Has any edition of D&D ever described specific ability score values in real-world terms?

Question

A defining feature of Dungeons & Dragons is ability scores ranging over the result of 3d6 — that is, 3 through 18 — with possible modifiers going over or under that. Has any edition of D&D ever described what these numbers mean in real-world terms? From this question about feeblemind it's clear that there's not much by way of rules or guidance in 5E, but what about earlier editions?

I see that in 3.5, the PHB section on ability scores says:

The result is a number between 3 (horrible) and 18 (tremendous). The average ability score for the typical commoner is 10 or 11, but your character is not typical. The most common ability scores for player characters (PCs) are 12 and 13. (That’s right, the average player character is above average.)

It also has a section describing what Int, Cha, and Wis might mean for role-playing a character — described as "just guidelines". 5E also gives examples for how one might play characters with low or high abilities, like this for Int:

A character with high Intelligence might be highly inquisitive and studious, while a character with low Intelligence might speak simply or easily forget details.

and in fact expands from just the mental ability scores. For example, this for Dex:

A character with high Dexterity is probably lithe and slim, while a character with low Dexterity might be either gangly and awkward or heavy and thick-fingered.

... but there's no real discussion of what high and low actually mean, or any practical distinction between, say, 16 and 20.

A quick search turned up this (clearly homebrewed) mapping of numbers to "simple language" with lines like:

Intelligence

\begin{array}{r l} 1 (-5) &\text{Animalistic, no longer capable of logic or reason} \\ [...] \\ 20-21 (5) &\text{ Highly knowledgeable, probably the smartest person many people know} \\ \end{array}

Has there ever been anything like that in any official D&D source, for any edition? I know the rules for minimums and maximums have changed over time, and obviously the mechanics have changed, but are there significant differences in the basic "story" meaning of, say, Strength 12 or Dexterity 4?

Answer 1

It wasn't where I was thinking to look, but there's something for the mental ability scores in the 3.5E Monster Manual. It doesn't have a chart, but in the "Making Monsters" chapter, there's a section on ability scores. It says that physical abilities are largely a function of a creature's size and type, and doesn't give much more than that for those. But, there's a breakdown for mental abilities (along with further explanation of what these represent) on page 298. Rendered into a chart form and summarized, that comes to:

Intelligence

\begin{array}{r l} \text{1–2} &\text{No smarter than a typical animal} \\ 3 &\text{Unable to speak a language} \\ \text{4–7} &\text{“A limited ability to reason and a certain low cunning”} \\ \text{8–9} &\text{Approaches typical human range} \\ \text{10–11} &\text{Human norm} \\ \text{12–19} &\text{Above-average to genius-level} \\ \text{20+} &\text{Superhuman intellect} \\ \end{array}

Wisdom

\begin{array}{r l} \text{1–3} &\text{Barely sentient} \\ \text{4–6} &\text{Unusually foolhardy or unperceptive human} \\ \text{7–15} &? \\ \text{16–18} &\text{“Acute senses and unusual guile”} \\ 19 &? \\ \text{20+} &\text{Superhuman perceptiveness} \\ \end{array}

Charisma

\begin{array}{r l} \text{1–3} & \text{Barely sentient (again!)} \\ \text{4–6} & \text{Strikingly sullen, crass, or retiring human} \\ \text{7–15} &? \\ \text{16–18} & \text{Unusually strong presence and force of personality} \\ 19 &? \\ \text{20+} & \text{Superhuman Charisma (whatever that is)} \\ \end{array}

Strength

The 3.5E PHB (p162) and SRD (here) have a chart mapping Str scores directly to carrying capacity (p162), and from there to maximum lift. It's a non-linear scale, unlike the 10× given in AD&D as found by @nitsua60. There's no plain-language description, but one could easily be extrapolated from that.

Dexterity and Constitution

3.5 doesn't seem to have anything for these.

Answer 2

Yes. A tiny bit.

A faulty survey of 0, 2, 3.x, and 5 core materials reveals nothing like you're asking. (But you found it, right there in the 3.5 MM.)

But 1e dangles two tiny tidbits your way:

Strength is a measure of muscle, endurance, and stamina combined. For purposes of relating this ability to some reality, assume that a character with a strength of 3 is able to lift a maximum of 30 pounds weight above his or her head in a military press, while a character with 18 strength will be able to press 180 pounds in the same manner. (AD&D PHB p.9, "Strength," emphasis mine.)

Fairly straightforward, and one can amuse oneself imagining EGG and friends military-pressing boxes of 0e materials in the garage as they developed this description.

Brace yourself for the next one:

[Comeliness score] +1 to +6: As such an individual is simply ugly, the reaction evidenced will tend toward unease and a desire to get away from such brutishness as quickly as possible. ...

