Numbers and Roleplays

I wonder what is some people's fixation with numbers... I mean, they can be very useful at times, don't get me wrong, but... Sometimes, numbers are just very out of place and don't fit at all.

I mean, a good place for numbers are games like D&D or videogame RPGs since... Well, you have hitpoints, attack, chance of hitting and what not, numbers naturally fit in and you have a really big and complex system to make those numbers work.

Meanwhile, at writing-based roleplays, things are a lot... Looser. You don't have MP, you don't have hitpoints, you just have your character and your character's skills. Even if you have mana, stamina, blood or some other kind of consumable resource, the amount you consume is completely up to you and really freeform... Or at least that's how it has always worked in roleplays I have been a part of.

But then, someone goes and says "I use X skill, that has a 50% chance of stunning the enemies" or "I use X skill that increases attack power by 10%, decreases defense by 30% and consumes 10% Mana/minute". It just feels so wrong. I mean, what is defense anyways? Are you making my steel armor softer? Or my bones more brittle? I dunno what defense is. Attack is more intuitive, but defense is weird.

I don't really get it, why don't just make a skill that makes opponents dizzy, but one with enough willpower can resist? Why make it 50% chance of stunning?
Why make a skill that changes attack/defense instead of making a skill that makes you mostly ignore pain, but makes you start acting more wildly and gets in the way of your proper thinking? Both end up giving the "berserk" feeling, but one has numbers and another has words.

It just strikes me weirdly... And well, if there is anything you want to take of this blog post is that numbers in writing-based roleplays feel really really out of place... Try describing what your character can/can't do with words and effects instead of numbers and percentages...

I mean, can you even imagine a mage casting a spell that has chance of healing his allies? Who would trust that mage as a healer if they can fail in a critical moment!? xD

Alright, rant done, Alice out~