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They type of person who plays D&D might be slightly more capable than the median person when it comes to navigating a paperwork process or cross-referencing data. Many folks even ones who by all indication should be able to handle certain types of mental tasks when confronted with a problem shutdown and refuse to process to the point that someone else literally reading an error message to them but because the information channel is not from a stubborn impersonal piece of paper or computer lets them move forward. It's like the quote in Dune about learning to learn being something of a superpower for time sensing space Jesus.
I work in anti wire-fraud, prevention, detection, and recovery after the fact. I've worked with multiple doctors that I am confident couldn't complete a 1040ez if their life depended on it. Yes, I know their own finances are to complex for the ez form and using an accountant is probably a good thing for them. My point is most people are only competent at a small number of things they do a lot and this is very seldom one of them. On a related note doctors make fantastic scam marks. They think they are smart, they often really aren't ,they have money to take, and personality types that make them resistant to reporting it or getting help until they've lost A LOT of money.
Is MDs medical doctors or managing directors in this context?
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Maybe back before they got rid of THAC0.
I'm kidding.
Wait, no I'm not.
Sometimes I think of the type of person who claims they "aren't a good test taker", but they believe themselves otherwise intelligent. I wonder if we are witnessing an extremely sophisticated "Clever Hans" effect. Or that they are cold reading their way through intellectual discussions. Then when alone in the room with a form and a pencil, none of their faculties that they've been told count as intelligence can be deployed.
THAC0 is an easy mode hack. Non linear-formula-based results tables are the lindy option true to the wargaming roots of the game. But today even miniature wargaming rule sets are forgoing tables in favor of simple stat value add/subtract dice roll formulae.
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I don't disagree, but that's very much a character flaw of those people rather than the system actually being difficult to work with. It's very easy if you actually read the instructions and follow them instead of shutting down in some kind of learned helplessness mode.
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