I suppose this applies to both IWD/HoW and IWD2, although IWD2's stat creation process may make this question somewhat more relevant to that game.
Can you roleplay with min-maxed stats?
My own thoughts here - first, IWD is a linear dungeon crawl where your max 6-person party is supposed to face and win more fights than an army battalion. They should be exceptional. OTOH, there is not a lot of realism in having super-idiots come up with smart tactics, or the best looking guy/girl around hanging out with the loser group of plug-uglies just to buy them stuff at a discount.
Many RPers may say that heavy min-maxing is unrealistic, and that's true. But is it acceptable if the character's creator comes up with a detailed background and plays the character accordingly? (Note: may be impossible to realistically play a character with 3 or less Int, as standing around and drooling a lot is not really an in-game option).
This is something I've pondered off and on for a while; I consider myself enough of a tactician to feel wrong about purposely deciding against the most advantageous route, but I have enough conscience to be slightly abashed about my bands of the (on average) ugliest and stupidest heroes ever to save the day.
As an example of character background, for IWD2 (I'm a constant party maker-upper), I'm considering a tiefling Rogue[3]/Necromancer[x]. The unfortunate realities of min-maxing make him so ugly and contrary that even the Legion of Chimera don't want him - he was terribly burned and disfigured by his demonic father in a fit of rage, and now has an obsessive-compulsive need to revenge himself on anything demonic. He's psychologically scarred from the incident, and cannot bring himself to cast fire spells. He won't use enchantment spells either, and reacts badly to anyone acting in a charming manner, because that's how his father seduced his mother. He's a rogue because that's the only way he can get money, as he's so ugly and obsessed that no one will employ him. He's a necromancer because he's trying to learn about his father's weaknesses by talking to those he's killed, and because the dead are the only people who do not comment on his disfigurement and obsessions.
Edit: he's learned that his father's demonic type is somewhat vulnerable to acid and cold, so he is trying to master those attack forms so as to cause his father maximum pain. Name? Tormentio.
[ 02-20-2007, 03:49 PM: Message edited by: Aerich ]