Infamous Supplementary: Intelligence

 Intelligence is most likely the only one of the six ability scores in AD&D that is fully essential to a party's success. The most important feature of this stat, and likely what makes it the most essential one, is the fact that it is used in perception rolls. In other editions of the game, wisdom is used for this more often, as it doesn't seem to represent the same thing that it does in 1st edition. In this edition, intelligence represents the characters analytical ability, focus, and linguistic ability. It also determines the character's ability to observe things using senses, such as sight, hearing, feel, etc. For instance, if a character makes a perception roll, he or she will use analytics to observe his or her surroundings. This could pick up faint sounds, signifying an encounter, or perhaps noticing a sign of a secret door. Note that anything which would be picked up without observation through senses would be observed using a wisdom roll instead. Perception is incredibly valuable, and you should opt to use it whenever possible. Any form of analysis of a situation might be helped via an intelligence roll. Make your rolls very frequently.

Intelligence Table 1

Ability Score	Possible Number of Additional Languages	Chance to Know Each Listed Spell	Maximum Number of Spells/Level	Spell Immunities*
3	0	1%	0	-
4	0	4%	0	-
5	0	7%	0	-
6	0	10%	0	-
7	0	15%	1	-
8	1	25%	3	-
9	1	35%	6	-
10	2	45%	7	-
11	2	45%	7	-
12	3	45%	8	-
13	3	55%	9	-
14	4	55%	10	-
15	4	65%	11	-
16	5	65%	12	-
17	6	75%	14	-
18	7	85%	18	-
19	7	95%	All	1st level Illusions
20	7 (8**)	96%	All	2nd level Illusions
21	7 (10**)	97%	All	3rd level Illusions
22	7 (12**)	98%	All	4th level Illusions
23	7 (14**)	99%	All	5th level Illusions
24	7 (16**)	100%	All	6th level Illusions
25	7 (All**)	100%	All	7th level Illusions

* - Applies only when the character has an initial disbelief of an illusion, and doesn't provide 100% immunity to illusion magic unless the character initially suspects something. In the event that the character disbelieves an illusion he/she is immune to, the success is automatic.

** - Only applies to languages that may be learned throughout the adventure. The character may begin with 7 languages, but the maximum number of languages, with regard to ones learned throughout the game, will be the number shown in parentheses.

Due to the additional languages gained by intelligence, it pairs very well with charisma. Of course, this is also due to a few other proficiencies. Interrogation for example, no matter where you acquire it from, will require both intelligence and charisma. The extra languages are very useful for many other reasons as well, of course.

One of the many things that intelligence will also grant you is the ability to automatically succeed on disbelief of illusion and phantasm spells. You will certainly want to check very frequently for the presence of illusion magic, as any illusion you see and are skeptical can be disbelieved. If you are eligible for illusion immunity, you can see through any illusion up to the level of immunity you are capable of. 

Attentive readers may realize that the "Minimum Number of Spells/Level" is removed from this table, even though it was in the Player's Handbook. First, you must understand that the Spells/Level portions of the table apply only to Magic-Users, as only them and their subclasses use intelligence as the primary stat in their class functions. Secondly, in Infamous, Magic-Users and Illusionists only begin with a single spell, and will always gain new spells in accordance with exactly the spell slots they acquire. 

Using Intelligence

The intelligence stat allows for perception as previously stated, but varying degrees of perception are noted in Infamous depending on how well you've succeeded on intelligence. If you manage to roll under 10 points over, you can succeed at thinking. A successful roll will enable you to observe details. 5 points under allows noticing things which would otherwise be difficult to perceive. 10 points under allows the character to notice hidden or concealed details which would not normally be observable. A roll of 15 under allows the detection of secret or concealed doors, and 20 points under allows the character to use detective skills to figure out essentially anything.

Intelligence Skills

Now, there are certainly very many proficiencies listed under the intelligence stat, some of which may seem fairly strange, (see Herbalist,) but there are very many useful skills here too. Instead of taking the time to explain each one all at once, it would likely be more convenient to display all of them in a list. Alphabetically, here's all the notable ones and their applications.

Arcane Secrets is an excellent skill for characters who want to mess with opposing spellcasters. It allows you to mimic verbal and somatic components in order to make it sound like you're casting a spell you definitely aren't capable of. (Like Fireball for example.) It also is just useful for identifying what spells are being cast before they are completed.

Basic, +Mystic, and ++Technical Alchemy are very useful spells for the late-game. Obviously the creation of magical potions is going to be a powerful and worthy endeavor, however working with such potions early on might prove useful as well. Using Basic Alchemy, a Fighter may be capable of coating his arrows in an acid or something of the sort. It also is useful for evil characters wanting to make poison.

Blind Fighting is interesting, as it allows intelligent Fighters some extra use in combat. Having this proficiency will allow a Fighter, particularly a Human one, a better use for his or her intelligence stat before switching to Magic-User (assuming that was the intent of playing an Intelligent Fighter.) Blind Fighting will allow your Fighter to be capable of fighting in a dungeon once torches go out, and allows some degree of fighting while under the influence of a Darkness spell. It also provides use in fighting invisible targets.

Disguise is amazing. That's all there is to it. This proficiency allows the character to disguise him or herself as an Assassin would, if an intelligence roll is made.

Interrogation, though while more often seen as a charisma skill, is also very useful under intelligence. It simply allows one to get a creature talking by making a charisma roll, and then if 10 points under intelligence is rolled, you may discern the correct information.

Linguistics is a skill that some Magic-Users and on occasion Paladins will take to double the languages they know. That's about it. It's great if you like languages.

Literacy is the quintessential Intelligence proficiency. It allows you to read and write in any language you can speak. Normally, you are allowed to spend 2 language proficiencies in a language to gain literacy in just that language, but having Literacy also effectively doubles the number of languages you know that way. There's also...

+Cryptology, which allows the character to decipher any language he or she does not already speak with a successful Intelligence roll. This is excellent for reading ancient languages, many of which may not be taken with a normal language proficiency. You must already have Literacy to take this skill.

++ Reading Magic requires Cryptology, but when gained allows the character to read and accurately pronounce spells written on any sort of scroll. It's pretty great, but not quite as useful as...

+Forgery. This skill allows the character (who must first have Literacy) in order to forge documents with a successful Intelligence roll. Many Magic-Users take Literacy and +Forgery as their first two proficiencies.

Navigator is awesome, as it allows the character to navigate by starlight. It allows the character to, if he or she has a map, accurately determine where the party is in the world simply by gazing at the stars. Cool!

Sage basically means you have a college major.

Smuggler is amazing, as it allows you to effectively treat your charisma as 15 automatically when lying to the authorities. It also is highly useful for anybody who intends to work with a Thieves Guild. This can be useful or negligible depending on how much you like the guild.

Lastly, Scholar is great for a character who wants to learn additional skills. A character who has the Scholar proficiency allows for a lot of progression later on, and is a great skill for Magic-Users to take. This is due to them not often getting many proficiencies, as most of their studies going into their spells. Take it if you have people in mind you can learn from! This is especially great if you know a character with the Instruction proficiency, under charisma.

Honorable Mentions:
Herbalist.