For D&D-esque games, how would the Chinese folks here localize the ability scores in Chinese?

For D&D-esque games, how would the Chinese folks here localize the ability scores in Chinese?

For D&D-esque games, how would the Chinese folks here localize the ability scores in Chinese? (Or if not Chinese folks, Chinese-speakers)

力量 – Strength

灵巧 – Dexterity

耐力 – Constitution

知识 – Intelligence

智慧 – Wisdom

魅力 – Charisma

I’m taking some liberties with both Constitution and Intelligence, because of how they’re frequently used – in Lamentations of the Flame Princess specifically, Intelligence is a sum of your knowledge. It doesn’t supplant player logic. And then I can’t really find a non-awkward way to translate “Constitution” – there’s a word for physique but to me it connotes bodybuilding and strength? And then 耐力 connotes stuff about resolve and determination. Neither is really great for it.

16 thoughts on “For D&D-esque games, how would the Chinese folks here localize the ability scores in Chinese?”

  1. Wow a question that I actually feel somewhat qualified to answer for once, yet I don’t have a great answer for each one, since I don’t RP in Chinese!

    I can definitely try to help.

    力量 is more like Power, but probably fine? I know 膂力 is more like a dictionary answer for physical power, but 气力might actually fit best for a fighter type.

    灵巧 is a pretty good translation for Dexterity.

    韧性 for Constitution (toughness) rather than 耐力?

    I think I would convert Wisdom to 心智, which probably better reflects the inward nature of wisdom. And Intelligence as 理智 (rational thinking).

    Charm is hard. Maybe 风趣 (but that’s more for talking). Might be a time to make one up with丰趣.

  2. Wow a question that I actually feel somewhat qualified to answer for once, yet I don’t have a great answer for each one, since I don’t RP in Chinese!

    I can definitely try to help.

    力量 is more like Power, but probably fine? I know 膂力 is more like a dictionary answer for physical power, but 气力might actually fit best for a fighter type.

    灵巧 is a pretty good translation for Dexterity.

    韧性 for Constitution (toughness) rather than 耐力?

    I think I would convert Wisdom to 心智, which probably better reflects the inward nature of wisdom. And Intelligence as 理智 (rational thinking).

    Charm is hard. Maybe 风趣 (but that’s more for talking). Might be a time to make one up with丰趣.

  3. I super agree with the wisdom as 心智 and intelligence as 理智. I actually think 魅力 is fine with Charisma. It’s pretty accurate. The rest of them sound pretty good too. Constitution is trickier… 體力? Tbh 耐力 sounds pretty good as well.

  4. I super agree with the wisdom as 心智 and intelligence as 理智. I actually think 魅力 is fine with Charisma. It’s pretty accurate. The rest of them sound pretty good too. Constitution is trickier… 體力? Tbh 耐力 sounds pretty good as well.

  5. Sorry if your comments briefly got flagged as spam. Turns out when your phone freezes and you try tapping around to unfreeze it you flag random comments as spam >_<

    Thanks for the suggestions! Always good to expand my Chinese vocabulary. Adopting the new Int and Wis translations. Constitution is definitely interesting as an outlier.

    I don’t realize how odd something is as an ability score or title in general til I try to translate it and then realize if I do so literally, and the target culture (Chinese in this case) doesn’t have the cultural staples of D&D already, a lot of the names are a bit weird if literal.

    Like, Wisdom and Constitution almost make more sense as Perception and Vitality, if I think about it for translation purposes.

  6. Sorry if your comments briefly got flagged as spam. Turns out when your phone freezes and you try tapping around to unfreeze it you flag random comments as spam >_<

    Thanks for the suggestions! Always good to expand my Chinese vocabulary. Adopting the new Int and Wis translations. Constitution is definitely interesting as an outlier.

    I don’t realize how odd something is as an ability score or title in general til I try to translate it and then realize if I do so literally, and the target culture (Chinese in this case) doesn’t have the cultural staples of D&D already, a lot of the names are a bit weird if literal.

    Like, Wisdom and Constitution almost make more sense as Perception and Vitality, if I think about it for translation purposes.

  7. Can I also add that D&D itself is a hilarious name, translated? “Dragons and Buildings Which Are Underground” just doesn’t have that ring to it XDXD

  8. Can I also add that D&D itself is a hilarious name, translated? “Dragons and Buildings Which Are Underground” just doesn’t have that ring to it XDXD

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