Wisdom score

[Schiffer]

If you have a negative modifier to your wisdom, how do you roll play that?

If -1 int means your slow or have a hard time learning, and -1 Cha means your hard to get along with, what is - wis?

-Thanks

[MrSin]

Probably a little less perceptive or gullible. That said, that's actually emulated by your characters perception/sense motive skills and your will save, so you might be safe just to roleplay however you like unless you have a crazy person over your head demanding you play in a certain way(his way), but why put up with that guy anyway?

[Lincoln Hills]

There are several different methods. High Int, low Wisdom is the classic mad scientist - "I combined my interest in undertaking, electrical engineering and biology to run lightning through a giant built out of lots of different dead bodies. What could go wrong?"

A character with a slight Wisdom penalty might simply be impulsive, gullible, or have a bit of attention deficit disorder. Of all the stats, low WIS probably has the most leeway in terms of how to roleplay it. Strong has one opposite; Wise has several.

For further inspiration, check the TVTropes entry for "Genre Blind".

[Corvino]

There are indeed many ways you could play low Wisdom. Anything from absent minded or forgetful (The high Int, low Wis professor who can't find his glasses because they're perched on top of his head) through to rash and impulsive (A low Wis Knight who charges headlong into a fight with no plan, not waiting to see if his allies follow), being bad with money, being indiscreet with secrets, judging social situations badly and unintentionally bringing up embarrassing info, you name it.

If you're low Int and Wis you might end up like Thog...

[Gargs454]

I've always kind of viewed the difference between Int and Wis like this: If you are Intelligent, you are "book smart" whereas if you are Wise, you are "street smart". As such, a low-Wis character may be slow to learn from her mistakes. "Sure, charging through the front door yelling 'Death to All Orcs!' didn't work well last time but that's just because we were unlucky, not because we were outnumbered 100 to 1."

[Rub-Eta]

Schiffer wrote:

... -1 Cha means your hard to get along with, what is - wis?

I wouldn't say that -1Cha mean "hard to get along with" (isn't fun to play in a party with that one). Rather: not be able to express one selfe in a way to get liked. You know: That kid who's a bit wierd. All the other kids said so anyway.

I'd say that having a negativ Wis means that you are less carefull and suspicious of your surroundings.
I'm building an Alchemist atm, going for 7 WIS to justify: "Hey, this time it might work to drink Acid? Will never know if I don't try, again". Ofc I'm not going to do that more than once or even ever. I mean in the same sense.

[Ciaran Barnes]

Just don't over-role-play the ability score. That is worse (to me) than simply not role-playing it.

[revaar]

I play my Bard with a 7 Wis as impulsive, overly curious, and a little overconfident. He's constantly charging into the front lines, only wearing light armor and often neglecting a round to buff. He'll often try to activate magical locks and devices in dungeons without knowing exactly what they do. In battle, he always seeks out the strongest looking foe, usually getting in over his head.

Honestly, low Wis is my favorite dump stat to role play. Acting on impulse and getting in trouble is just so much more fun than thinking things through for 10 minutes and avoiding the challenge.

[Anarchy_Kanya]

Schiffer wrote:

If -1 int means your slow or have a hard time learning, and -1 Cha means your hard to get along with, what is -1 wis?

Whatever you want it or need it to be.

[KahnyaGnorc]

Have you ever met someone who is very smart, but, quite frankly, ditzy? High Int, Low Wis right there. (Ditzy characters are fun to play, btw!)

[phantom1592]

I would first try to decide for yourself what Wisdom actually DOES in the game. Then decide how much you feel that -1 actually matters. There are a lot of different interpretations, so you kind of have to decide for yourself... an hopefully don't have GM who pushes you too hard on your roleplaying decisions.

For myself?

I would look at the skills. Heal, Perception, Profession, Sense Motive, Survival are the ones that are affected by Wisdom... And the ones you will be getting penalized on.

To me, that means he's less perceptive, more self absorbed maybe. Not got a lot of business sense and not great at noticing the fine details enough to pick out a mood, or avoide getting lost in the woods.

He's NOT as bad as the guy with the -2.... so it's really a minor RP penalty should suffice.

[Zahir ibn Mahmoud ibn Jothan]

Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting a tomato in a fruit salad.