Why does Scanlan have 22 charisma?

Why Does Scanlan Have 22 Charisma?

Scanlan Shorthalt, a gnome bard and a member of Vox Machina in the popular web series Critical Role, has always been known for his charisma, charm, and impressive speaking skills. But why is his Charisma score unusually high? In this article, we’ll dive deeper into Scanlan’s abilities and shed some light on the fascinating world of Critical Role.

The Short and Sweet Answer

• Answer: Scanlan’s extraordinary Charisma score is largely due to history: during the Critical Role’s campaign, Vox Machina members travel to the Feywild. Scanlan found a special tome there which granted him a bonus of 1d4, boosting his Charisma to an astounding 22!

Now, let’s take a closer look at the importance of Scanlan’s unique abilities.

Scanlan’s Unique Charm

Charisma is all about interaction, persuasion, and presentation. With 22, Scanlan masters persuasion, performance, and ability to manipulate thoughts and opinions. A bonus as high as d4 translates to more reliable critical hits, boosting his capacity to persuade foes and enchant allies. But there’s more!

Here’s the breakdown of Scanlan’s Charisma bonus before and after the tome.

Table 1. Scanlan’s Charisma Before and After the Special Tome.

Sub-Charming Charisma Abilities

In D&D, character builds have specific niches, such as:

College of Lore Bard Specializations

Scanlan follows the path of the College of Lore, enhancing his narrative abilities. Specifically:

**Rampaging with the Crowd**, his Charisma becomes critical to enthrall companions, persuade enemies, or make decisions.
His bardic performances gain depth and intricacy, enchanting enemies and bolstering his combat prowess.

Scanlan’s Bardic Journey

What makes Scanlan an unstoppable force is:

• Magnetic Performances: With charm, mesmerize, or disorient enemies.
Scanlan’s showings on battlefields or dueling the undead leave opposing forces weak and disoriented.
• Persuasion on the Spot: When an ally’s words can bring victory or grant aid from the Fey realm.

We’ve touched the surface. Let’s highlight other exceptional abilities.

Scanlan's abilities surpass ordinary skills, reflecting
    –   **Enhanced Artistry**: in musical arrangements, storyboards, or other performances (even divination and shadow)
–   **Superlative Speech-crafting**: mastery for persuasiveness and negotiations.

Other notable mentions worth noting (pun intended), though still within his own bounds,

Scanlan uses music to calm creatures (animal companions), demoralizing foes with taunts while boosting companions using performances;
he possesses some cunning, a crucial factor since his performance-centric bard isn't entirely **mimic**, especially compared
to other bards.

In Retrospective

Considering various skills tied to Scanlan’s expertise, there comes the opportunity to question more:
Favored Souls vs. Celestials:
Would other alignments or subclasses show less remarkable results? (For instance, a Lawful Neutral’s charisma wouldn’t)
In the case above, history plays an outstanding role while Scanlan showcases unique capacities.

We learned from analyzing Scanlan’s peculiar combination.

*1) An extraordinary **Bard Specialization**: amplifies an already considerable prowess; for instance, within "performance" aspects within music arts.
And
 *2) **History**: a unique to-do brought forth in both campaigns or adventures

Confrontational situations would find their rhythm in a duel; during the war? Vox Machina has made it outta many life-or-death battle zones alive

Related Subarticles

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If these abilities got you intrigued to the highest degree:

+ A more detailed Scanlan & Keyleth storyline;
+ Unforgettable fights, the infamous undead lich or others from Wild Beyond the Walls (Part 2)!