Ability Score Limitations

Depends on the game's system and tone. If it's whimsical and/or not very crunch-heavy, I'd be okay with characters' appearances and stat lines not matching up. A burly strongman who turns out to be an absolute pussy when it comes time to show up is a funny motif. If we're playing something like a 40k RPG or the Riddle of Steel, probably not.

>>54194934
Depends on the game
If I was playing 3.5e or pathfinder I would want him to have 18 strength for accuracy. But in balanced campaigns, it doesnt matter
But put it this way. If you're a normal guy, str 10. Above average, str 12. Very strong, works out, str 14. I would accept that appearance from str 14-15 and over as a GM

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I don't require physical appearance to match up to stats as long as either

1. The score is above average enough that I can look the other way. OR

2. The stat is HIGHER then the appearance.

For instance in 5e I'd allow OP pic for as little as 14 STR, and I'd allow a 10 year old boy with 18 STR to not look remotely muscular.

>>54194934
It's the difference between a bodybuilder, emphasising size and definition of muscles, and someone that actually physically works for a living, for whom being able to consistently repeat their effort over an extended period is more important.
Looking "ripped" =/= actual strength!

>>54195310
I'm really starting to get sick of this whole "Bodybuilders aren't actually strong" meme.

To get muscle definition like that, you've gotta be able to actually lift some pretty ridiculous weights. Naturally they're not gonna be as strong as a powerlifter, but they're still not slouches in the strength department.

>>54195310
This is true but someone who builds definition by picking up and putting down heavy objects repeatedly will never be "weak". At least, they won't be outside of the periods immediately leading up to their competition event. They'll probably be weak from cutting and dehydrating then.

>>54194934
I'd let someone look like a bodybuilder while only having around maybe 12 or 13 strength. Your appearance isn't strictly determined by stats, but it is influenced by them. Someone with high strength will at least look somewhat toned at a minimum rather than being a complete waif, and someone with low strength will have showy muscles at best.

If the player also had high con or charisma I'd also accept it, since that makes the muscles even more showy.

If they just had a Wizard with high Int and 8s in everything else though? No, you don't get to look like an Adonis.

>>54195349
>>54195359
They will have strength but it is not the same "effective" strength you would see amongst a strongly built worker are combatant.

A truly powerful individual is going to be more like pic related. Much of their power comes from a strong core and works from there. The "aesthetic" builds, while having strength, are far more prone to injury when that strength is employed outside of a workout routine often due to underdeveloped core strength and bulk tissue.

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>>54195483
Woops

>>54195349
You missed the key point:
>Consistently performing over an extended period .
Yes, bodybuilders can lift weights, and can probably out perform someone that does manual labour at some of the techniques, but the point is the labourer is stronger overall, and more able to apply that strength to tasks other than simply making themselves look pretty.

>>54195651
>>54195483
Neither of us said functional strongmen were weaker than bodybuilders. We were responding to a post that said muscle definition didn't equate at all with 'actual strength', which is absurd. No comparison was ever made with people who are practically strong. In fact the first guy even made the point that powerlifters would be stronger than some seeking purely aesthetics.

The whey must be getting in your eyes.

>>54194934
I suppose playing a "strongman" who looks strong but isn't _that_ strong and uses stage tricks could work.

If there is something like skills or feats to back up your strongmanning, I think you should not play a "proper" strongman without putting the points in. If they go with it anyway they should understand that the character will be bad at it!

I currently play PF and 1ed SWRPG.

In PF terms I'd you should put in as much as you can in strength or maybe a little less to allow for someone to max it out and play some massive Icelandic motherfucker.

In Star Wars just go close to human max (3d+2?), or all the way up to 4d?. Maybe get the Lifting skill.

Generally I think there needs to be some sort of consensus on what sort of numbers describe what character traits.