How do you deal with intelligence stat in litRPG

[Snusmumriken]

Stuff like "Stats" or "Abilities" are just numerical magic systems to denote the growth of the character in tangible numbers. Emotional quandaries, like his character development, the way he thinks about certain situations, and the decisions he makes throughout the novel shouldn't be tied to a number, but rather the author's ability as a potent writer.

Stats and abilities are the epitome of tell, don't show strategy: they are quick highlights of character prowess without the author sitting down and actually writing how strong said character is. At least some would describe the increase in strength as the stats progress but most don't bother with intelligence exactly because it is much harder to do so.

And that is why I said it is better to name these stats something else - exactly so that they wouldn't be tied down to a number.

 

[Wintertime]

Stats and abilities are the epitome of tell, don't show strategy: they are quick highlights of character prowess without the author sitting down and actually writing how strong said character is. At least some would describe the increase in strength as the stats progress but most don't bother with intelligence exactly because it is much harder to do so.

And that is why I said it is better to name these stats something else - exactly so that they wouldn't be tied down to a number.

I mean, it doesn't really matter what you would call it. You could call 'INT' something along the lines of Magical Power or Arcane Acumen but the outcome is the same. The author would still have to identify what Magical Power or Arcane Acumen meant in the context of the book, and then at that point, you could call INT literally anything you wanted as long as the readers understood what that entailed.

 

[Kitsura]

Don't add one?
Not all games have an INT stat anyway and most of the time it's a magic stat. You can use mana or skills to represent a growth in INT stat.

 

[Agentt]

I rather make him insane actually. The classic love craftian, "Too mysterious for human mind to comprehend" stuff

 

[Kuropon]

Not really hard to do it, think people confuse int with wisdom. Int in my novel is just the person's processing power in the brain, it helps them remember stuff faster but having a lot of knowledge from reading books doesn't mean they know how to use it.

So that's why it increases magic power by allowing the mage to remember long incantations and magic circles. It does not affect if they can think in a logical way though.

 

[AliceShiki]

You can just rename it to a "Magic" stat instead of keeping it as "Intelligence", should solve all problems and still fill its function properly.

 

[Reisinling]

You can just rename it to a "Magic" stat instead of keeping it as "Intelligence", should solve all problems and still fill its function properly.

Well, I wanted this stat to be related to language comprehension, which is why I wanted to still have it.. but It seems I introduced more problems than i solved this way

 

[AliceShiki]

Well, I wanted this stat to be related to language comprehension, which is why I wanted to still have it.. but It seems I introduced more problems than i solved this way

Well, I don't really have any idea on how to make it affect that and not other areas of intelligence without simply saying: "It affects this and nothing else because I said so."

So uhn... Good luck?

 

[gaylolis]

make them only raise if the character does something smart and lower them when they did stupid things.

and make them kinda crucial with many things like magic power, experience gain, and their proficiency gain. without high enough stat, their potential from the get go will be severely hampered.

though also made it so you could easily get it back when the character actually learned from their mistakes, instead of punishing every single minor blunder.

i think it's also be nice to note, that the stat gains isn't an indication of them instantly getting stronger or weaker, but more of reflection of their actual progress, like a report card that updates in real time.

and if the one behind the system is actually competent and able to provide a semi-decent feedback, i think the stat system itself can be really overpowered in the right hands.

of course, with my bias, i'd make it so it'd be totally perfect for the MC and in-line with their personal beliefs. i love to write about their learning process more, than how they simply stomp their enemies.

...but yea, there's one potential super big loophole. that's why, the moment MC for example, get tricked, they can instantly retaliate
right away.

to fix it, there might be some delay, or ideally when the MC finally realize it themselves.

 

[Snusmumriken]

make them only raise if the character does something smart and lower them when they did stupid things.

and make them kinda crucial with many things like magic power, experience gain, and their proficiency gain. without high enough stat, their potential from the get go will be severely hampered.

though also made it so you could easily get it back when the character actually learned from their mistakes, instead of punishing every single minor blunder.

i think it's also be nice to note, that the stat gains isn't an indication of them instantly getting stronger or weaker, but more of reflection of their actual progress, like a report card that updates in real time.

and if the one behind the system is actually competent and able to provide a semi-decent feedback, i think the stat system itself can be really overpowered in the right hands.

of course, with my bias, i'd make it so it'd be totally perfect for the MC and in-line with their personal beliefs. i love to write about their learning process more, than how they simply stomp their enemies.

While I would agree in general to this approach there is one small caveat.

The granting and removal of stats is still based on what the author thinks is smart. I've seen hundreds of litRPG stories wherein first few paragraphs the MC is granted +1 Int or +1 Wis for not spending his stats. Which is somehow a wise thing to do. Even though everyone knows it's done mostly so that the MC could dump them at a very critical time and save the day, not because it is a smart or even sensible approach.

Granted, that could be subverted if the system is actually not omniscient and has its own hidden agenda to steer MC in a certain direction exactly by providing them with appropriately worded quests and granting them stats for certain behaviours thus eliciting a Pavlovian response.

Not many writers are capable of writing something like that well, however.

 

[gaylolis]

While I would agree in general to this approach there is one small caveat.

The granting and removal of stats is still based on what the author thinks is smart. I've seen hundreds of litRPG stories wherein first few paragraphs the MC is granted +1 Int or +1 Wis for not spending his stats. Which is somehow a wise thing to do. Even though everyone knows it's done mostly so that the MC could dump them at a very critical time and save the day, not because it is a smart or even sensible approach.

Granted, that could be subverted if the system is actually not omniscient and has its own hidden agenda to steer MC in a certain direction exactly by providing them with appropriately worded quests and granting them stats for certain behaviours thus eliciting a Pavlovian response.

Not many writers are capable of writing something like that well, however.

in the end, you can't please everyone. and since i'm writing for myself, i don't see it as big of a deal. they can just write a better one if they wanted to be pedantic.

or you can just make the one behind the System that's assigned to the MC an actual human with their bias, like you said 'non omniscient'.

it can also make an interesting twist that the MC was actually a lot stronger than his own evaluation etc

'cuz the system just want to fuck with everyone, including the mc for example.

as such, things like appraisal can pretty much be a double-edged sword instead of just easy-spy button xD

personally, i think the LitRPG system in general just doesn't make sense and that's why the contradictions appear in the first place. if people stick to an intuitive system instead of straight up copy pasta video games that doesn't really translate to reality, i think the quality can be better overall.

 

[Nymus]

... sry, this is a completely indecent answer: the only way to deal with the intelligence stats is with glasses.
it´s an universal truth, and the multiverse will end if you act in any other way.