+14 to +17: Interest in viewing the individual is evidenced by those in contact, as he or she is good-looking. (AD&D Unearthed Arcana, "Comeliness," p.6.)

(Ugh.)

So how do you make your own scale?

You look at spells that change stats, you look at statted monsters/NPCs that have descriptive words tied to stats, you read decades-worth of arguments in Dragon magazine's Forum and Sage Advice columns.

Or, my favorite: talk it over with your players. During some downtime come up with a list of descriptors that you'll use, revisit and modify it over time, and come to a better understanding of your shared world. D&D is always best (IMO) when it's a bunch of people playing a game they made, rather than trying to play someone else's game.

Answer 3

The AD&D 2nd Edition Player's Handbook describes Strength in real world terms and provides Maximum Press entries for scores 1-25, including exceptional Strength 18/*.

Maximum Press is the heaviest weight a character can pick up and lift over his head. A character cannot walk more than a few steps this way. No human or humanoid creature without exceptional Strength can lift more than twice his body weight over his head. In 1987, the world record for lifting a weight overhead in a single move was 465 pounds. A heroic fighter with Strength 18/00 (see Table 1) can lift up to 480 pounds the same way and he can hold it overhead for a longer time!

Ability Score	Max. Press
1	3
2	5
3	10
4–5	25
6-7	55
8-9	90
10–11	115
12–13	140
14–15	170
16	195
17	220
18	255
18/01–50	280
18/51–75	305
18/76–90	330
18/91–99	380
18/00	480
19	640
20	700
21	810
22	970
23	1,130
24	1,440
25	1,750

Answer 4

The 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual had, in page 3, a table of descriptors of intelligence, which probably already existed in 1st Edition, but I don't have those books. These descriptors were also displayed in the monster entries, as well as in the old TSR trading cards from the 90s.

Intelligence is the equivalent of human “IQ.” Certain monsters are instinctively cunning; these are noted in the monster descriptions. Ratings correspond roughly to the following Intelligence ability scores:

0	Nonintelligent or not ratable
1	Animal intelligence
2–4	Semi-intelligent
5–7	Low intelligence
8–10	Average (human) intelligence
11–12	Very intelligent
13–14	Highly intelligent
15–16	Exceptionally intelligent
17–18	Genius
19–20	Supra-genius
21+	Godlike intelligence

Answer 5

YES! to a degree. in fact, this was the style in 1st edition. The descriptions mentioned the following in the 1st edition AD&D Player's Handbook and DMG:

Strength ... assume that a character with a strength of 3 is able to life a maximum of 30 pounds weight above his or her head in a military press, while a character with 18 strength will be able to press 180 pounds in the same manner. (PHB p. 9)

Of course this completely broke down with the addition of the percentile strength scores -- 18/01 - 18/00 -- and then continuing to 19, which, in those days, was deemed 'godlike'.

The Intelligence rating roughly corresponds to our modern "IQ" scores. However, it assumes mnemonic, reasoning, an learning ability skills in additional areas outside the written word. (DMG p. 15)

There was no mention of direct real-world equivalents for the other 4 abilities.

Answer 6

There's a rather roundabout way to correlate Ability Scores to actual quantifiable ability, but it requires one specific assumption - that all ability scores are equal - ie that a 10 in one is equivalent to a 10 in the other and so on. Carrying Capacity. We have specific charts in d&d (see the d20srd for a 3.5 specific chart) for carrying capacity. Now, since the standard generation of ability scores of non-adventuring characters in D&D is 3d6, it follows a normal distribution. Then, take intelligence, correlate it with median IQ scores, and you can find out which IQ(approximately) the specific intelligence rating correlates to. Constitution can be correlated with marathon performance(to see what each ranking means), Dexterity can be correlated with reflexes(some of which are quantifiable) and Wisdom with visual acuity (See 20/20 vision, etc). I cannot find anything to correlate charisma to.

Of course, this whole approach goes out of the window if you assume that one ability scores progression is exponential and another's is not. But due to point buy being equal in all ability scores, I see no reason to assume that.

It should be noted that, at least in 3.5, almost no person alive in the normal world could be over 5th level (Due to insane physical feats they'd be able to accomplish - Olympian+). I am saying this because, due to the nature of ability scores in that edition, you'd have a maximum mental score of 22 = 18(Max Initial) +3(Aging Bonus for Venerable) +1(From Level), a maximum physical score of 19 = 18(Max Initial) +1(From Level), and a minimum physical score of 0 (-2 = 3(Min Initial) - 5(Aging Penalties) but ability scores don't go negative) with a caveat that minimum Constitution would be 1 due to killing you when it's 0. So, if you ever want to sit down and do this, take these into account.