to what I'm about to propose is that each of these stats can represent a character in a physical, a mental, and a social way.  Oh, and Hostargo is largely a wild-west setting... so...

True Grit

WIT can describe a character's ability to think quickly.  But quick thinking also applies to one's reflexes; acting before thinking even.  A character who is high in wit would also have a sharp tongue, able to throw insults left and right.  But if your wit is damaged, your sanity decreases.  You become skittish and off-put, often unable to accurately perceive that which is around you.

GRIT represents a person's general hardiness.  Strength of muscle, strength of will, and strength of character can all be wrapped up into one, beautiful word.  And when grit is damaged, that's your actual physical health.  Your strength declines, your drive slows, your companions no longer see you as an indestructible pylon, and your enemies grin knowing that you're on your knees.

SPIRIT represents a character's self control.  High spirit means high energy, and the ability to manifest that energy into movement, thought, and emotional connection.  It's the ability to mobilize yourself, feel the world around you, and control your actions accordingly.  Damage to spirit results in a temporary loss of this control.  A shock of pain, a blow to your ego, or an exhausting run will all hinder your ability to aim a gun, solve a riddle, or reason with a hostile.

Wit, Grit, and Spirit are a whole hell of a lot like mind, body, and soul, and I will use them as such to represent health in their corresponding areas.  They're still not as connected as I'd like, but what gives us the "trick" mentioned above is Hostargo's skills, which take these stats and break them into our three categories: physical, mental, and social.  I have three stats, and three categories for each, so in total I will have 9 generic skills that will flesh out our character's abilities, and complete the theory of combining body and mind.

But, that is another conversation that we shall have, on a post somewhere down the road.  So until next time, cheers!