Describing Attributes

[Lmns Crn]

This thread is about discussing various ways to describe characters' attributes. Add as many as you can think of.

We all know about Physical / Mental and its various variations. D&D and its derivatives use this one, with 'Physical' stats subdivided into Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, and 'Mental' stats subdivided into Intelligence, Wisdom, and ill-fitting Charisma. There's a fairly clear dichotomy between both groups, and they strike me as complimentary (or at least, intended to be so.)

There are also Physical / Mental / Social arrangements, such as the White Wolf system, where all three are more or less weighted equally. Triad System is also arranged this way.

Variations on both systems are pretty much a dime a dozen, really. I'm looking into other ways of thinking about things, possibly ones that do away with the P/M or P/S/M delineations entirely. I'd like to hear about, for example, a mystical, elemental-based system that records characters' Fire, Earth, Water, and Air, instead of their Strength and Toughness. I'm brainstorming a system (og hod why) with four stats, which each can affect the body, the mind, and the heart.

Tell me about some things that you've heard of, or some things that may be on your mind. I need some people to ping-pong ideas off of.

[the_taken]

A system where physical and mental attributes are collapsed into Combat attributes, where matter and mind are one and the same. Then, social "encounters" have rules along the lines of "NPCs have personality traits, and interacting with them involves saying/describing the right combination of words."

[Ra-Tiel]

[...] Tell me about some things that you've heard of, or some things that may be on your mind. I need some people to ping-pong ideas off of.

Well, there are quite some different ways to handle attributes.

Blue Planet
Primary: Build / Fitness / Agility / Dexterity / Awareness (Chemical, Hearing, Intuition, Touch, Vision) / Intellect / Presence / Will
Derived: Endurance / Reflexes / Strength / Toughness

Shadowrun 4e
Physical: Agility / Body / Reaction / Strength
Mental: Charisma / Intuition / Logic / Willpower
Special: Edge / Essence / Magic / Ressonance
Derived: Initiative / Astral Initiative / Matrix Initiative / Initiative Passes / Composure / Judgement / Lift/Carry / Memory

Earthdawn
Dexterity / Strength / Toughness / Perception / Willpower / Charisma

Fading Suns
Body: Strength / Dexterity / Endurance
Mind: Wits / Perception / Tech
Spirit: Extrovert <-> Introvert / Passion <-> Calm / Faith <-> Ego /* Spirit is actually a set of opposed attributes who cannot exceed a combined value of 10 for each pair (IIRC, been a long while...) */
Other: Meta / Strength Bonus / Incompatibility

Feng Shui
Body: Move / Strength / Constitution / Toughness
Chi: Fortune / Kung Fu / Magic
Mind: Charisma / Intelligence / Perception / Willpower
Reflexes: Agility / Dexterity / Speed

Legend of the Five Rings
Earth: Stamina / Willpower
Water: Strength / Perception
Fire: Agility / Intelligence
Air: Reflexes / Awareness
Void

//Edit: fixed a small typo

[Hibou]

Well, most of what I deal with right now (and that is very little) is in the WoD system (but not the setting). I did, however, check out a system called Chivalry and Sorcery a while back. While I've only got access to the fast play .pdf, here is the stat alignment:

Strength (STR) - How strong you are
Constitution (CON) - Your health
Agility (AGL) - Your speed and nimbleness
Intelligence (INT) - How smart you are
Wisdom (WIS) - Your common sense
Discipline (DIS) - How much self-discipline you have
Appearance (APP) - Your physical appeal
Bardic Voice (BV) - Your voice's appeal
Piety (PTY) - Your level of religiousness