D&D 5E Aspurgers/autism effects?

[abe ray]

How would you like to see a game handle aspergers?

Preferably with great respect, maybe with a touch of humor.

 

[Alzrius]

So, I doubt anyone remembers Ivory Goat Press. They were a one-man d20 publisher back in the mid-00's, putting out a short-lived series of free PDFs called Knowledge (current events). It basically took various topics from the headlines and gave them d20 Modern conversions. None of the issues were more than a page or two, but I found them interesting.

Issue #4 noted a headline about the possibility that Michelangelo had Asperger's Syndrome, along with a game translation of the condition:

 

[tetrasodium]

Don't have much else to add but this might be useful. I know I saw a kickstarter for a fork of d&d or supplement for it designed to be useful for running d&d with autistic students or something a year or two ago but can't remember much else about it. Found it.
edot: it' called critical core

 

[abe ray]

Any similar mental ”problems” that could be translated to dnd?

 

[Blue Orange]

Any similar mental ”problems” that could be translated to dnd?

I'd stay away from that. Talk about stuff you have experience with. This is a sensitive topic.

Personally, I'm probably mildly on the spectrum myself, and I never play a Charisma-based character-no sorcerers, warlocks, paladins, bards. Just wouldn't know what to do.

 

[Libertad]

Any similar mental ”problems” that could be translated to dnd?

I strongly advise against this, and referring to autism and other such conditions as "problems" even in air-quotes. Such material should only be written by someone who is either a mental health professional, has the condition themselves, or is using one or both of the previous as a consultant. And even then, a huge amount of it doesn't really translate well into game mechanics. D&D is heroic fantasy about dungeon-delving and going on adventures for gold/vanquishing evil/etc. A lot of the more in-depth effects of neurodivergent states aren't really necessary to reflect in this genre.

Keep it more or less as a role-playing thing, do your research, and be respectful.

 

[abe ray]

People with Asperger syndrome aren't stupid, only without the necessary astuteness or intution to notice some things. Do you remember when you are playing cards with your friends and anybody has got his pocker-face? An Aspie can't discover those little details, for example when somebody is lying.

Anytimes they can't find the right words. For example.

- Why not to eat more fruit, it is good for health!

- Do you mean I am too fat?

- Oh no! (Ups!).

Or in a debate an aspie isn't enough fast to improvise an ingenious response but maybe the next time it has a ready answer you could be surprise with a really good words from his memory.

And sometimes the mind is too frozen, without enough mental flexibility to adapt to new changes.

And in the past when this was not enough known, people with Asperger were tagged as... no-bright.

* My advice is the construct races (for example androids, warforgeds or sharminds) are the softest way to play a character with autism.

Pocker face?

 

[Blue Orange]

Pocker face?

Poker face, it's the emotionless face a good poker player puts on so their opponents can't tell what cards they're holding.

Seriously, if you want to play some version of yourself (lots of people do) and you say you're on the spectrum just play an absent-minded professor (I suspect this is where the trope came from) wizard or artificer and dump CHA. You could also do a fighter. Dumping WIS is realistic but puts you at greater risk of bad saves.

 

[nevin]

Aspergers is not as easily diagnosable as some think. The symptoms can be mild to severe and some people with asperger's have had a lot of work on thier social skills and some haven't. Asperger's is going to manifest as a desire to have a set of rules for every situation. One it's the way their minds work, two it is a great coping strategy for living in a world where you don't pick up on emotional and social ques. It's like the emotional part of the brain is turned way down and only picks up on the over the top, in your face emotional and social ques. When someone with Asperger's finds a set of rules that they think works, those rules become a law in their mind. They may laugh when the group does even if they don't get it, (usually a fake creepy laugh because it's not funny to them, but they want to fit in), they'll find things amusing, and even say things that may disturb people and be clueless that they've disturbed them. They don't read social ques well so unless you tell them they've gone too far with something or misread it they'll continue down that path without a clue. Think of Aspergers as the extreme version of that Engineer or IT guy you know but without any ability to read subdued emotional reactions. When the girlfriends eyes narrow and she leans back they'll just keep digging whatever hole they've been working and will be completely blindsided by the eventual reaction.

Now all that being said people with Aspergers find comfort in the routine. Give them a job they enjoy and they will do it the exact same way every single time, in fact you'll probably have to argue with them if something needs to change to meet a goal. I'd think in a D&D setting people with Aspergers would be great at any task that requires detail and order, because they will learn everything in order and do it the "correct" way every time. Heaven help the party that wants them to break the rules though. An Aspy paladin, or inquisitor could be that party member that never lets the party break the rules.


Absent minded isn't Asperger's. Sheldon cooper is a great intellectual version of Aspergers, The Accountant with Ben Affleck is a great view of a rogue/martial person with Aspergers. Abby from NCIS could be an example of someone with Aspergers who has worked hard to develop better social skills.

 

[ECMO3]

How would you fine people play a person with aspurgers and/or autism?
along these lines:how would you fine people BUILD a person with aspurgers/autism?

I have played with players with aspergers and I would not bring characters with aspergers into the game.

As a player at a table with such a character I would not have fun and that after all is the point.