One comment I got about Tunnels & Traps was surprise that I used Wisdom instead of Intelligence. That was definitely atypical of 1970s RPGs (which were my influences in 1980).
Inspired by D&D, the typical attribute-based RPG had Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence. A majority had Constitution and Charisma. And they all had 6 to 8 stats:
| D&D | EotPT | T&T | B&B | C&S | Traveller | RuneQuest | ||
| 1974 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1977 | 1978 | ||
| Attributes | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | |
| Strength | 100% | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Dexterity | 100% | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Intelligence | 100% | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Constitution | 86% | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Charisma | 57% | X | X | X | X | |||
| Wisdom | 43% | X | X | X | ||||
| Appearance | 14% | X | ||||||
| Bardic Voice | 14% | X | ||||||
| Comeliness | 14% | X | ||||||
| Education | 14% | X | ||||||
| Endurance | 14% | X | ||||||
| Luck | 14% | X | ||||||
| Power | 14% | X | ||||||
| Psychic Ability | 14% | X | ||||||
| Size | 14% | X | ||||||
| Smell | 14% | X | ||||||
| Social Standing | 14% | X | ||||||
| Speed | 14% | X |
OK, so here’s a system that’s Old School and evocative of every one of these: Bardic Voice, Luck, Psychic Ability, Smell, Social Standing, and Power. (Plus Strength, Intelligence, and Dexterity – of course.) Clearly it’s a game about singing, psionic ants.
Update: For comments, check out the Reddit thread, Attributes in 1970s RPGs.
