Summary
- Sometimes, avoiding charisma skills can lead to a more entertaining and challenging RPG experience.
- Games like Skyrim and Fallout 4 offer ways to succeed without investing in charisma stats.
- Choosing different attributes over charisma can open up new gameplay options and strategies in RPGs.
RPGs tend to allow players to level up their character in different areas to make them better at certain tasks. While many of these powering-up moments tend to improve the character when taking on enemies, there are attributes like charisma which is far more suited for outside of combat than in.
However, while some games may encourage players to talk their way out of situations by using a high charisma skill, there are some role-playing games where having a low charisma build that instead focuses on other attributes can make for a far more entertaining experience. With this in mind, these are by far the best RPGs for low-charisma builds.
6 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Speech Is Rarely Called Upon
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
In Skyrim, players improve their skills by taking part in those skills. Therefore, Skyrim's charisma skill, known as the speech skill, can be avoided by simply not taking part in such activities. With the fifth game in the franchise not having the bartering mini-game that many players of the previous title spent countless hours playing, speech in Skyrim is only useful for players who are looking to haggle prices and possibly make a profit.
However, money is rather easy to come by in this RPG, meaning players can easily play Skyrim with a build that doesn't even consider placing a single point in speech while still having ways to find out information and complete the various quests.
5 Baldur's Gate 3
Finding Alternative Ways To Do Things
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Since Baldur's Gate 3 is heavily based on the tabletop RPG of Dungeons and Dragons, this means the game created by Larian Studios shares attributes similar to it. This includes the infamous charisma attribute. In Baldur's Gate 3, this skill is used in all forms of dialogue in the RPG, with players using it as not only a spell-casting modifier for certain classes but also to intimidate or persuade various NPCs they meet.
The Best RPGs With Highly Viable Charisma Builds
These RPGs allow players to utilize the "gift of gab" to its fullest extent.
While this can allow players to avoid various combative moments, it isn't vital for a player to play as a high charisma character, especially if they choose a different class that doesn't cast spells while using it. This leads players to try other ways of dealing with the obstacles ahead of them.
4 The Outer Worlds
Lacking Charm Isn't Always Bad
The Outer Worlds
The Outer Worlds is another interesting RPG option that gives players the potential to enjoy a game filled with all sorts of epic quests that don't require them to be charismatic adventurers. The charisma stat in this game is referred to as charm, which is used exactly as its name suggests. With a high charm attribute, the player can expect to persuade the NPCs they meet to look the other way during certain scenarios by persuading or intimidating them.
However, charm does a lot more than this in The Outer Worlds, as it's also connected to the hacking skill. This doesn't mean the player will be entirely useless, as other attributes such as intelligence can also affect these skills, allowing players to use more than just charm to achieve the build they want.
3 Planetscape Torment
Makes The Game More Of A Challenge
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, IOS, and Android
- Released: 1999-12-10
- Developer(s): Black Isle Studios
- Genre(s): RPG
Planetscape: Torment is another RPG that plays similarly to the classic tabletop RPGs that many gamers may be familiar with. Like Baldur's Gate 3, a high charisma run of Planetscape: Torment can be incredibly powerful as it allows players to avoid a variety of unnecessary combat while also unlocking avenues players weren't aware were available.
Baldur's Gate 3: Every Charisma Skill, Ranked
Socializing is an important part of Baldur's Gate 3, making Charisma Skills a worthwhile investment that can save face or prevent a scuffle.
This also means that Planetscape: Torment also has the potential to give players an interesting experience by choosing to forfeit their charisma attribute for others. While the game will encourage players to not always throw themselves into combat, this means skills like wisdom or intelligence have far more of a chance of helping players succeed instead.
2 Fallout 4
Focus On Other Skill Trees
Fallout 4
- Released
- November 10, 2015
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Skyrim isn't the only Bethesda game that is perfect for players who are attempting an RPG while using a low charisma build. Fallout 4 has a variety of skills for players to invest in, as well as various different attributes to focus on. This post-apocalyptic RPG is one of few games that refers to the attribute as Charisma and players can choose to put little to no points into the attribute when they first start their adventure in Fallout 4.
These points can then be put into other worthwhile attributes such as perception and intelligence. While a player may be sacrificing the chance of persuading or intimidating people, there are various other ways to solve the variety of main and side quests in Fallout 4.
1 Disco Elysium
It's Possible To Play Without Rhetoric
Disco Elysium
- Released
- October 15, 2019
- Developer(s)
- ZA/UM
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Players may be surprised to see that Disco Elysium is deemed one of the best RPGs to play with a low charisma build, especially when the majority of the game sees the player talking to different characters. However, as an interesting RPG title, it has the player not only choosing from a variety of attributes but also various skills.
There are countless ways for the player to build up their detectives that can see them avoiding charisma-based skills like Rhetoric entirely. Players who abandon any sort of speech skill will need to find other ways of dealing with the mystery ahead while also witnessing the hilarious aftermath of such failed attempts at talking to another. While Disco Elysium sees little combat, players can still attempt to turn their character into a bit of a bruiser instead of a linguistic genius.