Original Blackmoor Ability Scores

[Havard]

Michael TrescaJanuary 23, 2014 at 7:05 PM:

So if I read that character sheet right:

PERSONALITY | (SKILLS?)
=====================
Brains | Horsemanship
Looks | Woodsmanship
Credibility (spelled incorrectly) | Leadership
Sex | Flying
Health | Seamanship
Strength | Cunning
Courage

Did I read that right? "Sex" was a stat?

Jon PetersonJanuary 23, 2014 at 7:23 PM:

Yes, well, "Sex" as in "sexual prowess" played a large role in the Blackmoor setting. The strong debt that Blackmoor owes to the Gor setting informs this. Early Blackmoor documents refer quite frequently to situations where a "Sex" stat would come in handy, if not downright essential to survival.

This sheet is reproduced in PatW, and there's some discussion about its properties to be found there.

Michael (Gronan) MornardJanuary 25, 2014 at 10:32 PM

* Pete Gaylord --> sexual prowess *

* claws own eyes out *


(KIDDING, PETE! KIDDING!)

Source: http://playingattheworld.blogspot.no/20 ... 3998393983


I'd be interested in hearing more about how the sexual prowess stat would be essential to survival...

-Havard

[finarvyn]

I'd be interested in hearing more about how the sexual prowess stat would be essential to survival...

If this is tied to the Gor connection with Blackmoor, I suspect it has to do with the conversion of "white silk" slavegirls into "red silk." Perhaps not "essential to survival" but perhaps a key element in providing heirs or some such. :lol:

[gsvenson]

I don't recall there being anything about sexual prowess when we were actually doing the Tarnsman of Gor stuff and it didn't last that long before we dropped it. Ithink that is was late in 1972 or early in 1973...

[Havard]

I don't recall there being anything about sexual prowess when we were actually doing the Tarnsman of Gor stuff and it didn't last that long before we dropped it. Ithink that is was late in 1972 or early in 1973...

Do you recall the ability scores being used, as from Pete Gaylord's character sheets Greg?

Another possible use for such an ability score could be tied to the Hobbies / Wine, Women & Song rules used to gain experience points, as per the First Fantasy Campaign. Unlike OD&D where you would get XP from money found, Arneson would only award XP if the money was spent on the categories above. Perhaps there would be checks required to see if the character had the stamina for it? I could see Health checks being required for the Wine activity for instance.

I am also wondering why Brains and Cunning are separate stats. Is this the beginning of the mysterious Wis/Int divide?

-Havard

[gsvenson]

I never had my own copy of Svenny's character sheet. In fact, I was surprised when his stats were published in DA1. Dave had an index card for each character and let me have it sometimes during the gaming sessions, but then collected it again at the end. My recollection is that the stats matched more closely those published in OD&D, with some minor name changes (appearance for cha and stamina for con). And while the original stat range was from 1-10, there were some as high as 13 (Svenny's wife's appearance for example). In my recollection, the stats were used more for task resolution than for adjustments in combat.

[Havard]

I never had my own copy of Svenny's character sheet. In fact, I was surprised when his stats were published in DA1. Dave had an index card for each character and let me have it sometimes during the gaming sessions, but then collected it again at the end. My recollection is that the stats matched more closely those published in OD&D, with some minor name changes (appearance for cha and stamina for con). And while the original stat range was from 1-10, there were some as high as 13 (Svenny's wife's appearance for example). In my recollection, the stats were used more for task resolution than for adjustments in combat.

Very interesting Greg. I suppose the format could have changed along the way like so much else in the Blackmoor campaign? I love the detail about Svenny's wife btw!

The list above included the following:

Brains -->Intelligence?
Looks --->Charisma?
Leadership --->Charisma?
Health ---> Constitution (Stamina)?
Strength ---> Strength
Cunning ---> Wisdom?
Courage
Horsemanship
Woodsmanship
Credibility
Flying
Sex
Seamanship

According to what Aldarron wrote here, the Dexterity Score was an invention of Gary's so that at least fits well.

-Havard

[aldarron]

According to what Aldarron wrote here, the Dexterity Score was an invention of Gary's so that at least fits well.

-Havard

Actually, I had said more about it and the other traits on my blog http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2012/12/c ... rt-ii.html