Summary
Besides exploring a world of adventure, danger, and fascinating characters, roleplaying games allow players to step out of their shoes and embody another life. Some choose mighty warriors, otherssilver-tongued rogues or diplomats. While it may not have the same immediate appeal as the more common archetypes, running around as a smooth-brained nincompoop can bring much joy to players, especially in subsequent runs.
One way to immerse players in the role is through “Dumb dialogue.” In the few RPGs that use it, it is usually unlocked by a character with a particularly low intelligence stat. While low intelligence might be seen as a flat disadvantage, that isn’t always the case, as these characters can have more to offer than hilarious moments of incompetence. While it takes a lot of extra time and energy (and, therefore, money) to rewrite dialogue to accommodate the cretin-character connoisseurs of the gaming world, the following games should exemplify exactly why doing so is worthwhile.
The originalFalloutis credited as the first RPG to provide roleplaying dialogue options for characters with sub-optimal mental prowess (an intelligence score equal to or lower than 2). It ticks all the roleplaying boxes in terms of gameplay changes: dynamic NPC reactivity, completely changed player response options, and an occasional advantage to having an IQ roughly equal to a number that West Coast vault dwellers might have stitched onto their jumpsuit.
Fallout 2continued this tradition, offering the same upsides and downsides for this type of character. Unfortunately, Bethesda’sFallout 3andFallout 4did not carry on this tradition. However, Obsidian’sFallout: New Vegasdid, if with a smaller scope than the original two (which should be unsurprising given their extremely short 18-month production deadline).
The player character (the cop) ofDisco Elysiummay be a unique case even among RPG protagonists. Although he can be customized extensively from the beginning of the game, he comes packaged with certain immutable traits (thanks to a fractured psyche) that permit him (if the player wishes) to say some pretty idiotic things to certain characters regardless of his build.Discowas tailor-made to accommodate the kinds of players who wanted their characters to deliver the most absurd, lizard-brained utterances.
Of course, for a game that explores failure as one of its central themes, it makes sense that failed mental skill checks should not lead directly to a game-over screen but are, in some instances, advantageous, or, in just about every other instance, side-splitting. Given the unique way thatDisco Elysiumdivides skills, it is also possible to roleplay a sophisticated, scholarly law enforcer who suffers from inept social skills and vice versa. Thankfully, because of theauthority granted to a police detectiveand the backup of his partner, it is very difficult to get locked out of conversations or content by way of a faux pas.
Choosing less-than-average intelligence duringThe Outer World’s character creation unlocks special dialogue during conversations. Players are free to play normally or indulge in a little numbskullery should they so wish, but they are rarely locked out from content for their cranial fold quality. However, occasionally, some of the more insightful options will not appear. Since the people of Halcyon have been subjected to a poor education for the most part, a below-average intelligence player character will mostly fit in. However, speaking to educated denizens tends to reveal more “dumb dialogue” options.
Dumb dialogue isn’t just well-written and hilarious, as it can occasionally help the player bypass tricky skill checks or situations. For example, the player can sidestep blame for killing a potential companion’s boss,gung-ho murder-hobo style, by saying that they “just get things confused,” after which the NPC agrees to follow them if only to make sure they are never left unattended again. A secret ending involves the player character insisting to the onboard computer that they pilot a spaceship themselves, resulting in the ship and all its inhabitants skip-smashing onto the surface of the sun.
Highly intelligent characters inNeverwinter Nightsgain an advantage both in terms of conversations and progression, as they will gain access to more “insights” than their baseline contemporaries and more skill points. On the other hand, characters with an intelligence stat of 9 or lower will find it challenging to glean any information, subtly delivered or otherwise, and will also struggle to improve their abilities. However, every word that makes it out of their mouths is deliciously labored.
Unfortunately, dumb speak is restricted toNeverwinter Nights’soriginal campaign and only a handful of other modules. It’s no wonder why, as scripted conversations catering to ignoramus enjoyers would effectively have to be written twice over, at least for the player character’s side of the dialogue. Low intelligence doesn’t offer any advantages to the player, but the sheer word count that Bioware’s writers produced is dumbfoundingly impressive. The experience probably putthe legendary RPG studiooff including such a feature in their later games.
Most games tended by the hand of veteran game developer Tim Cain tend to come with some kind of twist for player characters with low INT, andArcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscurais no different. Most players will probably be tempted to go for clever avatars because of the game’s main selling point of being “a Tolkien-esque world undergoing an industrial revolution,” with gunslinger engineers and old-world magician archetypes jumping out from the get-go.
But should they choose to go down the smooth-brained route, fastidious fool fans should find their chosen roleplaying preferences well-cosseted during their adventures. Almost all player character dialogue is written with a grunty twang, and NPCs will react accordingly. Those who wish to experience the unique reactions and dialogue of a dim character but with exceptional intelligence can take the “Idiot Savant” background, the only downsides being a hit to charisma and some difficulty learning from skill-increasing literature.
